Best 11 Celebration Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE-STRAWBERRY CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the first seven ingredients; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Transfer to two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans., Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 28-32 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, cream butter, confectioner's sugar and cocoa until light and fluffy. Beat in milk until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake., For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. Heat cream just to a boil; pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over top of cake, allowing ganache to drape down the sides. Arrange strawberries on top of cake. If desired, brush jam onto strawberries.

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• In 1-quart saucepan, mix 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. In small bowl, place cranberries. Pour syrup over berries; stir to blend. Refrigerate, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Remove berries from refrigerator and drain; discard liquid. In small bowl, place remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Working with a few berries at a time, roll one by one in the sugar to completely coat. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Let stand at room temperature about 1 hour or until dry. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat Cake ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour 1 2/3 cups of the batter in each pan.
• Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, beat marshmallow creme, softened butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Beat in powdered sugar until fluffy. If necessary, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time, until spreading consistency.
• Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread 3/4 cup frosting on top; top with second cake layer. Spread 3/4 cup frosting on top; top with third cake layer. Frost sides with a thin layer of frosting so sides are covered but cake still shows through. Spread remaining frosting on top.
• Place sugared cranberries around base of cake, and press in slightly to adhere to frosting. Place remaining cranberries on top, mounding in center of cake; garnish with sprigs of rosemary. Loosely cover and refrigerate any remaining cake.

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour two 10-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; line each with round of parchment paper or waxed paper. Combine first 5 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend well. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs and egg yolks in large bowl until very thick and heavy ribbon falls when beaters are lifted, about 6 minutes. Add oil, sour cream and vanilla, then dry ingredients all at once to egg mixture. Beat at low speed until just blended, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl. Beat at high speed until well blended, about 3 minutes. Fold in chocolate chips; divide batter between prepared pans (about 3 3/4 cups batter in each).
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pans on racks. Cover; let cakes stand at room temperature overnight.
• Make ganache:
• Bring cream to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer ganache to glass bowl. Let stand until thick enough to spread, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Make mousse:
• Using electric mixer, beat 3 1/3 cups cream in large bowl until peaks form; refrigerate. Combine remaining 1 cup cream and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan and bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted, smooth, and still warm to touch. Pour warm chocolate mixture directly onto whipped cream and fold in gently. Chill until mousse is set, at least 8 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Assemble and serve cake:
• Cut around pan sides; turn out cakes. Peel off paper. Cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on 9-inch tart pan bottom or 9-inch cardboard round. Place another layer, cut side up, on clean baking sheet. Spread each with 1/3 cup raspberry jam. Chill until jam sets, about 15 minutes
• If ganache is chilled, microwave on defrost setting in 15-second repetitions until just soft enough to spread, stirring occasionally. Drop 1 cup ganache by rounded teaspoonfuls over each jam layer. Using offset spatula, gently spread ganache to cover jam. Drop 3 cups mousse by heaping spoonfuls onto each ganache layer; gently spread to cover. Refrigerate cake layers 30 minutes. Using large metal spatula, place cake layer from baking sheet, mousse side up, atop cake layer on tart pan bottom. Place third cake layer, cut side down, on cake (reserve remaining cake layer for another use). Spread 1 cup mousse over top of assembled cake. Using long offset spatula, spread sides of assembled cake with enough ganache (about 1 1/2 cups) to fill gaps and make smooth surface. Transfer cake on tart pan bottom to platter.
• Turn 1 large baking sheet upside down on work surface. Arrange two 20-inch-long pieces of foil on work surface. Cut two 4 1/2-inch-wide by 15 3/4-inch-long strips from transfer sheet. Lay 1 transfer sheet strip, rough-textured design facing up, onto each sheet of foil. Place chocolate in medium metal bowl; set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Stir until chocolate is smooth and very warm to touch (about 115°F). Remove bowl from over water.
• Pour thick ribbon of melted chocolate (about 2/3 cup) onto 1 transfer sheet strip. Using long offset spatula, spread chocolate evenly over transfer strip, covering completely (chocolate will run over sides of strip). Lift edge of chocolate-coated strip with tip of knife. Slide hands between transfer strip and foil, lift entire transfer strip and place it, chocolate side up, on inverted baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate on strip is set and loses gloss but is still flexible (do not let chocolate become too firm), about 1 1/2 minutes. Using fingertips, lift chocolate-coated strip and attach, chocolate side in, to side of cake. Press strip to seal chocolate to side of cake (strip will stand about 1 inch above top edge of cake). Coat remaining transfer strip with chocolate, transfer to inverted baking sheet; chill until set but still flexible. Arrange 1 end of second strip against (but not overlapping) 1 end of first strip. Press second strip to seal chocolate to side of cake (both strips will just encircle cake). Refrigerate cake until chocolate strips are firm, about 30 minutes. Carefully peel transfer paper off chocolate strips. Chill cake at least 3 hours and up to 1 day. Mound fruit atop cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Cake can be assembled up to 8 hours ahead.)

