Birthday Cake Macarons

5 from 1 review

My fun birthday cake macarons have vanilla shells covered with rainbow sprinkles and an irresistible buttercream filling. Not only do they make the perfect gift for anyone’s birthday, but they are also great for serving at parties. They’re so delicious that you’ll make them as a special treat for any occasion!

1x recipe yields 20 assembled macarons. See my Beginners Guide to Making Macarons before starting your first batch, or see my Macaron Troubleshooting Guide if you run into any issues.

Prep Time30

Cook Time17

Resting Time30

Total Time1 17

Course: Cookies & Bars Recipes, Dessert, Dessert Recipes, Macarons

Cuisine: French

Servings: macarons

Calories: 173kcal

Author: Angela Latimer

Ingredients

Vanilla Macarons

125 grams almond flour
125 grams confectioners sugar
100 grams egg whites (at room temperature)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
80 grams sugar
rainbow nonpareil sprinkles (optional)
gel food coloring (optional)

Birthday Cake Buttercream

½ cup butter (at room temperature)
2 cups confectioners sugar
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 pinch salt (optional, as needed to reduce sweetness)
2 tablespoon rainbow nonpareil sprinkles

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make The Macarons

In the bowl of your food processor, add the 125 grams almond flour and 125 grams confectioners sugar.
125 grams almond flour, 125 grams confectioners sugar
Blend with the food processor on low speed until the mixture has become extra-fine. Then, use a fine-mesh sieve to sift the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment to beat the 100 grams egg whites until foamy.
100 grams egg whites
Add ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar and continue beating until you have soft peaks.
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Gradually add 80 grams sugar to the egg whites while continuing to mix, until everything is fully distributed.
80 grams sugar
Pour in ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and the optional gel food coloring and continue mixing on medium-high speed until you have stiff peaks.
½ teaspoon vanilla extract, gel food coloring
Scoop ⅓ of the whipped egg mixture into your flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to gently fold it in until it is combined.
Repeat this process with the remaining ⅔ of the egg whites, only adding ⅓ at a time, and gently folding in between each addition.
After the last bit of the egg mixture has been added, continue to gently and slowly fold the macaron batter until the batter falls from the spatula in ribbons. *The consistency should be similar to honey or lava. If you let the batter fall from your spatula, it should only take about 10 seconds to sink back into itself.

Pipe The Macarons & Rest The Batter

Once you have reached the perfect consistency, transfer the batter into a piping bag that has been fitted with a round tip (or a storage bag with the corner cut off). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Pipe the macarons onto your parchment paper (or mat) in 1½-inch circles, making sure to space them at least ½-inch apart from each other.
Firmly tap the baking sheet on the counter 5 times to get rid of any air bubbles. Then, use a toothpick to pop any remaining bubbles that you might see.
Sprinkle the macarons with rainbow nonpareil sprinkles if desired.
rainbow nonpareil sprinkles
Allow the macarons to rest on the counter at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, or until they are dry to the touch and no longer tacky.
While the macarons are resting, go ahead and preheat your oven to 300˚F (140˚C/Gas Mark 2).

Bake & Cool

Once ready, bake the macarons for 15-18 minutes, or until the macarons don’t move if you tap on them slightly.
Remove the macarons from the oven and let them cool completely before removing them from the baking mat.

Make The Birthday Cake Buttercream

In a large mixing bowl, add ½ cup butter. I recommend butter that is between 68-70°F (20-21°C), and not so soft that you can easily indent it with your fingertip.
½ cup butter
Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat it for 1 minute until the butter has become light and fluffy.
Add half of your 2 cups confectioners sugar, 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon almond extract and continue mixing until well combined.
2 cups confectioners sugar, 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract
Add the remaining confectioners sugar and 1 tablespoon heavy cream and beat at medium-high speed until combined and fluffy. Taste and add 1 pinch salt if the frosting is overly sweet.
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Pour in 2 tablespoon rainbow nonpareil sprinkles and mix until combined.
2 tablespoon rainbow nonpareil sprinkles
Scoop the buttercream into a piping bag with your preferred tip.

Assemble The Macarons

Match the macarons up based on size and pipe the buttercream onto half of the shells.
Gently press the top shell on to form a sandwich and repeat with all of your macarons.
For best results, place the macarons into an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours. Then, allow them to come up to room temperature and serve.

Notes

Notes:

Wipe down your bowls and whisk attachment with some vinegar or lemon juice to remove any trace fats that may still be lingering. If there are any fats on your bowl or whisk, it can prevent your meringue from forming.
The dye from the sprinkles might alter the color of your frosting (it made mine pink, but I like that for the color contrast). To minimize this, add the sprinkles at the very end and try to fold them in as little as possible.
Almond extract is not always enjoyed by everyone. However, when combined with vanilla extract I have found that everyone enjoys the flavor.
If you think your frosting is too thick, you can thin it out with more heavy cream. Only add small amounts at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
If you are consistently having trouble with your macarons, invest in an oven thermometer. Your oven may be running hotter or colder than what it is set to.

Storage:

Place shells into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 6 days. Simply add your filling when you are ready.
If assembled, place your macarons into the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze macaron shells: Once the shells have fully cooled, place them into an airtight container and freeze them. When ready, allow them to thaw in the fridge for a few hours before filling and assembling them.
To freeze assembled macarons: Allow your macarons to fully bloom in the fridge for 24 hours before freezing them. Stack them carefully in an airtight container and place them in the freezer. When ready, allow the macarons to thaw in the fridge for a few hours.

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