These birthday cake macarons taste just like a slice of vanilla cake! Perfect for a birthday party or no celebration at all, this uncomplicated French macaron recipe is easy to follow and full of detailed instructions to set you up for success.
I love baking birthday cake desserts that aren't cake, like birthday cake cookies or birthday cake brownies.
These macarons are perfect for a birthday party or honestly no occasion at all! I think it's safe to say that birthday cake flavor is always in season. 😉
Jump to:
why you'll love this recipe
- Perfect for birthday celebrations
- Easy-to-follow recipe
- Full of helpful tips and tricks!
ingredient notes
- Almond meal: I prefer Kirkland Almond Meal from Costco or Bob's Red Mill super fine almond meal.
- White chocolate: Any brand of white chocolate works well for these birthday cake macarons.
- Egg whites: Your egg whites should be from fresh eggs only.
- Cream of tartar: The cream of tartar will stabilize the egg white meringue.
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
helpful equipment & tools
- Kitchen scale: I have this exact scale and it's always less than $10 on Amazon. The ratio of ingredients is the most important key to success!
- Kitchen Aid stand mixer: I have a standard 5-quart mixer, but any size should work. I don't recommend using a hand mixer but I know some people do have success with them!
- Silicone baking mats: I prefer to bake these birthday cake macarons on a silicone baking mat to maintain even heat.
- 18-inch piping bag: A large bag will be easier to pipe with and you can fit all the batter inside it!
- #12 Wilton tip: This tip is what I use every single time. It's a small round tip that allows more control over piping the batter.
expert tips
- Scale all ingredients first- measure your ingredients before starting the process to ensure you don't miss an ingredient. The process goes quickly and the batter waits for no one!!
- Wipe down your tools with vinegar- lightly dampen a paper towel with white vinegar and use it to wipe down your mixing bowl, spatula, and whisk to get rid of any fat residue.
- Let the shells rest- let the piped shells sit at room temperature to form a skin for at least 30 minutes, depending on your level of humidity. Skipping this step will result in cracked shells that bake with no feet.
- Don't be intimidated!- making them is a fun learning process, and even if they aren't 100% perfect the first go, they are so delicious and edible 🙂
instructions
step by step
Step 1: Sift the almond meal and powdered sugar with a fine-mesh strainer into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Add the egg whites to a 5-quart stand mixing bowl and mix with the whisk attachment until foamy. Then add the cream of tartar.
Mix the egg whites until stiff peaks form and then transfer them to a large bowl. Add dry ingredients in thirds and fold gently with a rubber spatula until combined.
Scrape the batter against the sides of the bowl with your spatula. Scrape until the batter flows off the spatula in slow ribbons and can draw a figure 8 without breaking.
TIP- Make sure your egg whites are at a stiff peak before moving on. The meringue will look glossy, and shiny, and hold a stiff peak when the whisk is removed.
Step 3: Using a piping bag with a #12 Wilton round tip, pipe the batter onto a Silpat lined baking tray space about 1 ½ inches apart. Drop the tray on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Pop the air bubbles on the surface of the shell with a toothpick. Set the tray aside to try until a skin forms, about 30 minutes, then bake for 12-14 minutes.
Step 4: Fill the shells with the cake buttercream. Dip half the shells in melted white chocolate and the other half in pink-colored white chocolate. Sprinkle with confetti sprinkles.
storage & freezing
- Refrigerator- Once filled, store them in an air-tight container in the fridge overnight to soften. They will stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the fridge.
- Freezer- You can freeze just the shells or the assembled macarons for up to 1 month!
NOTE- Naturally, the macarons will harden in the fridge so before eating, leave them out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to soften.
variations
- Sprinkle the shells with sprinkles before baking and skip dipping them in chocolate.
faq's
Gel food coloring is best, too much liquid in the chocolate can make it seize and clumpy.
If stored properly, it will last up to a week in the fridge.
