This sweet treat looks like something straight from the wizarding world of Harry Potter! So whether you have a Harry Potter party coming up or need a quick and easy Halloween treat that kids can make for a class party this recipe is exactly what you're looking for! Kids can assemble these completely on their own! All you have to do is provide a few basic ingredients and a little plastic cauldron!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No special reusable silicone cauldrons needed! Using little cauldrons is so much easier than molding melted chocolate into a cauldron shape.
- No special cake decorating skills needed either to make these Harry Potter cauldron cakes!
- All you need is cake, frosting in disposable frosting bags, sprinkles and mini plastic cauldrons!
- Best part....Kids can assemble these tasty treats themselves (YES!!! They can totally pipe frosting from a bag! I'll tell you more below!)
Ingredient and Equipment Notes
- Cake - You will need a 9x13 cake of any flavor cut up into small pieces. The small pieces make it easier to fill the cauldrons. You can either purchase a cake or make a batch of my Death by Chocolate Cake like I did! If you choose to bake your own cake even from boxed cake mixes I recommend baking the cake on a baking sheet that's roughly 18x13 inches instead of a 9x13 baking pan. It makes it so much easier to cut the cake into a bunch of small pieces. It will take about 20 minutes at 350 degrees for the cake to bake on a pan that size.
- Buttercream Frosting - You can get my tried and true frosting recipe HERE! You need a double batch. I like to have an assortment of colors. TIP - Most bakeries will sell bulk amounts of buttercream frosting. If you're crunched for time pick up 6-7 cups of frosting from a bakery to put in your frosting bags.
- Disposable Frosting Bags - You may wonder why not just buy prepackaged frosting bags or just use a frosting knife. After having 4 kids of my own and having been a room mom and helped with class parties many, many, many times I can guarantee kids make less mess and can use a frosting bag easier than a knife. Trust me, it's seriously true. Less mess. Limits how much frosting they use. No worries about double dipping. Less likely to be swapping germs because we all know kids are going to lick the frosting. Put ⅓ cup of frosting in each frosting bag and secure the top of the bag with a rubber band so the frosting doesn't get squished up through the top. Snip a small hole in the end of the bag just before using. Click here to order a box of 50 them!
- Mini Cauldrons - I picked mine up at a local party supply store but you can also click here to order them from Amazon as well. They measure about 3 inches high by 2 inches wide. This recipe makes 20 cauldron cakes. We like the ones with actual cauldron handles on each side of the cauldron because they make this Harry Potter recipe easy to carry!
- Mini Spoons - I also picked these up from the party supply store but can also be ordered through this Amazon link. They make eating the cake out of the cauldron fun and easy!
How to Make
- Let's talk about the cake first. In a large bowl, make a batch of cake batter for a 9x13 cake but bake it on a 18x13 baking sheet lined with parchment paper to easily lift it out of the pan to cut up. If you don't have any just spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Baking time for a cake on that size sheet pan is 17-20 minutes.
- I used my Death by Chocolate Cake recipe.
- Once the cake is baked and cooled use a sharp knife to cut the cake into small cubes.
- You should have enough cake for 20-24 cauldron cakes.
- Now for the frosting. You need 6-7 cups of frosting. Get my Buttercream Frosting Recipe Here. Make double batch and color in various colors at a pipe-able consistency.
- Fill disposable frosting bags with the frosting. If you're doing this for a group of kids put roughly ⅓ cup of frosting in each piping bag and secure the top tightly with a rubber band. Don't cut the end off the bag until it's time to make the cauldrons.
- Assembly!!! Fill each cauldron half way with cake.
- Press the cake in just to distribute it around the bottom and pack it down slightly.
- Cut the end off a pastry bag of frosting. You will not need a tip or anything special.
- Just squeeze the bag to pipe a thin layer of frosting onto of the cake.
- Press more cake into the cauldrons to fill to the top edge of each cauldron.
- Pipe more frosting on the top of the cake in a circular motion. Remember it doesn't need to look "perfect".
- Final step...Decorate with assorted sprinkles.
- Serve with a mini spoon!
- You can store these in the fridge or at room temperature!
- Here are a few different looks we came up with that remind us of potions from the Harry Potter books!
