• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Cocktails
  • Dessert
  • Appetizers
  • Parties
  • Shop

Cupcakes and Cutlery logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Cocktails
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • Recipes
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Cocktails
    • Appetizers
    • Dessert
    • Recipes
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dessert » How to Make a Pinata Cake Filled with Candy

    Published: Jan 21, 2021 · Updated: Mar 15, 2023 by Sharon Garofalow | This post may contain affiliate links. See the privacy policy linked in my footer.

    How to Make a Pinata Cake Filled with Candy

    Topped with a hard, white chocolate dome, this Pinata Cake Filled with Candy is a show-stopping dessert that is easier than it looks! Because who doesn't love a surprise? Especially when it's candy!

    candy filled cake topped with a white chocolate dome for Valentine's Day

    A candy surprise cake is awesome

    There is a little bit of an issue with what to call this cake. Pinata cake makes sense since you crack it open to find candy.

    Smash cake also makes sense. But those sometimes mean the cakes they make for 1 years olds to make a mess with on their first birthdays.

    A Surprise Cake sounds good because from the outside you can't tell that the center is full of candy.

    And a Chocolate Dome Cake works because it's covered by a hard shell that looks like a dome.

    Related: Pinata Cupcakes - Cupcakes with a sprinkles surprise inside!

    Whatever you want to call it, it's AMAZING!

    It's such a fun cake idea for kid's parties and it's not all that hard to make! And trust me, I do not have any baking or decorating skills!

    I first saw this cake idea in a Donna Hay magazine. The hard chocolate shell looked so smooth and meant I wouldn't have to worry too much about what my cake decorating looked like.

    But when I turned the page and realized that the dome was actually hiding a frosted cake full of candy, I instantly needed to try it for my son's Lego Dance Party birthday party.

    I reached out to my friend Kristin, who owned Meringue Bake Shop. And she made one for me.

    It was a total hit. I mean, what kid wouldn't want to whack a hard chocolate shell to get to that candy surprise inside? So I knew I needed to share a tutorial.

    A white chocolate shell with pink hearts on it.

    How to Make a Cake With Candy Inside

    There are two parts to making this cake. And yes, it will take a while. There is a lot of waiting and chilling time involved so plan ahead!

    Ingredients

    For the cake

    • Boxed Cake Mix (plus any ingredients called for on the box)
    • Canned Frosting
    • Candy

    For the chocolate shell

    • Wilton Candy Melts (in 2 colors if doing a heart design: light pink and dark pink)

    If doing chocolate instead of white chocolate you still need to use the melts. Do not use chocolate chips.

    Tools

    • 9" cake pan
    • Piping bag
    • Metal bowl (about 8" circumference)

    How to Make a Hard Chocolate Dome

    Start out by making the chocolate shell that will cover the frosted cake and hide the candy surprise.

    If you are doing a heart design, you'll need two colors. You'll only need a small portion of the melts for the hearts. This does add on time and is a little more difficult. Skip it if it feels overwhelming.

    Put your bowl in the freezer for a few minutes before you get started. Leave it there until you're ready to add the chocolate.

    Use a little bit of oil to grease the bowl. Any kind will work. Add a small amount (like ½ teaspoon or less) to the bowl. Then use a paper towel to wipe the entire inside of the bowl, up to the edge. Make sure to soak up any leftover oil that pools.

    Use a whole bag of the colored melts to make the chocolate dome.

    Follow the directions on the bag of the candy melts for melting.

    If doing the heart design, paint them on first. Kristin used the end of a cake pop stick and dabbed 3 dots to make a simple heart shape. Put the bowl in the fridge for about 10 minutes to let the hearts to set up.

    Next, take the bowl out of the fridge and pour the second color melted candy melts into the bowl.

    Tilt and swirl the bowl until the inside is covered completely. It will set quickly. Try and make the edges of the bowl opening a little thicker so it is a little bit more sturdy and will be able to stand up on the cake.

    If it's not swirling well, you can use a spatula to "paint" the chocolate on the bowl. Your goal is to create a thin enough chocolate layer so it doesn't fall back down into the bowl, but thick enough that it won't be too fragile and crack easily.

    It might be best to do an initial layer and put the bowl in the freezer for about 10 minutes. And then do a second layer. You may need to re-melt the chocolate. Use small increments so you don't overcook it.

    Let it sit in the freezer for a few minutes to harden up a second layer. Then set out on the counter for about 5 minutes.

    To unmold, you will carefully tip the bowl on the side and use your other hand to try to guide the chocolate shell out of the bowl.

    Watch this video on Youtube that shows making a thin chocolate shell. She's using a silicone mold so it's slightly different but you can see her technique for spreading out the chocolate.

    A cherry chip cake on a white plate.

    Make A Candy Filled Cake

    You can bake a cake from scratch, but I think it is just as easy to use a boxed cake mix. There are tons of flavors to choose from and it keeps things quick and easy.

    Follow the directions on the back of the box to make and bake the cake.

    Let the cake cool completely.

    Because it's going to be totally covered, it doesn't really matter if it's level or if some stuck to the pan. Hallelujah.

    A cake topped with a ring of pink frosting.

    To create more space for the candy, you can carefully make a well in the cooled cake by scooping out the center. (Be sure to cram those leftover cake pieces into your mouth at this point. We don't want anything to go to waste!)

    Frost the sides of the cake. Again, no need to look nice, it's mostly just for flavor. You can use a vanilla buttercream, but store-bought keeps things easy.

