This Harry Potter birthday Cake will transport you right into the wizarding world! It’s an extra fudgy chocolate cake frosted with pink butterbeer buttercream and decorated with the iconic “Happee Birthdae Harry” written in bright green icing!

I haven’t been this excited about sharing a recipe with you all since I shared my other Harry Potter recipes last year. There’s just something about making desserts from the wizarding world that makes me so happy! Be sure to check out my other Harry Potter inspired desserts: butterbeer cupcakes, butterbeer cookies, sorting hat cupcakes, pumpkin pasties and pumpkin juice!

This cake is made to look just like Harry Potter’s birthday cake given to him on his 11th birthday by Rubeus Hagrid in Sorcerer’s Stone. The book describes the cake as “a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing.” We’re Frosting it with pink frosting to make it look just like the one from the movie! We’re also spelling it “Happee Birthdae Harry” just like Hagrid did to make it extra magical.

This cake is perfect for reading through the Harry Potter books again, having a Harry Potter marathon movie night, for a Harry Potter party or special occasions! If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you will absolutely adore this cake! (This is also the perfect birthday cake to make for anyone else! You can easily swap out Harry’s name for a friend’s!)

Why You’ll Love This Harry Potter Birthday Cake

It’s super chocolatey– Dutch process cocoa powder gives this cake it’s amazing flavor and texture.

It’s got the best texture– This cake is fudgy! It’s a moist chocolate cake and each bite is chewy and fluffy at the same time. Its texture is one of a kind!

It’s frosted with butterbeer buttercream. This frosting tastes just like butterbeer from the wizarding world of Harry Potter at Universal! 

It’s decorated just like the movie! Pink frosting with “Happee Birthdae Harry” written in bright green lettering. Hagrid would be so proud.

Ingredients For Harry Potter Birthday Cake

• Flour– all purpose flour gives the cake the best fudgy texture 
• Cocoa Powder- I recommend using Dutch process cocoa powder for the deepest chocolate flavor
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda– help to give the cake its fluffy texture
• Salt– helps bring out all the flavors 
• Granulated White Sugar– used to sweeten and add moisture to the cake
• Butter– make sure it’s unsalted and softened
• Butterscotch Chips– used to give the frosting a butterbeer flavor
• Eggs– make sure they’re room temperature
• Vanilla Extract- adds a sweet note to the cake
• Butter Extract– adds an extra buttery flavor to the frosting
• Powdered Sugar- used to sweeten the frosting
• Food Coloring– pink and green food coloring are used to dye the cakes iconic frosting 
• 2 8-Inch Cake Pans
• Piping Bags
• Cake Turntable
• Cake Scraper
• Offset Spatula

Step by Step Instructions

Please see the recipe card below for the complete instructions, including bake time and measurements!

STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the dry ingredients.

STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. (If using the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)

STEP THREE: Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium-high speed until smooth, pale in color and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

STEP FOUR: Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture a little at a time, until all has been added, mixing on low then medium speed for each addition. Mix just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary 

STEP FIVE: Add in the hot coffee and mix on low speed just until dispersed through the batter.

STEP SIX: Pour the cake batter into 2 greased 8-inch pans lined with parchment paper. Bake the cakes for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers of the cake. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them over onto a wire rack to completely cool.

STEP SEVEN: Make the frosting while the cakes cool. Add the butter and salt to a large bowl. Cream the butter with an electric mixer on high speed until pale in color and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.

STEP EIGHT: Add in the melted and slightly cooled butterscotch chips and mix on medium speed until combined.

STEP NINE: Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time, mixing on low speed until all is combined. Add in the butter extract and vanilla extract and mix on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

STEP TEN: Scoop about 1 cup of frosting out and add it to a small bowl. Dye this portion deep green using food coloring. To make the green frosting extra dark it helps to sprinkle in ¼ teaspoon of cocoa powder. To the large portion of frosting, add pink food coloring until the desired hue is reached.

