Description
This Easy Butterfly Cake is a fun and simple dessert perfect for birthdays or springtime celebrations. With a light, fluffy cake and colorful butterfly decorations, it’s a showstopper!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 box of yellow cake mix (or homemade yellow cake recipe)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter (softened, optional for extra richness)
For the Butterfly Decoration:
- 2–3 large cookies (e.g., sugar cookies or graham crackers)
- Assorted colorful sprinkles or edible glitter
- Fresh fruit (like berries or sliced kiwi) for additional decoration (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan (or two if making layers).
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Prepare the Cake: In a large mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, water, and vanilla extract. Follow the package instructions for mixing and baking. Typically, you’ll need to beat the ingredients for about 2-3 minutes and then pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
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Bake the Cake: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
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Prepare the Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla extract and softened butter (if using) and continue whipping until smooth.
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Assemble the Cake: Once the cake is fully cooled, spread a layer of whipped frosting evenly over the top of the cake.
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Create the Butterfly Wings: For the butterfly wings, break the cookies into two pieces. Arrange the cookies on the cake with the curved edges facing out to resemble butterfly wings.
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Decorate the Butterfly Cake: Use the colorful sprinkles or edible glitter to decorate the “wings” of the butterfly. You can also add fresh fruit in the center or along the edges for extra color and decoration.
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Serve and Enjoy: Slice and enjoy your whimsical, butterfly-themed cake!
Notes
- For a healthier version, you can use homemade whipped cream or a non-dairy whipped topping.
- You can use any flavor of cake mix you prefer—chocolate or vanilla works best for this design.
- To make the butterfly wings look more intricate, consider using two cookies per wing or additional edible decorations.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of the cake)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 50mg