How to Make a Demon Slayer Cake (And Become a Birthday Hashira)
A birthday is on the horizon. A special occasion for your favorite Demon Slayer fan. You could go to the store and buy a standard sheet cake with some questionable icing and a plastic flotsam topper. Or… you could choose the path of greatness. You could forge a cake so epic, so on-theme, and so delicious that it would make the recipient feel like they’ve just been promoted to a Hashira.
Don’t be intimidated. You don’t need to survive Final Selection to master this. Before you resign yourself to just printing out a picture of Tanjiro and sticking it on a cupcake, let me be your guide. We are about to embark on a mission to create a demon slayer cake so awesome, Muzan himself would be impressed (right before he’d try to devour it, probably).
So, unsheathe your spatula, practice your decorating breathing techniques, and let’s bake a cake that can truly slay.
Why This Recipe is Awesome (And Totally Achievable)
First, the “wow” factor is off the charts. This cake is designed to look like Tanjiro Kamado’s iconic green and black checkered haori. It’s instantly recognizable to any fan and looks like it took hours of painstaking professional work. The secret? It’s just a simple grid and some clever piping. You’ve got this.
Second, beneath that killer design is a ridiculously delicious and reliable vanilla cake. It’s moist, sturdy enough to handle decorating, and has a classic crowd-pleasing flavor. No one will have to force a smile here; this cake tastes as good as it looks.
Finally, making this cake is just plain fun. It’s a creative project that lets you bring a piece of your favorite anime to life. It’s the ultimate edible tribute and will make you the undisputed champion of nerdy, thoughtful birthday gifts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To forge a cake worthy of a Hashira, you need the right materials. No weird ingredients here, just solid baking staples.
For the “Total Concentration” Vanilla Cake:
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the “Hinokami Kagura” Buttercream:
- 2 cups (454g) unsalted butter, softened
- 6-8 cups (720-960g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ⅓ cup (80ml) whole milk or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Black gel food coloring
- Leaf Green or Kelly Green gel food coloring
- 2 tablespoons of black cocoa powder (optional, but highly recommended for a deep black)
Tools & Kitchen Gadgets Used
Every slayer needs a proper Nichirin sword. For us, it’s these kitchen tools.
- Stand Mixer or a powerful Hand Mixer: Essential for whipping up fluffy cake batter and buttercream.
- Two 8-inch or 9-inch Round Cake Pans: For our two-layer cake canvas.
- Parchment Paper: Prevents the cake from sticking. Don’t skip it.
- Wire Cooling Racks: Critical for cooling your cakes so they don’t fall apart.
- Offset Spatula & Bench Scraper: Your primary tools for a smooth frosting finish.
- Piping Bags: You’ll need at least three.
- A Small Star Piping Tip: A Wilton #18 or #21 is perfect for creating the checkerboard squares.
- A Long Ruler or the straight edge of your Bench Scraper: For marking your grid. Precision is key!
Step-by-Step Instructions: Master Your Baking Form
Ready to begin your training? We’ll break this down into simple forms.
H3: First Form: Forge the Cake Layers
- Prep Your Domain: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your two round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
- Combine Your Elements: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Breathing Technique – Creaming: In your mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until it’s very pale and fluffy. This is a crucial step for a light cake!
- Incorporate and Unify: Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl.
- Water Surface Slash: On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk in two parts (Dry, Milk, Dry, Milk, Dry). Mix only until the last streak of flour is gone. Do not overmix!
- Bake and Rest: Divide the batter between the pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool in the pans for 15 minutes before turning them out onto wire racks to cool completely. This is non-negotiable.
H3: Second Form: Master the Buttercream
- Whip the Base: In your mixer, beat the softened butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and pale, about 3-4 minutes.
- The Sweet Onslaught: On low speed, gradually add 6 cups of the powdered sugar. Then, add the milk, vanilla, and salt.
- Final Form – Fluffy Cloud: Once combined, turn the mixer up to high and beat for 5 minutes until the buttercream is incredibly light and fluffy. If it’s too stiff, add a splash more milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Divide and Conquer: Separate the buttercream into three bowls. Leave about 1 cup white. Divide the rest evenly between the other two bowls.
- Create Your Colors:
- For Black: To one bowl, add the 2 tablespoons of black cocoa powder (if using) and mix. Then add a generous amount of black gel food coloring. Mix well. Pro Tip: Black frosting darkens over time. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to an hour to reach its true, deep black color.
- For Green: To the other bowl, add your green gel food coloring until you reach a vibrant, Tanjiro-haori green.
H3: Third Form: The Art of the Checkerboard
- The Foundation: Place one cooled cake layer on your cake stand or plate. Frost the top with a layer of the white buttercream. Place the second cake layer on top.
