As I previously shared on my Instagram post, on August the 17th 2024,  

I like to show how creativity in my life is not only limited to work-related designs, but also to fun projects at home, like this Harry Potter cake for my son's birthday.

My oldest son, Anakin, really wanted a Harry Potter theme for his birthday this year.

His birthday is March 23, on that day we celebrated his children's party.

But on Saturday, March 16, we celebrated both children's birthdays for family and friends. The youngest, Obi, has his birthday on March 14.

For the March 16th party I made a cake inspired by the cake Hagrid gives to Harry in the books and films.
Below I share the recipe I used, taken from Amber.

What do you need?

For 10 people

Ingredients:

• 300g flour
• 100g cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 350g granulated sugar
• 225g butter
• 3 eggs
• 250ml hot coffee
• 80ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the white chocolate buttercream:

• 250g butter
• 250g icing sugar
• 75g white chocolate
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pink food coloring
• Green food coloring

Supplies:

• 2 baking tins of 20cm
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 small mixing bowl
• 1 bain-marie pan
• Guard
• Spatula
• Mixer
• Piping bag with small mouth
• Baking paper

Preparation method:
Grease two 20cm baking tins with some butter and place baking paper on both bottoms. Preheat the convection oven to 160 degrees.

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature, except the coffee. First mix the butter with the sugar in a large mixing bowl. Do this slowly with the spatula. When it has become whole, you can add the eggs and vanilla extract. Take the whisk and mix it well.

Place the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small mixing bowl. Toss everything together well. Add this to the large mixing bowl. Also add the milk and hot coffee. Mix everything with the spatula until a batter is formed. Don't mix for too long or it will be a heavy cake. The batter should be slightly thinner than normal. So don't let this distract you!

Divide the batter between the two baking tins. Bake the cakes in the oven for about 35 minutes. Keep a close eye on it because every oven is different. If necessary, check with a skewer whether the cake is done. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. Not done yet? Then just bake the cakes a little longer.

Let the cakes cool thoroughly. This is important! Otherwise the buttercream will not be able to adhere to the cake.

For the buttercream, first melt the chocolate in a bain-marie. Let the chocolate cool. Now put just the butter in a mixing bowl. Mix this lightly with the mixer. Add the icing sugar, white chocolate and vanilla. Stir carefully first and then turn the mixer on again. Mix until a nice buttercream is formed.

Divide the buttercream into 2 unequal parts. One part is for the pink cake and the other part is for the green letters. You don't need that much buttercream for the letters. Estimate the distribution as accurately as possible. In principle, there is more than enough buttercream. Color one part pink and the other part green with food coloring.  

Place a cake on a plate or serving platter. Spread a layer of pink buttercream on top with a knife and place the other cake on top. Now cover the rest of the cake with the pink buttercream. Don't do this neatly! It's Hagrid's cake after all... ;-)

Now take a piping bag with a thin mouth. Add the green buttercream. Pipe the letters 'Happee Birthdae + name' on the cake.

Now put the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour. This allows the buttercream to become a bit firmer.

Store the cake in the refrigerator.

The cake was well received, as were the white chocolate characters.

But that cake was quite filling. So for the children's party on March 23, I chose to convert these into cupcakes.

I also decorated the entire living room and on the day of the party we dressed up, a number of friends also came dressed up.

Below is a small impression.