CELEBRATION ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Sift flour with 3/4 cups sugar 4 times; set aside.
• With a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks are formed. Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time.
• Beat well after each addition; continue to beat until stiff peaks form when beaters are raised out of mixture.
• With a rubber spatula, gently fold almond extract and vanilla into the beaten egg whites.
• Sprinkle about a quarter of the flour mixture evenly over the egg whites; fold in gently with a spatula, about 15 strokes. Repeat until all of the flour mixture and fold in the sprinkles with about 10 to 12 more strokes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Gently spoon batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Cut through batter in pan with a narrow spatula or knife. With rubber spatula, spread batter to smooth the top and make sure batter is spread to touch the sides of the pan.
• Bake on a lower oven rack for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched with fingertip. Invert pan to cool completely, about 2 hours. Use a narrow spatula or knife to gently loosen cake from sides and center of the tube pan. Gently, grasping the center tube, lift cake out of pan. Use a narrow spatula or knife to loosen the cake from the bottom. Remove the cake from tube section and frost with a fluffy white frosting or serve with sweetened strawberries or other fruit.

CELEBRATION CRANBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in milk. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in cranberries. , Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack., For sauce, melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in the sugar and cream; bring to a boil, stirring often. Boil for 8-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Serve warm with cake.

EASTER CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottoms and sides of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with cooking parchment paper.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup melted butter and the eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in candy sprinkles. Divide evenly between pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around edges of pans to loosen; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, beat 2 1/4 cups softened butter with electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in 3 tablespoons milk and the vanilla. On low speed, beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time until smooth and creamy. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. In medium bowl, place 3 cups frosting; tint with pink food color to desired color. Divide remaining frosting between 2 small bowls. Tint 1 bowl blue and 1 bowl yellow by stirring in food color to desired color.
• Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup pink frosting on top; top with second cake layer. Using metal spatula, frost side and top of cake with thin layer of pink frosting. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Fit 3 decorating bags with different sizes of medium to large star tips; fill bags with remaining pink, blue and yellow frosting. Remove cake from refrigerator. Using pink decorating bag, pipe center of a rosette flower onto side of cake. Touch piping tip to side of cake to attach frosting -- apply steady pressure to bag while squeezing; pipe in a tight circle to make a flower about 1 inch in diameter, tapping tip to cake to complete flower, and lift off. Make more pink rosettes in different sizes around side and top of cake. Using blue and yellow decorating bags, pipe small stars and small rosettes, alternating around side and top of cake to fill in empty spaces. Use photo as guide.
• When ready to serve, top cake with unwrapped Decorations, mounding in center. Loosely cover and refrigerate any remaining cake.

CELEBRATION PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
• Combine cake mix, pumpkin, eggs and butter in a large bowl; beat with electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cakes for 5 minutes on wire racks. Remove to racks; cool completely.
• Place on cake layer on serving plate; cover with frosting. Place second layer on top of first; cover with frosting. Top with remaining cake layer; frost top and side of cake. Spread caramel over top of cake, letting some caramel drip down side. Garnish with pecan halves.

CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake as package directs for 13x9 pan.
• Cool cake and leave in pan.
• Using a table-knife handle, poke holes throughout cake, about 1-inch apart and halfway to bottom.
• Combine Eagle Brand, orange juice concentrate and orange rind; mix well.
• Spoon small amount of mixture into each hole; spread remaining mixture evenly over top.
• Chill 3-4 hours.
• Just before serving, spread whipped cream or frosting over cake and garnish as desired as desired.

