Who doesn’t love a surprise? This cake looks classic on the outside, but when you cut into it, the inside reveals the graduate’s school colors in layers of cake and frosting. It’s a fun way to add a personal touch, and it’s way easier than you might think!
Cake: Use your favorite boxed cake mix, or make your own from scratch. Divide the batter in half, and color one half with food coloring to match one of the school colors.
Frosting: Make a big batch of white frosting (homemade or store-bought).
Assembly: Bake the cakes in two 9×13 pans. Once cool, level the tops if needed. Put one cake layer in the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Cover with a layer of white frosting. Place the second cake layer on top. Frost the whole cake with the remaining white frosting.
The Surprise: Before serving, use a cookie cutter or knife to cut out a small square in the center of the top of the cake. Carefully remove the square. Now, you’ll see the inside layers of color!
Optional: You can fill the cut-out square with candy in the school colors, or put a small graduation cap decoration on top.
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The “Diploma” Cake That’s Almost Too Cute to Eat 📜
This cake is simple, but it makes a big statement. It’s shaped like a diploma, complete with a “ribbon” made of frosting and a little fondant or candy graduation cap on top.
Cake: Use a 9×13 pan to bake a plain white cake. Once cool, trim the edges to make a rectangle shape.
Frosting: Make a batch of white frosting, and then separate a small amount and color it to match the school’s main color.
Diploma Design: Frost the entire cake with the white frosting. Then, use the colored frosting to pipe a line along the top and bottom of the cake to look like a ribbon. If you want, you can write the graduate’s name and school on the cake using a piping bag or writing icing.
Finishing Touches: Use fondant or candy to create a small graduation cap for the top of the “diploma.” You can also sprinkle edible glitter around the edges for a little sparkle.
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The “Cap and Tassel” Cake for an Easy But Elegant Treat 🎓
This one is super simple but looks amazing. You just need one round cake, frosting, and some black frosting or licorice to create a graduation cap design on top.
Cake: Bake a round cake. A standard 9-inch cake works well.
Frosting: Make a batch of your favorite frosting. White or a light color works best for the base of the cap.
Cap Design: Frost the entire cake smoothly. Then, using a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off, pipe a line of black frosting or licorice around the top edge of the cake to create the cap’s rim. Use the same frosting to create a square on top of the cake.
Tassel: To make the tassel, pipe a few lines of black frosting down from the center of the square. You can also use a small piece of black licorice for this part.
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Bonus Tip: For any of these cakes, consider adding fresh berries, edible flowers, or a simple congratulatory message in frosting. Let your creativity (and your graduate’s taste!) guide you!