- The green one is our Poly Juice Potion with all sorts of nasty things added to it!
- The purple one is the Draught of Peace! It swirls with stars and peaceful ghosts!
- The bottom orange one was dubbed the invisibility potion just because it would be so cool to be invisible!!!
- And even though Harry Potter traveled through a fireplace, not a cauldron, the flaming cauldron made us think of traveling through a fireplace! I did use a tip for that cauldron cake. It was tip #112 aka V-cut leaf tip.
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
What do cauldron cakes taste like?
With a layer of cake on the bottom, followed by a layer of frosting, another layer of cake and topped with more frosting, these taste like chocolate cupcakes or layer cakes.
Can I use a different filling instead of frosting for the middle?
Of course! A pudding or cream filling, chocolate mousse or even marshmallow fluff in the between the layers of cake would be delicious!
Related Recipes Inspired by the Harry Potter Books
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Last Minute Mini Cauldron Cakes Recipe
This sweet treat looks like something straight from the wizarding world of Harry Potter! So whether you have a Harry Potter party coming up or need a quick and easy Halloween treat that kids can make for a class party this recipe is exactly what you're looking for!
Ingredients
- One 9x13 Cake
- 6-7 Cups Buttercream Frosting
- 24 Mini Cauldrons
- Assorted Halloween Sprinkles
Instructions
- Let's talk about the cake first. Make a batch of cake batter for a 9x13 cake but bake it on a 18x13 baking sheet lined with parchment paper to easily lift it out of the pan to cut up. If you don't have any just spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Baking time for that size sheet pan is 17-20 minutes.
- I used my Death by Chocolate Cake recipe.
- Once the cake is baked and cooled use a sharp knife to cut the cake into small cubes.
- You should have enough cake for 20-24 cauldron cakes.
- Now for the frosting. You need 6-7 cups of frosting. Get my Buttercream Frosting Recipe Here. Make double batch and color in various colors at a pipe-able consistency.
- Fill disposable frosting bags with the frosting. If you're doing this for a group of kids put roughly ⅓ cup of frosting in each piping bag and secure the top tightly with a rubber band. Don't cut the end off the bag until it's time to make the cauldrons.
- Assembly!!! Fill each cauldron half way with cake.
- Press the cake in just to distribute it around the bottom and pack it down slightly.
- Cut the end off a pastry bag of frosting. You will not need a tip or anything special.
- Just squeeze the bag to pipe a thin layer of frosting onto of the cake.
- Press more cake into the cauldrons to fill to the top edge of each cauldron.
- Pipe more frosting on the top of the cake in a circular motion. Remember it doesn't need to look "perfect".
- Final step...Decorate with assorted sprinkles.
- Serve with a mini spoon!
- You can store these in the fridge or at room temperature!
Notes
- Click here for My Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Click here for The Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- I was able to pick up supplies for this recipe from a local party supply store however if that's not an option for you....
- Click here to order Mini Cauldrons from Amazon
- Click here to order Disposable Frosting Bags from Amazon
- Click here to order Mini Spoons from Amazon
- Click here to order Halloween Sprinkles from Amazon
- Nutritional Disclaimer
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Mindee's Cooking Obsession is a positive place and I love to hear your success stories! Remember to keep comments or questions respectful and kind. I reserve the right to delete or reject any comments that are deemed not helpful to other readers or are offensive in nature.
Comments suggesting substitutions of multiple ingredients or rewrites of the above recipe to promote different dietary preferences will not be published as they are not tested for accuracy and may inhibit the success of other readers. Thanks!
Natalie
This is a great idea! Just what I was looking for actually. My son is Harry Potter obsessed. I'm going to make him this.
Gina
How cute! And SO easy too for a fun last minute idea!
Lauren Michael Harris
What a great idea to make these little cauldron cakes for a Halloween party! My kids would love them!
Toni
This is such a great idea!! So fun to make and eat!
Kristen
This is such a cute idea! My daughter is going to love making these for Halloween!
Beth Sachs
My kids loved making these cakes for a Halloween party! Great recipe.
Chenée
These are adorable! And so easy to make! I love this idea for a last minute Halloween treat.
Shadi Hasanzade
How cute! These are so fun to make with kids for Halloween!