    With a large piping tip, frost around the top edges of the cake. This will help keep the candy in the center and also add a little bit of height so you can fit more in.

    Again, if you are also going to eat the cake, you want frosting! Frosting makes everything better!

    A cake with a ring of icing on top and heart candies in the middle

    Add the candy to the center. I used my absolute favorite heart-shaped candy that is only out at Valentine's Day. But they are not chewable.

    Best Candy for a Pinata Cake

    The best candy for a pinata cake would be something easy to eat, like M&Ms, Skittles, gummy candies, or even SweeTarts. Conversation Hearts would be darling for this Valentine's Day version too.

    A girl using a knife to break a hard chocolate shell over a cake.

    Carefully place the dome over the cake. Use frosting to pipe around the edges to hide the seam between the chocolate shell and the cake below.

    Again, you don't have to be a great decorator. As long as you have the decorative tip, you literally are just making dots. it does all the decorative work for you.

    We used the back of a butter knife to break this pinata cake open but we've also used toy hammers in the past which was really fun!

    A pinata smash cake topped with hard chocolate dome

    So much fun, right?!

    You can see in this photo how thick the chocolate dome is. It will be much sturdier if you do it on the thicker side like this.

    There is something so satisfying about smashing a cake open with a reveal of candies!

    A kid reaching for frosting on a cake filled with candy.

    If you're having a kid's party soon, you have to try this! A bash cake, smash cake, chocolate dome cake is the best idea!

    It's literally a tabletop pinata that is edible too! If you've ever wondered how to make a pinata cake, now you know how easy it is!

    More Fun Party Dessert Ideas

    • Faux Croquembouche with Donut Holes - This fun dessert makes a great centerpiece and is extra fun for brunch!
    • 3 Tiered Brownie Cake - For the kid who doesn't love cake, try a brownie cake! A simple dusting of powdered sugar is the only decoration you need.
    • A Pie Cake! It's Pie Baked Inside a Cake! - Again, this sounds crazy hard but is so easy! You've got to give this a try!
    hard chocolate shell cracked showing a cake with candy inside.

    Now you know how to make a pinata cake. Make one for your next kid's party!

    More Easy Dessert Recipes

    • A white bowl holding a cake mix and cream cheese dessert dip for Easter with cookies around it.
      Cake Mix and Cream Cheese Dessert Dip Recipe for Easter
    • 3 Easter cupcakes on a table with one cut open to show a surprise inside with Easter sprinkes.
      Cute and Easy Sprinkles Filled Pinata Cupcakes for Easter
    • Top down image of a small square dish filled with homemade strawberry ice cream made with condensed milk topped with candy next to a spoon and napkin.
      Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream with Condensed Milk Recipe
    • Collage with Easter Cake Ideas with text that says "Homemade Cake Ideas for Easter".
      Easter Cake Ideas to Inspire Your Holiday Dessert

    Click to share!

    • Share
    • Tweet

    About Sharon Garofalow

    Sharon lives in Southern California with her adorable family. She loves to share ideas to make mom life easier and encourage busy gals to make time for themselves too! Sharon's "me" time often includes watching Hallmark Channel movies, sipping sauvignon blanc, trying not to eat Salt and Pepper potato chips, and planning girlfriend getaways.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica says

      February 14, 2013 at 2:35 pm

      Love the tutorial. When I saw this on your birthday post, I thought it was amazing, but was disappointed that it was from a bakery (thinking we could never find one in Minneapolis). But then you all did this! Perfect for my little soon to be 2-year-old's birthday in late April.

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        February 14, 2013 at 4:20 pm

        You should give it a try!!! The kids absolutely love it! The parents are appalled which is even more awesome. It is quite messy but if you can do it outside, clean up is pretty easy.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Welcome!
    Based in Southern California, I am the mom to two amazing boys and married to the raddest man in all the land. Cupcakes and Cutlery is your resource for simple solutions to help you be an awesome wife and mother and not lose yourself in the process. Email me at [email protected]

    More about Sharon →

    Posts about wine, liquor and/or cocktail recipes are expressly for people 21 years of age and older. Drink responsibly.

    Winter Favorites

    • A microwave bread pudding in a white ramekin.
      Microwave Bread Pudding in a Mug Recipe
    • Woman holding a coupe glass with a Spiced Rum Daiquiri in it.
      Spiced Rum Daiquiri
    • Close up of a cocktail in a copper mug on a table.
      Fireball Mule Recipe To Try Right Now
    • Close up of dried beef cheese ball next to crackers
      Dried Beef Cheese Ball Recipe For Your Next Party

    Reader Favorites

    • Close up of frosting in a bowl.
      The Best Quick and Easy Cool Whip Frosting Recipe
    • Close up of a cupcakes infused with Fireball Whiskey and topped with red buttercream.
      Flavorful Fireball Cupcakes Recipe with Cinnamon Whisky
    • Close up of a cup holding coke with a lime garnish next to a bottle of Coke on the table.
      Stupid Easy Vodka and Coke Cocktail Idea
    • A dish of pasta with some text over it.
      50 Birthday Dinner Ideas {Delicious Recipes for Celebrating at Home}
    Text - Shop Now, Shop my Amazon! with food in serving dishes on a counter in a kitchen.

    Affiliate Link Disclosure

    Cupcakes and Cutlery is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Read my full disclosure policy.

    This site generates income via ads.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Accessibility Policy
    • CCPA
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me

    © 2008-2022 CUPCAKES & CUTLERY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.