CELEBRATION PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans. Combine cake mix, pumpkin, eggs and butter in large bowl; beat with electric mixer at medium speed 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpicks inserted into centers come out clean. Cool 5 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans and cool completely.
• 2. Place one cake layer on serving plate; cover with frosting. Repeat layers, ending with frosting. Frost side of cake. Spread caramel topping over cake, letting some caramel drip down side. Garnish with pecan halves.

SPRING CELEBRATION CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) square cake pans, line them with buttered parchment paper, and dust with flour.
• Toss the carrots, walnuts and 1/2 cup pineapple with 3/4 cup of the flour in a small bowl and set aside.
• Whisk the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
• In another large bowl beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until thick and light, about 5 minutes. While continuing to beat the eggs slowly, gradually add the oil, and then the pureed carrot.
• Scatter the dry ingredients over the wet and then gently fold them together to make a loose batter. Gently fold the nuts, carrots, and pineapple into the batter. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake the cakes until firm to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on a rack for 25 minutes. Turn cakes out of pans and cool completely on the rack.
• For the icing:
• Beat cream cheese in a large bowl, with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in the butter until smooth. Sift the sugar over the cream cheese, and beat until smooth. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate to set slightly for about 20 minutes.
• To assemble the cake, place a cake layer on a cake stand, plate, or cake board. Spread about half of the icing over top, but leave the sides bare. Sprinkle icing with about half of the pineapple. Top with a second cake layer, and repeat with remaining icing and pineapple. Serve.

CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• To make the layers for the cake, heat oven to 350. Grease and line three 10-by-14-inch jellyroll pans with parchment paper. (If you only have one, you can make the layers separately.)
• Put a medium-size pot with a few inches of water in it over medium heat, and bring it to a simmer. Place a large, heatproof bowl on top of the pot, making sure that the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Put the chocolate in the bowl, and melt it over the simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the heat, and set aside to cool slightly.
• Put the egg yolks and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Mix for about 3 minutes, until thick and pale, and then gently fold the mixture into the melted chocolate. Stir until almost combined, and set aside.
• Put the egg whites in the clean bowl of an electric mixer with a clean whisk attachment. Beat at high speed until soft peaks form, and then gently fold them into the chocolate, followed by the brandy.
• Divide the chocolate mixture between the 3 jellyroll pans (or pour a third of the mix into one, if you're baking in 3 batches). Use a spatula to even out the tops or top, and place in the oven. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, until firm to touch and a skewer inserted in comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
• Once the cakes have cooled, place a sheet of parchment on a sheet pan, and set it over one of the finished spongecakes, then flip the whole thing over, so the sheet pan is now sitting under the cake. Remove the jellyroll pan and the used paper. Repeat with the remaining cakes, placing each on a clean sheet of parchment paper and stacking them. Wrap them well with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
• To make the ganache, place white chocolate in a large bowl and set aside. Add the cream to a medium saucepan with a heavy base and place it on medium-low heat. Cook until just starting to simmer, and then pour it over the chocolate. Allow to sit for 3 minutes or so, until the chocolate has softened, and then gently stir until the chocolate is melted and fully combined with the cream. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight (or for up to 3 days).
• To assemble the cake, put the ganache into the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Add the cream, and whip on medium-high until the mixture has achieved the consistency of soft whipped cream. (Keep a close eye on it so as not to overwhip.)
• Mix the berries you are not holding back for garnish in a large bowl, and set aside.
• Remove one sponge layer from the freezer at a time, and place on a serving platter or cutting board. Do not remove them all at once; they need to be frozen. Trim about 1/2 inch off all the edges to make a clean rectangle, then spread roughly 1/3 of the ganache mixture across the top of the cake. Scatter 1/2 of the berries on top of the ganache mixture, making sure they are evenly spread right to the edges of the cake. Trim the second sponge layer, place it on top of the first and cover it with another 1/3 of the ganache mixture and the remainder of the fruit. Remove the final layer of cake from the freezer, trim it and place it on top of the second, then spread the remaining ganache across the top of the cake, smoothing it with a palette knife. Place the fruit reserved as garnish in each corner of the cake, and dust the whole thing lightly with powdered sugar, if you like. If you're not serving the cake right away, store in the refrigerator for a few hours, bringing it out 30 minutes before serving.