Looking for a spectacular vegan celebration cake to wow your guests with? This three-layer vegan surprise cake will delight all your guests! This fluffy vegan vanilla sponge cake is surrounded by a cream cheese frosting and is filled with the sweetest surprise. Colorful sprinkles and candy will tumble out when you cut into it.
Jump to:
💡 The recipe in a nutshell
- Vegan (eggless and dairy free)
- A Piñata in cake form
- Simple to make
- Fun for every age
💭 What sprinkles and candy should I use?
What sprinkles and candy you end up using to decorate the cake is totally up to you. Fill this vegan piñata cake with whatever vegan candy and sprinkles you like best! To find the best vegan brands read my guide on vegan sprinkles.
I like to use Katjes Rainbow gummies for the candy since they are entirely plant-based (no animal gelatin) and palm oil free. Their rainbow gummies are so cute, and they make the perfect decoration on the outside of the cake as well!
🍰 How to
I recommend using my vanilla sponge cake recipe. It is super fluffy, delicious and the batter is easily colored if you'd like to add even more color! It tastes incredibly great with my vegan cream cheese frosting. Both recipes are super simple and easy to make. Even beginners can create this stunning surprise piñata cake!
However, feel free to use any vegan cake (that is suitable for layer cakes) and frosting recipe that you like.
Assembling the cake is surprisingly (hehe) easy, as well! Place a whole cake layer on a rotating cake stand or serving plate. Then, by using a round cookie cutter, or small cake cutter, cut a circle into another layer. Spread a layer of frosting on top and smooth. Top with the cut cake layer and fill the hole with sprinkles and candy. Spread frosting on the edges, then top with the remaining whole cake layer. Frost side and top of the cake and decorate as desired.
🥣 Storage
To store the frosted cake cover with a big cover. Or put it in a cake box and wrap it in plastic. Thankfully the buttercream coating acts as a protective layer to the cake. It will last for approximately five days in the fridge. However, this highly depends on the humidity and the temperature. For the best experience add gummy candy shortly before serving and eat as fresh as possible!
🎥 Video
📖 Recipe
Vegan Surprise Cake
Equipment
- Cake Pans, Mixing Bowl, Electric Mixer, 3 or 4 inch round Cake (or cookie) Cutter
Ingredients
- 3 layers of vegan vanilla sponge cake
- 1 batch of vegan cream cheese frosting
- ¼ - ¾ cup vegan sprinkles
- ¼ - ½ cup vegan candies e.g. Katjes rainbow gummies
Instructions
- Make vegan cream cheese frosting and store in fridge until ready to use.
- Prepare 3 layers of vanilla sponge cakes. Let them cool completely before assembling.
- If you mix sprinkles and several kinds of candy, add everything into a small bowl and mix to combine.
- If needed, flatten cake layers by trimming off rounded tops. In 1 layer, cut small round out of center, using a 3-inch round cutter for a 6 inch cake, or a 4-inch round cutter for an 8-inch cake.
- To assemble cake: Place 1 uncut cake layer on rotating cake stand; spread ⅓ cup frosting on top. Top with the cored layer. Fill cake with candies and sprinkles and gently press candies to level. Then frost the top, and top with another full cake layer.
- Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting and decorate as desired. Transfer to a cake stand, keep in fridge until served.
The provided nutritional information is an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
PS: Don't forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment on your experience - this helps improve my recipes and serves you with the best instructions, tips, and substitution ideas. Plus, I love hearing about your takes on my recipes! Tag me on Instagram @thesimplesprinkle to show me your pictures.
Oh my gosh, this cake is phenomenal! It could be perfect for kids party! I love it! Thank you for sharing this AMAZING recipe!
Thanks so much Chris, I appreciate your feedback. A bunch of readers told me their kids loved it!
What an awesome cake!!! Love how unique this is!
Thank you Andrea!
This vegan surprise cake is so much fun! I loved making it for a friend's baby's 1st birthday!
It definitely is so much fun! Thank you for your comment.
Wow what an amazing cake!! Stunning! I plan to make it for my daughter's birthday!
Thank you, Meryl. I'm sure your daughter is going to love this cake!
wow what a FUN looking cake!
Thank you Nancy!
I love it! I am making it for my niece's birthday! I think is really awesome that you need only very few ingredients!
Thank you for your feedback, I try to keep my recipes as simple as possible! I can't wait to hear how it all turned out and how your niece liked it.
Wow! Such a light vanilla sponge cake it makes such a brilliant looking celebration cake. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you so much for your feedback!
Thanks for the wonderful recipe! 💕 Your creative mind and that stirring fat technique into the dry ingredients totally worked. This is one of the best cakes I have ever made! It intrigues me making cakes without eggs!!
I opted for a dairy-based frosting! 🎂
Thank you so so much for trying it out Lauren! I loved seeing your cake on Instagram, it looked absolutely amazing.
Love this idea!
I'd like to try this for my Mom's 94th birthday! Vanilla is her favorite flavor. Am thinking to fill the center with chocolate candies.
Question. Could the layers be pre-made and frozen. I don't live in a different part of the state and would like to transport them in a cooler, so I don't have to heat up her house.
Thank you in advance for any advice you can give.