- The Crumb Coat: Apply a very thin layer of the white buttercream over the entire cake to trap all the crumbs. Chill the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until the frosting is firm to the touch. This is the most important step for a clean pattern!
- Create the Grid: Take the cake out of the fridge. Use the edge of your ruler or bench scraper to gently press horizontal lines into the chilled crumb coat, about 1-inch apart. Rotate the cake and press vertical lines to create a perfect checkerboard grid.
- Constant Flux – The Piping: Prepare two piping bags, one with black frosting and one with green, both fitted with your small star tip. Carefully, using your grid as a guide, pipe small stars to fill in the squares, alternating colors to create the checkerboard pattern. Take your time!
- Finishing Touches: You can use any leftover white, black, or green frosting to pipe a simple border on the top or bottom of the cake.
Calories & Nutritional Info
A slice of this cake contains enough energy for you to master at least one breathing form. Or, you know, to get through the post-party cleanup.
- Calories per slice (1/12th of cake): Approximately 650-750 kcal
- Primary Nutrient: Sheer, unadulterated joy.
- Also Contains: Sugar, butter, and the power to make a fan very, very happy.
- Note: This is a celebration cake. It’s meant to be epic. Let’s not get bogged down in the nutritional details, shall we? 😉
Common Mistakes to Avoid (Don’t Get Eaten by a Demon)
Even a Hashira can make a mistake. Here’s how to avoid them.
- A Melty Mess: You tried to frost a warm cake, didn’t you? This will cause a frosting landslide and break your spirit. Your cake layers must be 100% cool. I cannot say this enough.
- The Grey Gloom: Your “black” frosting is a sad, streaky grey. To get a true, deep black, you need to use black cocoa powder as a base and let the color develop for at least 30 minutes after mixing. Patience is key.
- A Wonky Checkerboard: Your pattern looks like it was drawn by Inosuke in a blind rage. Mark your grid guidelines before you start piping! A few minutes of prep will save you a world of aesthetic pain.
- Using Liquid Food Coloring: Don’t do it. Liquid coloring will thin out your buttercream, making it a runny mess that won’t hold its piped shape. Only use concentrated gel food coloring.
Variations & Customizations (Choose Your Fighter!)
Once you’ve mastered Tanjiro’s haori, why not try another member of the corps?
- Nezuko’s Kimono Cake: This is a beautiful but more advanced option. Use a light pink frosting as your base. Create a stencil of Nezuko’s hemp leaf (asa-no-ha) pattern and use a darker pink or red frosting to apply the design. Fill the cake with a strawberry or raspberry jam.
- Zenitsu’s “Thunder Breathing” Cake: A lemon cake would be perfect for our favorite crybaby. Frost the cake in a vibrant yellow buttercream. Use white frosting to pipe his signature triangle pattern around the sides. Fast, flashy, and delicious.
- Inosuke’s “Beast Breathing” Wild Berry Cake: This is the one for when you don’t want to be neat. Make a rich chocolate cake. Frost it messily with chocolate or grey-tinted buttercream to look like his boar mask. Pile the top with a “wild” assortment of fresh berries. No rules, just delicious chaos.
FAQ Section: Questions From the Corps
- What flavor should a Demon Slayer cake be? Anything you want! The design is the star here. I chose vanilla because it’s a crowd-pleaser, but chocolate, lemon, or even a matcha green tea cake would be amazing.
- Can I make the checkerboard pattern with fondant? Absolutely. It would be very sharp and clean. You would cover the cake in a base layer of green fondant, then cut out and apply small black fondant squares. It’s a different skill set but yields great results.
- How do I make black frosting that actually tastes good? The secret is starting with a chocolate or black cocoa powder base. This gives the frosting a deep color to begin with, so you need less of the bitter-tasting black gel coloring.
- Can I make this cake ahead of time? Yes! Bake the cake layers, let them cool, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to a month. You can frost the cake a day or two before the event.
- How do I store this masterpiece? Store it in a cake carrier or loosely covered in the refrigerator because of the high amount of butter in the frosting. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before serving for the best texture.
- Is this recipe okay for a beginner baker? I’d call this an “adventurous beginner” recipe. The cake itself is easy. The decorating takes a little time and patience, but the techniques (piping stars) are very simple. You can do it!
- What if I don’t have a star tip? You can just cut the tip off a piping bag to create a small round opening and pipe little dots to fill in the squares instead. It will still look great!
Final Thoughts
You’ve done it. You’ve faced the challenge, mastered your baking forms, and emerged victorious. You are now a Cake Hashira, a purveyor of delicious, nerdy art. You have created a cake that is more than just a dessert; it’s a statement.