The batter is likely overmixed if they are spreading a ton. Stop mixing when the batter falls in a continuous ribbon of the spatula to prevent this from happening.
Either the oven is too hot or the shells didn't rest long enough to form a skin! Rest them for at least 25-30 minutes and use an oven thermometer to test the true temperature of your oven.
related macaron recipes you'll love
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
Birthday Cake Macarons
Equipment
- Stand mixing bowl with whisk and paddle attachment
- 12-18 inch piping bag
- #12 small round Wilton tip
- 2- silpat mats
Ingredients
- 124 g powdered sugar
- 140 g blanched almond meal
- 107 g fresh egg whites
- 110 g granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Buttercream Ingredients
- ½ cup soft unsalted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon boxed yellow or white cake mix
- ½ tablespoon milk
- â…” cup white chocolate, melted
- ½-1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon confetti nonpariel sprinkles
- pink gel food coloring
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and almond meal until no lumps remain.
- Add the room temperature egg whites to a bowl of a stand mixer. Whip the egg whites on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, until white and foamy, then add the cream of tartar.124 g powdered sugar, 140 g blanched almond meal
- Slowly add in the granulated sugar and then increase the speed to medium high. Mix for 5-6 minutes until medium peaks, then add the food coloring. Continue whipping for 1-2 minutes longer or until stiff peaks form.107 g fresh egg whites, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Slowly fold and mix the batter smooth. The batter is ready when it flows slowly in ribbons off the spatula and you can draw a figure 8.110 g granulated sugar
- Line an upside down baking tray with a silicone baking mat.
- Fill a piping bag with a small round piping tip and pipe the batter over the top of the tray into 1 ½ inch rounds spaced 2 inches apart.
- Tap the baking sheet on the counter to remove any air bubbles. You can pop them with a toothpick if desired. Sprinkle with white non perils if desired.
- Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to form a skin.
- While the macarons are resting, preheat your oven to 300F/149C.
- Bake each tray for about 13-14 minutes. The macarons are done baking when you gently touch the top of the shell, it should just barely budge from the foot. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Making the Buttercream
- In a stand mixing bowl, mix the butter on low until smooth, then add the powdered sugar and salt and mix on low speed until completely combined.½ cup soft unsalted butter
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.1 cup powdered sugar
- Add the yellow cake batter and ½ tablespoon milk. Mix until combined, then increase the speed to medium high and whip until the buttercream is very light, white in color, and super fluffy.2 tablespoon boxed yellow or white cake mix, ½ tablespoon milk
Assembling
- Melt the white chocolate until runny then mix in the coconut oil to thin it out.⅔ cup white chocolate, melted, ½-1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
- Dip half the top of the shells in the white chocolate, then add 2-3 drops of the pink coloring and dip the other half of the shells. Sprinkle them with the confetti sprinkles before the chocolate dries.pink gel food coloring, 1 tablespoon confetti nonpariel sprinkles
- Pipe about 1 tablespoon of buttercream into the middle of the shells and sandwich it with the other shell. Continue until all they are all filled. Place them in a sealed container and let them mature in the fridge for 24 hours before enjoying.
Notes
- Scale all ingredients first- measure your ingredients before starting the process to ensure you don't miss an ingredient. The process goes quickly and the batter waits for no one!!
- Wipe down your tools with vinegar- lightly dampen a paper towel with white vinegar and use it to wipe down your mixing bowl, spatula, and whisk to get rid of any fat residue.
- Let the shells rest- let the piped shells sit at room temperature to form a skin for at least 30 minutes, depending on your level of humidity. Skipping this step will result in cracked shells that bake with no feet.
- Don't be intimidated!- making them is a fun learning process, and even if they aren't 100% perfect the first go, they are so delicious and still edible 🙂
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Mackenzie L. says
I didn’t think it was possible to make a macaron that tastes like actual cake batter but it has been done and now i can’t stop thinking about them