I created a Macaron Recipe inspired by cake batter and studded with sprinkles, featuring one simple pantry swap that changes the outcome in a way you might not expect.
I still remember the first time I tasted cake batter straight from the bowl, and that feeling pushed me to make these Cake Batter Macarons. They have that sneaky raw cake sweetness, little pops of joy from rainbow sprinkles everywhere, SPRINKLES!
The shells get a delicate almond flour bite while the center tastes like cake batter straight from the bowl. I almost gave up when the first batch cracked, but then it clicked and now I can not stop making them, I bring a box to parties and people always ask where I got them.
Macaron Recipe
Ingredients
- Finely ground almonds; adds nuttiness, healthy fats, some protein and low carbs.
- Powdered sugar gives smooth sweetness, mostly simple carbs and no real nutrients.
- Egg whites give light structure and protein to shells, low fat and airy texture.
- Creamy butter is the filling base, lots of saturated fat and calorie dense.
- Dry cake mix adds extra vanilla flavor and sweetness, mostly carbs and additives.
- Sprinkles bring color and crunch, purely sugary little bits not very nutritious.
- Vanilla extract boosts flavor in tiny amounts, no calories but its a big aroma.
- Cream of tartar stabilizes meringue, tiny pinch helps texture but has no nutrients.
Ingredient Quantities
- For the macaron shells:
- 115 g almond flour, very finely ground, sifted
- 200 g confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
- 100 g egg whites, room temp (about 3 large)
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, optional
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- gel or powdered yellow food coloring, optional
- 2 tbsp rainbow nonpareil sprinkles, for topping
- For the cake batter buttercream filling:
- 113 g unsalted butter, softened
- 240 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp dry yellow cake mix (about 25 g)
- 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 to 3 tbsp rainbow sprinkles, folded into the filling
How to Make this
1. Weigh everything first, preheat oven to 150°C (300°F), line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats, and pulse the 115 g almond flour with 200 g confectioners sugar in a food processor a few times then sift together at least once so it’s super fine, no lumps.
2. In a clean bowl whip 100 g room temp egg whites with 1/4 tsp cream of tartar if using until foamy, slowly add 100 g granulated sugar while whipping, keep beating until glossy stiff peaks form, then stir in 1 tsp vanilla and a little gel or powdered yellow color till you like the shade.
3. Fold the dry almond sugar mix into the meringue in 3 additions, use a rubber spatula and scrape the sides, do the macaronage until the batter flows in a thick ribbon and you can draw a figure 8 that mostly holds together, don’t overmix, but don’t leave big lumps either.
4. Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip, pipe
3.5 to 4 cm rounds spaced apart on the prepared sheets, then bang the tray firmly on the counter a couple times and pop any big air bubbles with a toothpick.
5. Let piped shells rest at room temp until they form a dry skin and are not sticky to the touch, usually 20 to 60 minutes depending on humidity, then gently sprinkle about 2 tbsp rainbow nonpareil sprinkles on top of each shell so they stick during baking.
6. Bake one tray at a time in the middle of the oven at 150°C (300°F) for about 14 to 16 minutes, rotate halfway if your oven is uneven, they’re done when they have feet and don’t wobble, let cool completely on the sheet before lifting.
7. For the filling beat 113 g softened unsalted butter until pale and fluffy, add 240 g sifted powdered sugar slowly, then add 3 tbsp (about 25 g) dry yellow cake mix, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, and 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream or milk to reach a pipeable consistency.
8. Fold 2 to 3 tbsp rainbow sprinkles into the buttercream at the end so they don’t bleed color, taste and adjust salt or cream if needed.
9. Match shells by size, pipe a small dollop of cake batter buttercream onto one shell (about 1 tsp to 1 tbsp depending on your macaron size), sandwich with a partner shell, press lightly to spread the filling to the edges.
10. For best flavor let the filled macarons rest in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours, bring to room temp 20 to 30 minutes before serving, store in fridge up to 5 days or freeze for up to a month, thaw in fridge then bring to room temp before eating.
Equipment Needed
1. Digital kitchen scale (accurate to 1 g), weigh everything first
2. Food processor or small blender, to pulse the almond flour + powdered sugar
3. Fine mesh sieve or hand sifter, for sifting the dry mix until super fine
4. Stand mixer or electric hand mixer, to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks
5. 2–3 mixing bowls (one must be spotlessly clean for the meringue)
6. Rubber/silicone spatula, for folding and scraping the bowl
7. Piping bag with a round tip (about 6–8 mm) and extra bags or couplers if you like
8. Two baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats, for piping and baking
9. Oven (preheat to 150°C / 300°F) and an oven mitt or two
10. Toothpick or small skewer, to pop big air bubbles and test for wobble when done
Dont forget a timer and a cooling rack if you want to be extra organized.
FAQ
Cake Batter Macarons Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Almond flour
- Blanched almond meal, very finely ground and sifted, use the same weight. If it’s a bit coarse pulse in a food processor then sift — coarse bits will ruin the shell texture.