Now go, present your masterpiece. Cut it with the precision of a Water Breathing form, share it with your favorite people, and enjoy every last crumb. You’ve earned it. Slay.How to Make a Demon Slayer Cake (And Become a Birthday Hashira)
A birthday is on the horizon. A special occasion for your favorite Demon Slayer fan. You could go to the store and buy a standard sheet cake with some questionable icing and a plastic flotsam topper. Or… you could choose the path of greatness. You could forge a cake so epic, so on-theme, and so delicious that it would make the recipient feel like they’ve just been promoted to a Hashira.
Don’t be intimidated. You don’t need to survive Final Selection to master this. Before you resign yourself to just printing out a picture of Tanjiro and sticking it on a cupcake, let me be your guide. We are about to embark on a mission to create a demon slayer cake so awesome, Muzan himself would be impressed (right before he’d try to devour it, probably).
So, unsheathe your spatula, practice your decorating breathing techniques, and let’s bake a cake that can truly slay.
Why This Recipe is Awesome (And Totally Achievable)
First, the “wow” factor is off the charts. This cake is designed to look like Tanjiro Kamado’s iconic green and black checkered haori. It’s instantly recognizable to any fan and looks like it took hours of painstaking professional work. The secret? It’s just a simple grid and some clever piping. You’ve got this.
Second, beneath that killer design is a ridiculously delicious and reliable vanilla cake. It’s moist, sturdy enough to handle decorating, and has a classic crowd-pleasing flavor. No one will have to force a smile here; this cake tastes as good as it looks.
Finally, making this cake is just plain fun. It’s a creative project that lets you bring a piece of your favorite anime to life. It’s the ultimate edible tribute and will make you the undisputed champion of nerdy, thoughtful birthday gifts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To forge a cake worthy of a Hashira, you need the right materials. No weird ingredients here, just solid baking staples.
For the “Total Concentration” Vanilla Cake:
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the “Hinokami Kagura” Buttercream:
- 2 cups (454g) unsalted butter, softened
- 6-8 cups (720-960g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ⅓ cup (80ml) whole milk or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Black gel food coloring
- Leaf Green or Kelly Green gel food coloring
- 2 tablespoons of black cocoa powder (optional, but highly recommended for a deep black)
Tools & Kitchen Gadgets Used
Every slayer needs a proper Nichirin sword. For us, it’s these kitchen tools.
- Stand Mixer or a powerful Hand Mixer: Essential for whipping up fluffy cake batter and buttercream.
- Two 8-inch or 9-inch Round Cake Pans: For our two-layer cake canvas.
- Parchment Paper: Prevents the cake from sticking. Don’t skip it.
- Wire Cooling Racks: Critical for cooling your cakes so they don’t fall apart.
- Offset Spatula & Bench Scraper: Your primary tools for a smooth frosting finish.
- Piping Bags: You’ll need at least three.
- A Small Star Piping Tip: A Wilton #18 or #21 is perfect for creating the checkerboard squares.
- A Long Ruler or the straight edge of your Bench Scraper: For marking your grid. Precision is key!
Step-by-Step Instructions: Master Your Baking Form
Ready to begin your training? We’ll break this down into simple forms.
H3: First Form: Forge the Cake Layers
- Prep Your Domain: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your two round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
- Combine Your Elements: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Breathing Technique – Creaming: In your mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until it’s very pale and fluffy. This is a crucial step for a light cake!
- Incorporate and Unify: Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl.
- Water Surface Slash: On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk in two parts (Dry, Milk, Dry, Milk, Dry). Mix only until the last streak of flour is gone. Do not overmix!
- Bake and Rest: Divide the batter between the pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool in the pans for 15 minutes before turning them out onto wire racks to cool completely. This is non-negotiable.
H3: Second Form: Master the Buttercream
- Whip the Base: In your mixer, beat the softened butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and pale, about 3-4 minutes.
- The Sweet Onslaught: On low speed, gradually add 6 cups of the powdered sugar. Then, add the milk, vanilla, and salt.
- Final Form – Fluffy Cloud: Once combined, turn the mixer up to high and beat for 5 minutes until the buttercream is incredibly light and fluffy. If it’s too stiff, add a splash more milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Divide and Conquer: Separate the buttercream into three bowls. Leave about 1 cup white. Divide the rest evenly between the other two bowls.
- Create Your Colors:
- For Black: To one bowl, add the 2 tablespoons of black cocoa powder (if using) and mix. Then add a generous amount of black gel food coloring. Mix well. Pro Tip: Black frosting darkens over time. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to an hour to reach its true, deep black color.
- For Green: To the other bowl, add your green gel food coloring until you reach a vibrant, Tanjiro-haori green.
H3: Third Form: The Art of the Checkerboard
- The Foundation: Place one cooled cake layer on your cake stand or plate. Frost the top with a layer of the white buttercream. Place the second cake layer on top.
