Last Updated on November 8, 2021
When I ran into a few of these peek a boo cake recipes on Pinterest last year, I knew I had to give it a try. The idea of having a surprise hidden inside of cake, bread, or other treats was just too much for me to ignore!
Most of these I haven't attempted yet, but with the holidays inching closer, I'm ready to give them a go. After you see the step-by-step instructions, they are actually much easier than they might appear to make these cakes. And so, I've compiled a list of some of the best surprise treats!
1. Pancake Muffins
What a great way to make an on-the-go version of a pancake breakfast! Fill your muffin tin 1/4 full with pancake mix, toss in a few of your favorite breakfast ingredients (bacon, sausage, blueberries– maybe even a little dollop of maple syrup?), pour another layer of pancake mix over top until they are 3/4 full, and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. You could even make these the night before an early morning, and then have them ready to run out the door with.
1. Pancake Muffins
What a great way to make an on-the-go version of a pancake breakfast! Fill your muffin tin 1/4 full with pancake mix, toss in a few of your favorite breakfast ingredients (bacon, sausage, blueberries– maybe even a little dollop of maple syrup?), pour another layer of pancake mix over top until they are 3/4 full, and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. You could even make these the night before an early morning, and then have them ready to run out the door with.
2. Zebra Striped Surprise Cake
Zebra striped cake can go with just about any party theme, from a kid's safari party to a bachelorette party. And, the best part is, it doesn't take a lot of skill or effort! The cake can all be baked at one time without any food coloring added as white and chocolate cake are already readily available.
3. Leopard Print Surprise Cake
Surprise your guests with a leopard print cake! It's almost as simple as the zebra stripes, with just one extra color added and a layered swirl pattern. You can add orange food coloring to a white cake batter, but even better, skip the food coloring all together and create a lighter brown color by mixing chocolate and white cake mix together for your third color.
4. Polka Dot Cake
This is where a cake pop pan really comes in handy! Use one to create colorful balls of cake, and then bake them inside of a white cake mix. I could see doing this for a gender reveal party; use strawberry cake balls for a girl and blue velvet for a boy.
Cake pop pan from Amazon (silicone).
Cake pop pan from Amazon (non-stick metal).
h3>5. Checkerboard Cake
Very impressive! I'm still left in amazement and awe with the inside of a checkerboard cake. It's actually quite confusing to me how it all works out, but layering 2 opposing cake color rings does the trick! Funny how circles are what make the squares of the checkerboard.
Check out these round cookie cutters from Amazon.
6. Surprise Heart Cake
Beautiful, right? Just leave it up to Amanda from I Am Baker to come up with this masterpiece! She's the queen of surprise cakes, and even has a published book filled with gorgeous cake ideas like this one entitled, Surprise-Inside Cakes. This would obviously be a hit for Valentine's day, but I think a heart can be fitting for just about any occasion. Just look how the red cake pops up next to the white. Stunning!
7. Peekaboo Heart Poundcake
If you like the idea of the heart cake, but want something a little less formal, a poundcake is just as impressive! The technique behind it is completely different, using a heart-shaped cookie cutter to get your surprise heart design.
Since there are so many options for a heart cookie cutter, I thought you might want to see a selection on Amazon. For a double heart, check this out.
8. Heart Surprise Cupcakes
Even easier: mini hearts in cupcakes! These would be more practical for school parties, potlucks, bake sales or, to give away as Valentine's gifts.
Hugs and Kisses are another great surprise-inside idea for Valentine's Day:
9. Earth Day Cupcakes
Here's a completely different concept for the surprise-inside heart; use red frosting instead of twice baked heart shaped mini cakes. How sweet!
10. Candy Stuffed Cake
How cool is this?! Although intended as a gender reveal cake (blue candy for a boy and pink for a girl), I think this would be fun to make and eat for just about any type of party! It's quite impressive but rather easy to make. Your two center pieces of round cake will have a hole in the middle to be stuffed with the candy of your choice before topping with your final sheet of cake.
11. Piñata Cake
What's better than a piñata, you ask? An edible piñata! Just imagine the shock of your party guests once the cake is cut open. I love the unique round shape of this one, too. It's almost as cool on the outside as it is on the inside!
11. Piñata Cake
What's better than a piñata, you ask? An edible piñata! Just imagine the shock of your party guests once the cake is cut open. I love the unique round shape of this one, too. It's almost as cool on the outside as it is on the inside!
12. Surprise Candy Rainbow Cake
A surprise, indeed! Just when you think you've seen the coolest rainbow cake ever, it's cut open to reveal the surprise waiting inside. If it were me, I'd stuff it with those little gold chocolate coins! It would be like the pot of gold IN the rainbow instead of at the end of the rainbow. Wink.
