When I was young, I wanted to be a Pretty Pretty Princess with a stable full of unicorns when I grew up.ย No, really.
I was never the type of kid to have realistic goals like becoming a teacher or a chef, or even loftier goals like becoming the next Danica Patrick (okay, yes, sometimes I still wish I took up racing like my dad) or an astronaut or a movie star. Instead, I was the one prancing around (like a unicorn) in the pinkest, sparkliest dresses fathomable, pretending I was Belle, or Ariel, or whomever the Disney princess du jour happened to be.
Sure, reality eventually gave me a swift kick in my glitter-and-tulle-clad derriรจre (you’d be amazed by how much life changes once you learn that unicorns don’t exist– think: crestfallen child moments after discovering that Santa is a fat-bellied hoax, except worse), but that didn’t stop me from living every day of my life from that point forward like my future was destined for crowns and horned equines.
Unicorns became show ponies, and I eventually traded princesshood in for that “I-just-want-to-fit-in” sense of normalcy… but I haven’t given up the dream, or the need for an enduring imagination.
Plus, I have a couple sassy horses and a Prince Charming of my very own, and can’t ask for much more!
Except the occasional sweet treat fit for my inner Pretty Pretty Princess.
This soft, chewy rice crispy treat cake studded with whole marshmallows, flavored with cake mix, and loaded up with pastel buttercream and sprinkles on sprinkles on sprinkles should do the trick.
*I used Eat Your Heart Out‘s homemade cake mix recipe instead of boxed cake mix in this recipe!
Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treat Cake
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Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 5 cups rice cereal (I used Kellogg's Rice Krispies)
- 1/2 cup dry white or yellow cake mix
- 1 10-ounce bag mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces (half-brick) cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- A variety of sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Grease 4 small (4") cake pans or two standard-sized cake pans
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat
- Once butter is completed melted, add 10-ounce bag of large marshmallows, salt, and pure vanilla extract and stir until marshmallows are mostly melted
- Remove from heat
- Add dry cake mix and rice cereal, folding continuously until the cereal is completely coated with the marshmallow mixture
- Stir in mini marshmallows as evenly as possible
- Press evenly into greased cake pans and let sit for one hour
- While rice crispy cakes are setting, add butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until smooth
- Add confectioners' sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition
- Add vanilla extract, milk, and food coloring and mix until fully blended
- Remove rice crispy cakes from pans (they should release easily)
- Add a layer of frosting in between each cake, stacking as high as desired
- Frost top of cake and cover in sprinkles
Todd @ HonestlyYUM says
Saw these pictures and thought they looked too good to be true. This is just the coolest, Kailley!!!
Kailley @ Kailley's Kitchen says
Thanks so much, Todd! I’m really happy with how it turned out! My cake decorating skills still need some work, but all the pretty sprinkles seemed to make up for it ๐
Dina says
this is so pretty and fun!
Kailley @ Kailley's Kitchen says
Thanks, Dina! With the seemingly never-ending winter we’ve had here in Chicago, bright colors and fun flavors were an absolute must!
Heather @ French Press says
what a gorgeous idea for a little girls party
Kailley @ Kailley's Kitchen says
Thank you, Heather! I think so too!! It’s a totally hassle-free recipe, too ๐
Laura Dembowski says
Now this is the stuff dreams are made of! I want this every day so life can be a celebration ๐
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
I am SO going to ask for THIS cake for my birthday this year!!!
Christine says
Looks Fun and Pretty and can easily think of a ot of occasions to make it for just these reasons alone!!! I keep re reading this trying to figure out when you add the minin marshmallows? Do they go in between the layers with the frosting? It doesn’t say anything about the salt either but I’m assuming that goes in with the vanilla? Thanks ๐
Kailley @ Kailley's Kitchen says
Hey Christine, thanks so much for bringing that to my attention! I’ve updated the recipe to include these steps– my bad for accidentally forgetting to include them! Enjoy ๐
lyndsay // coco cake land says
looks SO cute, colourful and fun – decorated so sweetly! fit for a princess indeed! ๐
Laura@Baking in Pyjamas says
Wow, how pretty! I love it.
Judy Bohn says
What do you do with the left over cake mix? Seems like such a waste of it!
Kailley @ Kailley's Kitchen says
Great, question, Judy! Cake mix actually has a fairly long shelf-life (provided you put in it an airtight bag/container to help preserve it)– you can use it for a variety of recipes, including cake batter truffles (http://www.kailleyskitchen.com/2012/08/24/funfetti-cake-batter-truffles/), cupcakes, and plenty more. No wasting necessary! ๐
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
this is just the most adorably delicious cake i have seen in a while! my inner child totally loves this… definitely could devour a slice right about now!
Amanda says
I’m wanting to make this for a couples shower coming up. A concern of it keeping was brought up. Can this be displayed and still stay fresh?
Kailley @ Kailley's Kitchen says
Hey, Amanda! I haven’t set this cake out for an extended period of time, so I can’t say for certain, but I’d imagine if it’s displayed for a couple hours, it should keep just fine. I might hesitate if it’s going to be displayed for several hours, though. The frosting might get a bit mushy!