Easy Llama Cake

5 from 5 ratings

This easy llama cake is made from scratch and is so easy to make! It's tender, moist, and decorated with buttercream frosting to look just like a baby llama!

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Additional Time1

Total Time1 50

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24

Calories: 854kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Funfetti Cake Layers

3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
3 cups granulated sugar 600g
2 1/2 tsp baking powder 10g
1 tsp fine salt 6g
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
1 cup carton egg whites or 7 large egg whites, room temperature 235g
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature 360g
2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil 28g
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
1 1/2 tsp almond extract - optional 6g
3/4 cup rainbow jimmies or long strand sprinkles 130g

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 678g
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
1 tsp fine salt 6g
10 cups powdered sugar 1250g
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g

Llama Cake Decorations

Instructions

Funfetti Cake Layers:

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Line four 7-inch or 6-inch round pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick cooking spray. You can also use this recipe to make 3, 8-inch cake layers. If you don't have that many cake pans, the batter can sit at room temperature for a few hours. Bake as many layers at a time as you can at a time.
Mix 3 cups all purpose flour, 3 cups sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until fully combined.
Mix in 1 cup of room temperature, unsalted butter slowly into the dry ingredients on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain and the mixture looks like moist sand.
Pour in 1 cup of egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed.
Add in 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil, 2 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional) and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. If you want to color these cake layers, add in the gel food coloring during this step.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat on a medium speed for about a minute to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers a bit.
Fold 3/4 cup of sprinkles into the cake batter using a rubber spatula and mix until they're evenly distributed.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 34-37 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. If you use 6-inch cake pans, they might take a couple minutes longer to bake. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
Place the cake pans into the freezer for 45 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
These layers bake up pretty flat, so leveling them is optional! If you want to level them, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer. I also like to trim the sides of the cake layers to make them easier to frost (sometimes the sprinkles can make the sides a bit wonky!). If you make these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
Beat 3 cups of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.
Mix in 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1 tsp salt on a low speed.
Slowly mix in 10 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Add 1/3 cup of heavy cream halfway through to make the frosting easier to mix.
Continue to mix on a low speed for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
Cover the buttercream flush with plastic wrap to prevent crusting, then set aside.

Assembling This Llama Birthday Cake:

Stack and frost the cake layers on an 8-inch greaseproof cake board using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer in the center of the board.
Add a thick, even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula. If desired, add some sprinkles on top of the frosting for a bit of texture. Repeat with the remaining cake layers.
Once all the cake layers are stacked, spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch. This makes it easier to pipe on the llama's hair!
While the cake chills, make the llama's ears. Melt 1/2 cup of white chocolate in a short cup. Heat in 15 second intervals until the white chocolate is fully melted, stirring between each interval. Dunk 2 Pringles about 2/3 way into the white chocolate and shake off any excess. Place them on a piece of parchment paper and set aside to let the white chocolate harden. If you don't have Pringles, you can also use white fondant to make the ears.
Add a second layer of frosting on front of the cake where the llamas face will be. Smooth the frosting with a bench scraper or large offset spatula.
Place about 2 tbsp of buttercream in a bowl and color black with a squirt of black gel food coloring. Place in a small piping bag fit with a small round piping tip.
Place the remaining uncolored buttercream in a large piping bag fit with a Wilton 1M piping tip.
Use a toothpick to trace out where you want the llama's eyes, nose, and mouth to be.
Use the black buttercream to pipe on the llama's facial features. The llama might look a little silly at this point but trust the process! If you don't feel comfortable piping on the face, you can also use black fondant instead of buttercream.
Cover the cake in small buttercream rosettes and dollops of white buttercream. Start around the llama's face first, then cover the rest of the cake.
Gently press the white chocolate covered Pringles into the frosting on the top of the cake, and then you llama cake is all ready to go! If you're making this cake in advance, wait to add on the Pringle ears until you're ready to serve the cake.

Video

Notes

Llama Cake Recipe Variations

This recipe can be used to make 4, 6-inch cake layers, 4, 7-inch cake layers, or 3, 8-inch cake layers.

This recipe can also be used to make a sheet cake! One batch will make 2, 9-inch x 13 inch cake layers that are about 1 inch tall. Bake at 350°F/175°C for 30-35 minutes.

Tips for Making this Easy Llama Cake

Properly measure your flour. Either spoon it into the cup measure, then level with a knife or use a kitchen scale.
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
Chill the cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. This makes them easier to stack and frost.
Crumb coat and chill your cake, then pipe on a second layer of frosting. This will help the buttercream rosettes stick to the cake more easily.
Make sure your buttercream is the right consistency before frosting your cake. It will help give your cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.

Making this Llama Cake in Advance and Storage Tips

Make the cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

Make the frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!

If you freeze this cake, transfer it to the fridge the day before you plan to eat it to help minimize temperature shock and reduce condensation.

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

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