Hey everyone! I’m Erin from Hey, EEP! back with another fun recipe that I really hope you enjoy (because I honestly had such a blast making it for you)! Back-to-school is probably my favorite time of year: new teachers, new pencils, new notebooks—I mean, does it get any better than that!?
Today I’d love to show you how you can make a cake that looks just like a marble notebook! Whether you’re heading back to class, sending a little one off to school or just love a good Staples run (right there with ya!), this cake is a fun way to celebrate the new school season. And, hello! Could you imagine a more perfect after-school snack!?
I should mention, not only is this cake adorable on the outside…it’s pretty awesome on the inside, too! To keep that marble look going, I used Oreos and vanilla pudding to create a “poke cake.” The pattern is so spot on, you’ll see! And my goodness, that extra pudding and cookie action takes this cake’s deliciousness to the next level. A+ all around 🙂
DIY Marble Notebook Cake
Ingredients
- FOR THE CAKE
- Nonstick cooking spray for the pan
- 1 box chocolate cake mix plus required ingredients
- 1 container Oreo cookies crushed
- 1 box vanilla pudding mix plus for required ingredients
- FOR BLACK FROSTING
- 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ to ½ cup milk
- Black gel food coloring
- FOR TOPPING
- White candy melts melted
- White fondant for decorating
- Colorful fondant for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven as the cake mix directs. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again.
- Make the cake: Prepare the cake mix as the label directs. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with a few handfuls of crushed Oreo cookies and bake as the label directs. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vanilla pudding as the label directs. Stir in crushed Oreos—as much or as little as you’d like!
- Once the cake is cool, transfer it to a cake plate or cake board. (You can cover a piece of a cardboard box or cereal box with plastic wrap in a pinch if you’d like!) Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake, stopping about 1-inch from the cake’s edges so that it maintains its shape.
- Spread vanilla pudding over the cake and into the holes. It’s okay if you don’t use all of it, save any extra for serving! For even whiter “marbling,” you can drizzle melted white candy melts into the holes before adding the pudding. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or as the pudding label directs.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting: Beat the butter, cocoa powder and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and combined. Slowly alternate beating in the confectioners’ sugar and milk until you’ve reached your desired consistency. Beat in black gel food coloring—I used quite a few spoonfuls, don’t be shy!
- Scoop 1 or 2 big spoonfuls of frosting into a resealable plastic bag; set aside.
- Cover the entire cake with a thin coat of black frosting. Refrigerate the cake until the frosting hardens, about 30 minutes, this is your “crumb coat.” Cover the cake with another layer of frosting; chill about 10 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, roll out white fondant and cut into a rectangle with rounded edges for the notebook label. Snip a small piece from the corner of the plastic bag with the black frosting in it and use the frosting to write a name.
- Use a spoon to drizzle, shake and flick the melted white candy melts over the cake to create a marbled effect. Don’t worry if you make any mistakes! You can refrigerate the cake until the white chocolate hardens, then just lift it off and start again.
- Place the notebook label on the cake. Snip a larger piece from the corner of the plastic bag and squiggle frosting along the left edge of the rectangle to look like the notebook’s spine.
- If you’d like, you can roll out other colorful fondant and use cookie cutters to cut out different “stickers” and shapes to decorate your notebook.
Photos by Erin Phraner | Hey, EEP!
When I look at the non-stickered vs. stickered versions of this cake, it kind of reminds me of the first day vs. the last of school. What about you? Did you decorate your notebooks throughout the year or did you keep yours squeeky clean? Personally, I was super intense about keeping my notebooks perfect and new-looking. But I totally remember my friends adding stickers, coloring in the white parts of the notebook cover with highlighter, painting patterns with white out…those were the days!
p.s. DIY Compliment Cakes!
Paige Flamm says
What a fun and clever back to school treat!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Kelly says
So fun! Thanks Paige!
Sophie says
This would make a great surprise on the first day of school.
http://goldclutter.com
Kelly says
Right? Erin is the best!
Michelle says
What a cool idea, I would love to have such a cake on my first day of school!
https://www.makeandmess.com
Kelly says
Me too Michelle!
Kristina B says
You KNOW I love anything that looks like office supplies and if I can eat it well BONUS. This is the cutest! And I TOTALLY colored in all the white speckles and covered my notebooks in stickers.
Kelly says
Yes! Hahah I remember doing that too!
Hannah Cross says
I love this so much, Erin! Isn’t back to school season just the best?!
xx Hannah // www.HomemadeBanana.com
Kelly says
It really is!! 🙂
Diana Lopes says
Perfect idea for that one bookworm in the family, aka me. Eh, I’ll save this one and make it for myself one day haha
Aikone Katari says
Good morning, Kelly! Good cake Question: Where did you create this blog?