This adorable Cocomelon cake is made with soft, tender red velvet cake and homemade buttercream frosting!

How to Make a Cocomelon Cake: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Let’s walk through each step of this buttercream Cocomelon cake together to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible.

Step 1: Bake the Red Velvet Cake Layers

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F / 175 degrees C. Grease three, 6-inch cake pans with homemade cake release or non-stick baking spray and parchment paper.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bang the pans on your counter a few times to release any air bubbles that might be trapped in the batter.

Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove the pans from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter.

Carefully flip the layers out of their pans and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. Level 2 of the cake layers with a serrated knife once they’re fully cooled. Stack the three cake layers (without any frosting), making sure to have the untrimmed layer at the top.

Using a serrated knife, trim the bottom cake layer to give the cake a somewhat rounded shape (see pictures below).

If you’re making the cake layers in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

Step 2: Make the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting with either an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer.

If your frosting seems too thick after mixing your ingredients, add in additional cream (1 tablespoon at a time). Or if the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).

If you’re unsure how thick your frosting should be, you can learn what consistency you’re looking for in my frosting consistency post.

Once the frosting reaches the desired consistency, place 1/3 cup of white frosting in a small piping bag fit with a small round tip, like a Wilton 12 and set aside.

Place 1/4 cup of frosting in a separate bowl and color black with black gel food coloring. Add this into a small piping bag fit with a small round tip, like a Wilton 12 and set aside.

Scoop 1/3 cup of frosting in a separate bowl and color red with red gel food coloring. Add into a small piping bag fit with a small round tip, like a Wilton 12 and set aside.

Place 3/4 cup of frosting in a separate bowl and color with a tiny drop of red and orange gel food coloring to make a salmon pink color. Add this into a small piping bag fit with a large round tip, like a Wilton 2A and set aside.

Scoop 3/4 cup of frosting in a separate bowl and color a light shade of green with electric green gel food coloring. Add to a small piping bag fit with a large round tip like a Wilton 2A and set aside.

Place 3/4 cup of frosting in a separate bowl and color a dark shade of green with leaf green gel food coloring and a tiny drop of black gel food coloring. Add to a small piping bag fit with a wide flat tip, like a Wilton 2B and set aside.

Leave the remaining buttercream uncolored, cover it with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming, and set aside.

Step 3: Stack and Crumb Coat the Cake Layers

Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board. Use a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board. Using the white frosting you set aside, spread an even layer of frosting between each cake layer using an offset spatula.

Add a thin coat of white frosting around the cake that fully covers the cake layers.

Smooth using an offset spatula and/or acetate sheet. Chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Step 4: Add a Second Layer of Frosting

Color the remaining buttercream bright green using electric green gel food coloring (or green and yellow gel food coloring).

Remove the cake from the fridge or freezer and smooth a thick layer of bright green buttercream around the cake.

Use an acetate sheet or small offset spatula to smooth the frosting.

Chill the cake again in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) one more time until the frosting is completely firm to the touch.

Step 5: Bringing this Cocomelon Buttercream Cake to Life

Remove the cake from the fridge or freezer. Use a toothpick or scribe to lightly trace where you want to pipe the face and stripes.

Pipe dark green buttercream stripes up the side of the cake. I recommend starting at the back of the cake. It took me a few stripes to get the hang of it, and that way your best stripes will be in the front!

Then add the cute little face using the pink, white, red and black buttercream. Start by piping and smoothing a pink rectangle on front of the cake. Next pipe the white outline around it.

Use the black frosting to pipe on the eyes, nose and mouth. Use the white buttercream to add the accents, then pipe on the little red cheeks.

Next, pipe and smooth a mound of pink buttercream on top of the cake.

Use the red and black buttercream to pipe a ladybug on the upper left corner of the cake.

Mix a drop of purple gel food coloring with a 1/2 tsp of clear extract (like lemon or almond) and paint half of the top half of each wooden skewer.

Roll the blue fondant into two small balls and place them on top of the wooden skewers. Press the wooden skewers into place on top of the cake and enjoy!

Substitutions and Swaps – Red Velvet Cake Layers

This Cocomelon cake recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have all of them on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake recipe. If you want to make a different cake flavor instead of red velvet, use my small batch vanilla cake recipe.

• Cake Flour – This recipe turns out best with cake flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend if that’s all you have on hand. Or if you can’t find cake flour you can make your own using this technique.
• Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the cake layers.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this cake recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and also omit the salt)!
• Eggs – If you have an egg allergy you can try using flaxseed eggs or an egg replacer but it will affect the texture of the layers.
• Buttermilk – You can also use full fat yogurt, sour cream, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
• Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or even sunflower oil would work great!
• Gel food coloring – Natural food coloring or liquid food coloring can be used if needed to color the cake layers. However, I find gel food coloring works best!

Substitutions and Swaps – Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and omit the salt)!
• Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• Gel food coloring – Natural food coloring or liquid food coloring can be used if needed to color the frosting. However, I find gel food coloring works best!
• If you want to use a frosting that is less sweet, try my Swiss meringue buttercream or my Russian buttercream.

Tips for Making the Best Cocomelon Birthday Cake

• Be sure to properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Use gel food coloring to create brightly colored frosting. It works best because it doesn’t throw off the consistency of the frosting or give it a bitter taste.
• Mix your cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cake layers are tender and fluffy.
• Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. Make sure each pan has the same amount of batter will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
• Bang your cake pans on the counter before putting them in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
• Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
• Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to trim, stack and frost them!
• Start piping your stripes on the back of the cake. That way your best stripes will be in the front, and any boo-boos can be hidden in the back 🙂
• Make this Cocomelon cake vegan or dairy free if needed! Use your favorite dairy free milk to replace the buttermilk and heavy cream and vegan butter sticks in place of the butter. For the eggs I recommend using an egg replacer like this.

Making this Cocomelon Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

• Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
• Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. Or store it in the freezer for up to 3 months! Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency smooth again.
• A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious.
• If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist. It can be stored in the fridge like this for up to a week.
• If you freeze the cake, transfer it to the fridge overnight then bring to room temperature the following day. This helps prevent condensation by minimizing the temperature shock.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this Cocomelon birthday cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Let me know by leaving a rating below.

If you share on social media tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so I can see your amazing creations!

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