If you have been a reader of The Exploring Family for a while you will know that I enjoy making birthday cakes. Sure you can go out and buy a cake, but why do that when you create your own easy dinosaur cake.
Now I know you might be thinking where am I going to find out how to make the Best Dinosaur Cakes? And will it actually turn out? I promise you, that you yes YOU can make this DIY Dinosaur Cake at home. I am not talking about big complicated fondant cakes that will take you a week to make. I like making birthday cakes that are creative and fun, yet EASY to make and taste great for any special day!
DIY Dinosaur Cake Ideas
Some of my past accomplishments includeThomas the Tank Engine birthday cake,“Diggers” Construction Party birthday cake,Nerf Cakeand one of my favoritesKit Kat Cake. For Monkey’s birthday we had a dinosaur party complete with TWO dinosaur birthday cakes, each one had a different dinosaur cake designs: one was a triceratops and the other was a stegosaurus.
Below you will find two different dinosaur cake ideas: Triceratops Cake and Stegosaurus Cake. This post will cover how to make a Triceratops Cake at home and includes video instructions as well. There are lots of dinosaur cake ideas that you can find but many are very complicated or use fondant icing instead of butter cream but my recipe guarantees a delicious cake for every dinosaur lover.
How To Make a Dinosaur Cake
These easy dinosaur cake designs can be make with whatever your favourite cake is. I go all out and use boxed cake mix, but if you prefer a made from scratch cake recipe go ahead and use it. I also use icing I purchased at the store, but you could make your own icing if you have the time.
Personally I think that even when using a boxed cake mix and store bought icing these cakes taste better then many cakes from the stores. There are also no special pans required, just9″ Round Pans. Plus this easy Triceratops Birthday Cake with have the birthday child smiling from ear to ear with either of these dinosaur theme cakes.
Dinosaur themed party are so much fun, so I have included a dinosaur cake tutorial video and step by step instructions on how to make a dinosaur birthday cake. Every birthday boy or girl loves fancy cakes for their birthday so this is exactly what I made this year with my dinosaurs cake.
Dinosaur Birthday Cake Ideas
Easy Dinosaur Cake – Triceratops Cake
How to make a Dinosaur Shaped Cake – Follow along to learn how to make a 3D impressive dinosaur cake step by step. This DIY dinosaur cake is super simple, even the novice baker can make it for your next dinosaur-themed birthday party!
Dinosaur Birthday Cake Ingredients:
- 2 – 9″ round cakes, any flavour we used a vanilla boxed cake mix
- 2 cupcakes, I just stole a little batter from the cakes to make these
- Icing – I used vanilla with green food colouring
- Coloured sugar – I used green
- Graham Crackers
- 8 Large Marshmallows
- 3 Mini Marshmallows
- 2 Chocolate chips
- 2 Large white chocolate wafers
- 2 Milk chocolate wafers, want ones that are a little smaller then the white chocolate ones
How to make a Dinosaur Cake with Instructions:
Bake your cakes/cupcakes as directed, and let cool completely. Cut one of the round cakes as shown to make the head. Trim the piece that you cut off to be shaped like the tail.
Cut notches out of the second round cake for the cupcakes (to make the feet) and for the head to fit together
If you find that one of the cakes or cupcakes is taller the the other, you can trim off a layer at the bottom to make the all the same height to make it easier to create your easy dinosaur cake ideas.
Arrange cakes on cake board, place strips of wax paper around the edges (you will remove these after icing the cake and then the tray will be nice and clean).
You will want the cake board to be at least 20×24 to help create these dinosaur birthday cake ideas.
Cover the entire cake in white frosting that has been dyed to become green icing, gently remove wax paper strips and then start decorating to make the dino cake. To make the eyes, use some icing to “glue” the milk chocolate wafer to the white chocolate one. Place on your easy triceratops cake for your dino-loving kids.
Dinosaur cake decorating ideas: Cut mini marshmallows in half, and place on the cupcakes for toes. Cut 3 large marshmallows on an angle to create the horns. Place chocolate chips on the face for nostrils.