- Pistachio or hazelnut flour, same weight, for a nutty twist. Note they can be oilier and change color and drying time.
- Confectioners sugar
- Make your own: blitz 200 g granulated sugar with about 2 tbsp cornstarch until very fine. Use the same weight as powdered sugar in the recipe.
- Egg whites
- Aquafaba (chickpea brine) works for a vegan swap. Use about 2 tbsp aquafaba per 1 egg white, so for 100 g egg whites you’d use roughly 6 tbsp. Add a pinch of cream of tartar for stability.
- Unsalted butter (buttercream)
- Vegetable shortening, equal weight, plus a pinch of salt and an extra tsp vanilla to boost flavor. Shortening makes the buttercream more heat stable.
- If you only have salted butter just use it equal weight and skip adding extra salt in the recipe.
Pro Tips
1. Get the dry mix super fine and double sift it, even tiny almond bits will give you bumpy shells so dont skip this, it makes the biggest difference in smooth tops.
2. Watch the batter, not the clock; when it flows like lava and you can draw a figure 8 that mostly holds its shape its ready, but if it runs away its overmixed and will flatten in the oven.
3. Rest time matters more than you think, especially on humid days use a small fan or A C to help the skin form so sprinkles stay put, and sprinkle right before baking so they stick instead of melting into the shell.
4. Chill the buttercream briefly if it seems soft before you sandwich them, pipe a small ring then fill the middle to avoid squashing the shells, and let filled macarons rest in the fridge to meld flavors before eating.
Cake Batter Macarons Recipe
My favorite Cake Batter Macarons Recipe
Equipment Needed:
1. Digital kitchen scale (accurate to 1 g), weigh everything first
2. Food processor or small blender, to pulse the almond flour + powdered sugar
3. Fine mesh sieve or hand sifter, for sifting the dry mix until super fine
4. Stand mixer or electric hand mixer, to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks
5. 2–3 mixing bowls (one must be spotlessly clean for the meringue)
6. Rubber/silicone spatula, for folding and scraping the bowl
7. Piping bag with a round tip (about 6–8 mm) and extra bags or couplers if you like
8. Two baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats, for piping and baking
9. Oven (preheat to 150°C / 300°F) and an oven mitt or two
10. Toothpick or small skewer, to pop big air bubbles and test for wobble when done
Dont forget a timer and a cooling rack if you want to be extra organized.
Ingredients:
- For the macaron shells:
- 115 g almond flour, very finely ground, sifted
- 200 g confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
- 100 g egg whites, room temp (about 3 large)
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, optional
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- gel or powdered yellow food coloring, optional
- 2 tbsp rainbow nonpareil sprinkles, for topping
- For the cake batter buttercream filling:
- 113 g unsalted butter, softened
- 240 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp dry yellow cake mix (about 25 g)
- 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 to 3 tbsp rainbow sprinkles, folded into the filling
Instructions:
1. Weigh everything first, preheat oven to 150°C (300°F), line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats, and pulse the 115 g almond flour with 200 g confectioners sugar in a food processor a few times then sift together at least once so it’s super fine, no lumps.
2. In a clean bowl whip 100 g room temp egg whites with 1/4 tsp cream of tartar if using until foamy, slowly add 100 g granulated sugar while whipping, keep beating until glossy stiff peaks form, then stir in 1 tsp vanilla and a little gel or powdered yellow color till you like the shade.
3. Fold the dry almond sugar mix into the meringue in 3 additions, use a rubber spatula and scrape the sides, do the macaronage until the batter flows in a thick ribbon and you can draw a figure 8 that mostly holds together, don’t overmix, but don’t leave big lumps either.
4. Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip, pipe
3.5 to 4 cm rounds spaced apart on the prepared sheets, then bang the tray firmly on the counter a couple times and pop any big air bubbles with a toothpick.
5. Let piped shells rest at room temp until they form a dry skin and are not sticky to the touch, usually 20 to 60 minutes depending on humidity, then gently sprinkle about 2 tbsp rainbow nonpareil sprinkles on top of each shell so they stick during baking.
6. Bake one tray at a time in the middle of the oven at 150°C (300°F) for about 14 to 16 minutes, rotate halfway if your oven is uneven, they’re done when they have feet and don’t wobble, let cool completely on the sheet before lifting.
7. For the filling beat 113 g softened unsalted butter until pale and fluffy, add 240 g sifted powdered sugar slowly, then add 3 tbsp (about 25 g) dry yellow cake mix, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, and 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream or milk to reach a pipeable consistency.
8. Fold 2 to 3 tbsp rainbow sprinkles into the buttercream at the end so they don’t bleed color, taste and adjust salt or cream if needed.
9. Match shells by size, pipe a small dollop of cake batter buttercream onto one shell (about 1 tsp to 1 tbsp depending on your macaron size), sandwich with a partner shell, press lightly to spread the filling to the edges.
10. For best flavor let the filled macarons rest in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours, bring to room temp 20 to 30 minutes before serving, store in fridge up to 5 days or freeze for up to a month, thaw in fridge then bring to room temp before eating.
