Name: Birthday Cake Macarons Recipe
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 12 h
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 105 g Sifted Super Fine Almond Flour; 105 g Sifted Confectioners Sugar; 100 g Egg Whites; 100 g White Sugar; 3 g (1 tsp) Egg White Powder (meringue powder, optional but recommended); 1 tsp Artificial Vanilla; Nonpareils Rainbow Sprinkles; 1 cup (130 g) White or Yellow Boxed Cake Mix; 1 cup (227 g) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature; 3 cups (360 g) Confectioners Sugar; 2 tbsp (28 g) Heavy Cream; 1 tsp Artificial Vanilla; Pink Food Colouring

Ingredients

105 g sifted super fine almond flour

105 g sifted confectioners sugar

100 g egg whites

100 g white sugar

3 g (1 tsp) egg white powder (meringue powder, optional but recommended)

1 tsp artificial vanilla

Nonpareils rainbow sprinkles

1 cup (130 g) white or yellow boxed cake mix

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups (360 g) confectioners sugar

2 tbsp (28 g) heavy cream

1 tsp artificial vanilla

Pink food colouring

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. If possible, prepare two sheets for easier baking.

Step 2: Sift the almond flour over a large mixing bowl placed on a scale until you reach 105 g, discarding any large pieces. Repeat with the confectioners sugar. Whisk both together thoroughly and set aside.

Step 3: For the meringue, add egg whites, white sugar, and egg white powder into a stand mixer bowl. Place this bowl over a pot of simmering water (bain-marie), ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Whisk continuously until the mixture reaches 140°F (60°C).

Step 4: Remove the bowl from heat and place it on the stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat starting on low until soft peaks form, then increase speed to medium until medium peaks, and finally high until stiff peaks appear. Add vanilla and mix gently.

Step 5: Sift the dry almond flour and sugar mixture into the meringue using a sieve. Fold gently using a scraping and cutting motion (like the Greek letter phi Φ), taking care not to deflate the meringue too much.

Step 6: The batter is ready to pipe when it ribbons off your spatula and can form figure 8 shapes without breaking. If it falls in chunks, fold a little more.

Step 7: Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip. Pipe small 1½ inch circles onto the prepared baking sheets, holding the bag perpendicular. Tap the sheets against the counter to release air bubbles, and pop any remaining bubbles gently with a toothpick. Sprinkle with rainbow nonpareils.

Step 8: Preheat oven to 300°F (275°F for convection). Let the macarons sit at room temperature to form a skin, about 8 minutes to 1 hour. They’re ready to bake when lightly touching them leaves no batter on your finger.

Step 9: Bake for 15–20 minutes, depending on size. The macarons are done when the tops are firm and do not wobble on their bases.

Step 10: Cool completely before removing from the mats or parchment. Match similar-sized macaron halves into pairs for filling.

Step 11: For the birthday cake buttercream, microwave the boxed cake mix in a bowl for about 1½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until it reaches 170°F. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Step 12: Beat butter in a stand mixer with a whip attachment until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Gradually add the cooled cake mix and confectioners sugar until smooth.

Step 13: Add heavy cream, vanilla, and pink food colouring, mixing well. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Step 14: Pipe buttercream onto half of the macaron shells, then sandwich with corresponding tops. Refrigerate overnight to let flavors meld and texture mature.

Tips & Variations

Sift almond flour and sugar multiple times to avoid lumps and get smooth shells.

If you don’t have egg white powder, ensure your egg whites are fresh and free from any yolk contamination for best meringue results.

Use a macaron mat or stencil to pipe uniform-sized shells easily.

Adjust the food colouring or add a few drops of other flavours like almond or lemon extract to customize your buttercream.

FAQs

Can I use fresh egg whites instead of egg white powder?

Yes, fresh egg whites work well, but egg white powder helps stabilize the meringue and improve consistency. If using fresh whites, ensure they are at room temperature and free of any yolk.

How do I know when my macaron batter is ready to pipe?

The batter should flow smoothly off your spatula in ribbons without breaking. A good test is the figure 8 test: if you can draw several figure 8 shapes with batter falling without any breaks, it’s ready.