Basketball Cake

Learn how to make a basketball cake from orange and brown M&M candies. This easy 2 layer round cake is perfect for a basketball theme party.

M&M basketball cake title image

Whether it is for March Madness, a birthday party or a basketball season year end party, this easy basketball cake is fun for kids to make and colorful to serve at a party.

M&M Basketball Cake

Although there are many ways to decorate a basketball cake, one of the easiest ways is with M&Ms. Start with your favorite chocolate cake and vanilla frosting, then use orange and black M&Ms to “draw” the lines on the cake and fill them in. No special cake decorating skills required! Here are some hints to make the cake.

Favorite Layer Cake Recipes

If you are short on time, use your favorite box cake mix brand to make a 2 layer round cake. If you’d like to make a from scratch cake, here are our favorites:

Favorite Frosting Recipes

We think that vanilla frosting tastes best on this cake. You can color it orange if you’d like to give a more solid orange background.

Here are our favorite recipes:

How to Make a Basketball on a Cake

Let your cake cool and frost with white frosting.

cake on a plate with white frosting

Use the brown M&M’s to make a vertical line down the center of the cake and a horizontal but slightly curved line across the cake.

how to make a basketball cake with brown m&ms

Now make one vertical curved line with the brown M&M’s on each side of the straight vertical line to create the basketball lines.

how to make a basketball cake with brown m&ms

Fill in the remaining areas on the top of the cake with orange M&M’s.

how to make a basketball cake with brown and orange m&ms

And that’s it! You’ll end up with a cake looking something like this. If you have more M&Ms you could decorate the sides or put an M&M border around the bottom edge of the cake.

how to make a basketball cake with brown and orange m&ms

Do I have to refrigerate cake?

Once the cake is fully covered in frosting, it is best if you do not refrigerate the cake. The frosting will act as a seal to keep that cake moist.

After the cake is cut, store it in an airtight container.

Where to Buy Colored M&Ms

To make sure you have enough M&Ms, you’ll need to purchase a 42 ounce bag of M&M candies (purchase here).

Another option is to purchase all brown and all orange M&Ms. This is a more expensive option, but you won’t have as much waste. (As if M&Ms were a waste! 🙂 )

Purchase orange M&Ms or brown M&Ms.

Basketball Cake Recipe with orange m&Ms
Basketball Cake Recipe with orange m&Ms

Basketball Cake

4.50 from 6 votes
Servings 15
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients
 

  • 2 round white or chocolate cake layers (baked)
  • 4 cups Favorite white frosting
  • 42 ounces bag of M&M’s candies (to make sure there’s enough orange and brown)

Instructions
 

  • Bake your favorite cake in 2 8″ or 9″ round cake pans. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Top with frosting.
  • Place the second layer of cake on top.
  • Frost the top and sides of the cake with frosting, making it as smooth as possible.
  • Use the brown M&M’s to make a vertical line down the center of the cake. Then make a horizontal but slightly curved line across the cake.
  • Now make one vertical curved line with the brown M&M’s on each side of the straight vertical line to create the basketball lines.
  • Fill in the remaining areas on the top of the cake with orange M&M’s.
  • Store the cake at room temperature.
  • Once the cake has been cut you’ll need to store it in an airtight container.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword basketball cake, birthday cake, round cake

About Julie Clark

We are Julie, Maddie, and Kinslee – a mother and daughter team sharing with you the best cakes to satisfy any need or sweet craving that you may have. Welcome to our family’s kitchen!

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