Harry Potter Birthday Cake

Hagrid cake that was made for Harry Potters Birthday, pink frosting and green lettering on a black plate.

Harry Potter Birthday Cake

A two layer moist chocolate cake is topped with a vibrant pink frosting and green lettering, with the iconic "Happee Birthdae Harry" written across the cake. This is how the movie depicts Harry's birthday cake. The book however, doesn’t note that Hagrid misspelled “happy” and “birthday”. So if desired you can also write “HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY”. And it’ll still be a harry potter birthday cake!

Course Dessert

Cuisine English

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 35

Cool Time 40

Total Time 2

Servings servings

Calories 860kcal

Author Whitney Wright

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup hot water

Frosting

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature, but still semi-chilled
6 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream more or less as needed to make the frosting your desired spreadable consistency
green food color I didn't have gel food color in this one, so I used liquid food color and it worked well
pink food color I used gel food color

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

Preheat oven to 300° F. Spray 2 – 8 inch round pans with nonstick cooking spray (that contains flour), line with parchment, and then spray the parchment and the sides again. Set aside. (Can also use 9” round pans, the bake time will be a few minutes less).
In a medium bowl whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment mix the eggs, buttermilk, and veg oil until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer and mix until combined. Pour in the vanilla and hot water, mix on medium speed until combined.
Divide batter evenly between the cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. (If using 9” round cake pans check the cakes at the 30 minute mark). I used a 2” high cake pan and the cakes baked to the top of each pan.
Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the cake pans and allow cakes to cool on a cooling rack until room temperature. Once the cakes have cooled you can wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in the fridge or the freezer for later assembly. Or continue with the recipe.

Frosting

Make the frosting by beating the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Add the vanilla and heavy cream and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes or until very fluffy. The frosting should be a spreadable consistency, if it's too firm add a splash of heavy cream, if it's too soft add a little more powdered sugar.
Transfer 1 cup of frosting to a small bowl. Add green food color to the frosting and mix until it’s incorporated. The green should be a vibrant bright green. Place in a piping bag that is fitted with a fine tip. You will use the green frosting for the lettering.
To the remaining frosting add the pink food gel and mix to combine. The pink color should be vibrant as well.

Assembly

Place one cake layer on a cake stand or cake plate and add pink frosting around the top cake circumference. Add the final cake layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with pink frosting.
Using the green frosting write “HAPPEE BIRTHDAE HARRY” this is the text displayed in the first Harry Potter movie. The movie also shows a line through the cake between the letters “P” and “E” in HAPPEE extending down between “H” and “D” in BIRTHDAE, then between “H” and “A” in HARRY.
The book however, doesn’t note that Hagrid misspelled “happy” and “birthday”. So if desired you can also write “HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY”. And it’ll still be a harry potter birthday cake! Enjoy!

Notes

To make writing with icing easier, you can write the message out with a toothpick and then trace the icing over that.

Store the cake covered in the fridge for 4-6 days. The cake should be refrigerated due to the cream in the frosting.

Nutrition