13. Easy Rainbow Cake
If you like the idea of a rainbow cake but aren't much of a dough puncher, this awesome rainbow cake might just be up your ally. Food coloring mixed with white cake batter will give you your brilliant colors, now all you have to do is plop it in your baking pan. I love how this one also turned out with a tie die effect!
14. Shamrock Peekaboo Poundcake
Lindsay got creative with this one and made her own shamrock template (just in case you don't happen to have a shamrock shaped cookie cutter that is the right size). In that case, with a little extra time and effort, I suppose you could make just about any shape that you want! This way you're not limited on the standard shapes available, and can completely customize your cake.
Try out this 2.5″ shamrock cookie cutter from Amazon.
15. Leprechaun Trap Cake
You've got to go check out the details on this one. It not only has a hidden rainbow inside, but it also has a “leprechaun trap” in the middle of the cake, covered with chocolate coins to lure them in. So clever!
16. Surprise Name Cake
My daughter would love this for her birthday! Only one problem; her name is way too long. I suppose this would really only work for shorter names with 3 or 4 letters, but it sure is a fun surprise!
17. Peekaboo Star Loaf
I love the colors on this one! It was made with a raspberry quick bread recipe, and the lovely stars are a nice contrast. This would be fitting for the 4th of July, too. Perhaps just use a red velvet cake in place of the raspberry. Or, add a bit of food coloring to a white cake recipe. So many possibilities!
18. Surprise Flag Cake
The great thing about this cake is that every individual slice represents an American flag, so even when it's all cut up it's just as exciting! There's no need for anything fancy on the outside; just plain white frosting is a fantastic way to cover the surprise hidden inside.
19. Peekaboo Pumpkin Pound Cake
With a brown butter pecan icing! YUM. You have to love Fall and all of the warm colors and flavors of the season. It's the time of year when friends and family get together, and this recipe is sure to add that “wow factor” to your next gathering.
Make the apple surprise with an apple cookie cutter from Amazon.
20. Surprise Candy Corn Cupcakes
For whatever reason, candy corn is a serious weakness of mine. I'm usually a huge chocolate fan, but in the Fall, I've always got a jar full of those orange, yellow and white irresistible candies! You can only imagine my delight when I found a recipe that included the concept of my favorite candy stuffed into a chocolate cupcake!
21. Halloween Surprise Cake
It's amazing how mixing and swirling a few different colors of cake batter can completely transform a cake from boring to brilliant!
22. Pumpkin Surprise Cake
Adorned with a green stem and all! Halloween is my favorite time of year to whip up new, exciting, and sometimes frightening recipes. I have yet to master a good cake, but this one is definitely worth giving a try. The dark chocolate cake is the perfect contrast to that bright orange pumpkin hidden inside!
23. 3-D Pumpkin Cookies
As if these 3-D pumpkin cookies are awesome enough, they are stuffed with candy as a fun surprise! I like the idea of wrapping these up individually in cellophane to keep them fresh, tying them off with a pretty ribbon and gift tag, and then giving them away as gifts around the holidays.
To get the ridges on the pumpkin cookies, check out 4″ gear cookie cutters or biscuit cutters from Amazon.
24. Peekaboo Panda Bread
It doesn't really get much cuter than this! It's definitely going to be more challenging than a traditional loaf of boring bread, but well worth the effort once you see that adorable panda face staring back at you. Unless they don't like the idea of eating a panda's face, the kids are going to love finding this in their lunchbox!
25. Owl Face Reveal Bread
Similar to the panda bread but with a few little tweaks, this owl face is sure to be a hit! Owl faces seem to be plastered all over everything these days, why not a sandwich loaf?
26. Surprise Rice Krispie Easter Eggs
What's better than a plastic Easter egg stuffed full of candy? An Easter egg shaped Rice Krispie treat with a surprise hidden inside. Duh!!
Here is a link to 6″ Easter eggs to use in this recipe.
27. Carrot Patch Cake
A carrot in EVERY slice. Brilliant! The cake itself is gorgeous, but then once you slice into this baby, it's certainly a one-of-a-kind. It's even topped with crushed Oreos for a more authentic garden patch look.
28. Gingerbread Man Cupcakes
Well, I suppose if you can stuff cake inside of a cake, you can put a cookie in there, too! I love the idea of using the fun shape of a gingerbread man cookie.
The roof is made with graham crackers and frosting. A LOT of frosting as you can see!
29. Surprise Christmas Cake
I can't decide which I like more, the inside or outside of this cake. Both are stunning! The frosting technique is not only beautiful but leaves you with a nice thick layer of the good stuff. And, the ornament inside–a nice finishing touch!
Check out Amazon for a cool glass cake stand.
30. Pistachio Melon Cake
This has got to be one of the most intriguing cake recipes. And, for the most part, it's made with natural ingredients. From the outside, you would never guess that it's layered with cantaloup, honey dew, and watermelon. What a refreshing summer treat!