Cut graham crackers in half diagonally, to make triangles. Cover in a thin layer of icing and the dip into coloured sugar. Cut the large marshmallows in half, using a dab of icing on either side to to secure them to the tray, and then place the graham cracker on top, resting the edge against the cake.
Easy Dinosaur- Themed Cake
I am not going to lie, there were some pretty impressed little boys and little girls at the birthday celebration who loved this triceratops dinosaur birthday cake. I had several requests to make it for their parties as well.
I highly suggest this easy dinosaur cake – as all the party guests will love it! This is only one of the great dinosaur cakes for toddlers – stay tuned for other dinosaur cakes ideas coming soon!
Supplies and Dinosaur Party Decorations
Easy Dinosaur Cake Designs
I will be a sharing the instructions on how to make the second dinosaur birthday cake: Stegosaurus Dinosaur Birthday Cake.
Maybe you have ran out of time, or after looking at the instructions are thinking, “No way I can do this”. Then I offer you the suggestion of the dinosaur cake pan or specifically triceratops cake pan, which will easily create dino cakes.
Had the plan to create your own dinosaur themed cake but ran out of time, don’t worry as you can make a simple birthday cake and add a dinosaur cake topper.
Dinosaur Shaped Cake Pans/ Dinosaur Cake Tin
You can also create these dinosaur-shaped cakes using the pre-existing cake pans, however I enjoy creating personalized cake ideas such as the easy dinosaur birthday cake ideas above! No matter which cake you make it will be amazing at the dinosaur birthday party that kids will be talking about for weeks!
Dinosaur Cake Toppers
If you choose to make dinosaur cupcakes then these plastic dinosaurs offer a few different ways to decorate using toy dinosaurs to make a even simplerdinosaur cake.
More EASY Birthday Cake Ideas
Unicorn Birthday Cake
Kit Birthday Cake
Easy Homemade Thomas The Train Cake
Birthday Party Ideas: Easy DIY Construction Cake
You may also be interested in: Birthday Party Balloon Games
Printable version of the recipe:
Print Pin
DIY Dinosaur Cake – Triceratops Cake
Easy Dinosaur cake idea – Triceratops Birthday cake
Course Dessert
Prep Time 1 hour hour
Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 12 people
Calories 325kcal
Author Little Miss Kate & Co
Cost 10
Ingredients
- 2 9" round cakes any flavour we used a vanilla boxed cake mix
- 2 cupcakes I just stole a little batter from the cakes to make these
- 1 tub Icing – I used vanilla with green food colouring
- Coloured sugar – I used green
- Graham Crackers
- 8 Large Marshmallows
- 3 Mini Marshmallows
- 2 Chocolate chips
- 2 Large white chocolate wafers
- 2 Milk chocolate wafers want ones that are a little smaller then the white chocolate ones
Instructions
Bake your cakes/cupcakes as directed, and let cool completely. Cut one of the round cakes as shown to make the head. Trim the piece that you cut off to be shaped like the tail.
Cut notches out of the second round cake for the cupcakes (to make the feeand for the head to fit together
If you find that one of the cakes or cupcakes is taller the the other, you can trim off a layer at the bottom to make the all the same height to make it easier to create your dinosaur birthday cake recipe.
Arrange cakes oncake board, place strips of wax paper around the edges (you will remove these after icing the cake and then the tray will be nice and clean).
You will want the cake board to be at least 20×24 to help create these dinosaur birthday cake ideas.
Cover the entire cake in icing, gently remove wax paper strips and then start decorating to make the dino cake. To make the eyes, use some icing to “glue” the milk chocolate wafer to the white chocolate one. Place on your easy triceratops cake.
Dinosaur cake decorating ideas: Cut mini marshmallows in half, and place on the cupcakes for toes. Cut 3 large marshmallows on an angle to create the horns. Place chocolate chips on the face for nostrils.
Cut graham crackers in half diagonally, to make triangles. Cover in a thin layer of icing and the dip into coloured sugar. Cut the large marshmallows in half, using a dab of icing on either side to to secure them to the tray, and then place the graham cracker on top, resting the edge against the cake.
Originally posted August 2015
Updated Sept 2023