Decorating Harry’s Birthday Cake

STEP ONE: Once the cakes are completely cool, use a sharp knife to cut the tops off if they are very domed. This will make it easier to decorate the cake.

STEP TWO: Place the plate you plan to serve the cake on, on a cake turntable. Add a dollop of pink icing in the center of your cake plate. Lay the first cake layer on top of the frosting. This will help the cake to stay put while you’re decorating it. Add a generous amount of pink frosting onto the cake layer and smooth it out flat with an offset spatula. Turn the cake turntable as you’re working to make it easier to spread the frosting.

STEP THREE: Add the second cake layer on top. Transfer the rest of the pink frosting to a piping bag, and cut a large part of the tip off so that a lot of frosting can get through, about ½ an inch cut. Squeeze frosting onto the cake in between the layers to fill in the gap. Turn the turntable as you go. Then, squeeze frosting around the edges of the cake to completely cover them with frosting. Using a cake scraper, scrape excess frosting off to make a thin layer of frosting. Return the excess frosting to the bowl. Add pink frosting on top of the cake and smooth it out with an offset spatula and then with the cake scraper. Chill the cake for 20 minutes. (I have found that the piping bag method is the easiest, but if you prefer you can just use a spatula to get the frosting on the cake, and then smooth it out.)

STEP FOUR: Add the pink frosting back to the piping bag and repeat the previous step, squeezing frosting onto the cake. Scrape the frosting with the cake scraper turning the cake turntable as you go to give you a smooth, even coat. Add pink frosting on top of the cake and smooth it out with an offset spatula and then the cake scraper. It doesn’t have to be perfect. After all, the cake Hagrid gave Harry was messy because he sat on it!

STEP FIVE: Now for the best part! Using a toothpick, trace out where you’re going to pipe happy birthday Harry. Be sure to spell it Hagrid’s way: “Happee Birthdae Harry” for the best Harry Potter themed cake! Also, draw a line between the P and E in “happee”, between the H and D in “birthdae” and between the H and A in “Harry”. Add a line under the “dae” part in “birthdae” also. Then, transfer the green icing to a piping bag fit with a small circular frosting tip. Trace over the letters you previously drew with the green icing. Then, serve!

FAQs

How do I store the cake? Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days. I like to keep it at room temperature, but you can also store it in the fridge and then bring it to room temperature before enjoying.

Can I freeze the cake? If you want to freeze the cake for later, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight container. This should keep the cake fresh for a month.

Can I use regular vanilla buttercream? ​Yes! If you don’t want the frosting to taste like butterbeer, omit the melted butterscotch chips and butter extract. You may need to use a little more powdered sugar until the icing is as sweet as you would like. Add a few tablespoons of heavy cream to the frosting to get the right fluffy consistency, and increase the amount of vanilla extract to 1 tablespoon.

Can I use less powdered sugar in the frosting? The butterbeer frosting is on the sweeter side because butterbeer is sweet! But, if it’s too sweet for you, you can use less powdered sugar. Keep in mind that the frosting won’t be as firm. You may need to chill it before frosting the cake with it if you use less powdered sugar.

Pro Tips

For best results, measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. Instead, scoop spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour with a kitchen scale. 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.

Make sure your wet ingredients are at room temperature. This will help to give you the best textured cake.

Use a kitchen scale to evenly distribute the cake batter between the pans. This will give you perfectly even cake layers!

Harry Potter Pop Quiz

When is Harry Potter’s birthday? July 31, 1980

What flavor is Harry’s birthday cake? According to the book, it was a sticky chocolate cake!

Why is there a line in Harry Potter’s cake? The movie shows two lines through the cake and I assume this is to show that Hagrid sat on it.

How old was Harry Potter when he got the cake? Harry was given the cake on his eleventh birthday, July 31 1991, by Hagrid. “Yer a wizard Harry!”

If you make this cake please leave a star rating! Also, tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!

Other Harry Potter Recipes to Try Next Time

Sorting Hat Cupcakes

Butterbeer Cookies

Butterbeer Cupcakes

Pumpkin Pasties

Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice

Recipe