- The Crumb Coat: Apply a very thin layer of the white buttercream over the entire cake to trap all the crumbs. Chill the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until the frosting is firm to the touch. This is the most important step for a clean pattern!
- Create the Grid: Take the cake out of the fridge. Use the edge of your ruler or bench scraper to gently press horizontal lines into the chilled crumb coat, about 1-inch apart. Rotate the cake and press vertical lines to create a perfect checkerboard grid.
- Constant Flux – The Piping: Prepare two piping bags, one with black frosting and one with green, both fitted with your small star tip. Carefully, using your grid as a guide, pipe small stars to fill in the squares, alternating colors to create the checkerboard pattern. Take your time!
- Finishing Touches: You can use any leftover white, black, or green frosting to pipe a simple border on the top or bottom of the cake.
Calories & Nutritional Info
A slice of this cake contains enough energy for you to master at least one breathing form. Or, you know, to get through the post-party cleanup.
- Calories per slice (1/12th of cake): Approximately 650-750 kcal
- Primary Nutrient: Sheer, unadulterated joy.
- Also Contains: Sugar, butter, and the power to make a fan very, very happy.
- Note: This is a celebration cake. It’s meant to be epic. Let’s not get bogged down in the nutritional details, shall we? 😉
Common Mistakes to Avoid (Don’t Get Eaten by a Demon)
Even a Hashira can make a mistake. Here’s how to avoid them.
- A Melty Mess: You tried to frost a warm cake, didn’t you? This will cause a frosting landslide and break your spirit. Your cake layers must be 100% cool. I cannot say this enough.
- The Grey Gloom: Your “black” frosting is a sad, streaky grey. To get a true, deep black, you need to use black cocoa powder as a base and let the color develop for at least 30 minutes after mixing. Patience is key.
- A Wonky Checkerboard: Your pattern looks like it was drawn by Inosuke in a blind rage. Mark your grid guidelines before you start piping! A few minutes of prep will save you a world of aesthetic pain.
- Using Liquid Food Coloring: Don’t do it. Liquid coloring will thin out your buttercream, making it a runny mess that won’t hold its piped shape. Only use concentrated gel food coloring.
Variations & Customizations (Choose Your Fighter!)
Once you’ve mastered Tanjiro’s haori, why not try another member of the corps?
- Nezuko’s Kimono Cake: This is a beautiful but more advanced option. Use a light pink frosting as your base. Create a stencil of Nezuko’s hemp leaf (asa-no-ha) pattern and use a darker pink or red frosting to apply the design. Fill the cake with a strawberry or raspberry jam.
- Zenitsu’s “Thunder Breathing” Cake: A lemon cake would be perfect for our favorite crybaby. Frost the cake in a vibrant yellow buttercream. Use white frosting to pipe his signature triangle pattern around the sides. Fast, flashy, and delicious.
- Inosuke’s “Beast Breathing” Wild Berry Cake: This is the one for when you don’t want to be neat. Make a rich chocolate cake. Frost it messily with chocolate or grey-tinted buttercream to look like his boar mask. Pile the top with a “wild” assortment of fresh berries. No rules, just delicious chaos.
FAQ Section: Questions From the Corps
- What flavor should a Demon Slayer cake be? Anything you want! The design is the star here. I chose vanilla because it’s a crowd-pleaser, but chocolate, lemon, or even a matcha green tea cake would be amazing.
- Can I make the checkerboard pattern with fondant? Absolutely. It would be very sharp and clean. You would cover the cake in a base layer of green fondant, then cut out and apply small black fondant squares. It’s a different skill set but yields great results.
- How do I make black frosting that actually tastes good? The secret is starting with a chocolate or black cocoa powder base. This gives the frosting a deep color to begin with, so you need less of the bitter-tasting black gel coloring.
- Can I make this cake ahead of time? Yes! Bake the cake layers, let them cool, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to a month. You can frost the cake a day or two before the event.
- How do I store this masterpiece? Store it in a cake carrier or loosely covered in the refrigerator because of the high amount of butter in the frosting. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before serving for the best texture.
- Is this recipe okay for a beginner baker? I’d call this an “adventurous beginner” recipe. The cake itself is easy. The decorating takes a little time and patience, but the techniques (piping stars) are very simple. You can do it!
- What if I don’t have a star tip? You can just cut the tip off a piping bag to create a small round opening and pipe little dots to fill in the squares instead. It will still look great!
Final Thoughts
You’ve done it. You’ve faced the challenge, mastered your baking forms, and emerged victorious. You are now a Cake Hashira, a purveyor of delicious, nerdy art. You have created a cake that is more than just a dessert; it’s a statement.
Now go, present your masterpiece. Cut it with the precision of a Water Breathing form, share it with your favorite people, and enjoy every last crumb. You’ve earned it. Slay.