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Emelia Jackson’s perfect black forest cake.

Recipe collection

30 showstopping celebration cakes to pack for Cake Picnic

Want your cake to stand out among the crowd of 1600 bakes? From architectural tiers to lush, layered sponges, these stunning cakes are guaranteed to impress at the communal picnic event on Saturday.

32 recipes
The viral Cake Picnic sensation is debuting in the southern hemisphere.

‘No cake, no entry’: The world-famous Cake Picnic is coming to town

  • Tomas Telegramma
Katherine Sabbath boldly ferrying a triple-tiered cake in an Uber – let’s hope that icing set overnight!

Going to Sydney’s Cake Picnic? This is how to transport a cake so it arrives in one piece

  • Annabel Smith
Jill Dupleix's rose, lime and coconut chiffon cake.

Jill Dupleix’s rose, lime and coconut chiffon cake

  • 2 hrs +
  • Jill Dupleix
Cocoa sour cream layer cake from Beatrix Bakes: Another Slice by Natalie Paull (Hardie Grant Books, RRP $50.

Beatrix Bakes’ cocoa sour cream layer cake

  • Natalie Paull
Lemon and rose petal chiffon cake.

Helen Goh’s lemon and rose petal chiffon cake with white chocolate cream

  • Helen Goh
Emelia Jackson’s perfect black forest cake.

Emelia Jackson’s black forest cake

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Emelia Jackson
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Helen Goh’s raspberry and lemon curd cake.
EASY

Helen Goh’s raspberry and lemon curd cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
Danielle Alvarez's mango and coconut cake.

Danielle Alvarez’s mango and coconut layer cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Danielle Alvarez
Helen Goh’s lemon, orange and almond cake.

Lemon, orange and almond cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
Chocolate cake with chocolate ganache from Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh.

Yotam Ottolenghi’s world’s best chocolate cake

  • Yotam Ottolenghi
Everyday chocolate cake with whipped cocoa cream.
EASY

... or Helen Goh’s updated take on the chocolate cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
Strawberry, coconut and lime sandwich cake.

Strawberry, coconut and lime sandwich cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
Katherine Sabbath's spiced caramel rose pear cake.

Katherine Sabbath’s spiced caramel layer cake with rosewater cream

  • 2 hrs +
  • Katherine Sabbath
Helen Goh’s mango mascarpone sponge cake.

Mango mascarpone sponge cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
Saffron-infused milk adds a bright splash of colour to this cake and its icing.

Orange milk bundt cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
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Emelia Jackson’s spiced apple layer cake with burnt butter cream cheese icing.
EASY

Emelia Jackson’s apple layer cake with brown butter icing

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Emelia Jackson
The Romance isn't dead cake from Bake My Day by Katherine Sabbath.

Katherine Sabbath’s ‘Romance isn’t dead’ red velvet cake

  • Katherine Sabbath
Helen Goh's strawberry, elderflower and pistachio cake.
EASY

Strawberry, elderflower and pistachio cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
Raspberries and pistachios make a festive colour combination, but you could use any berries or nuts.

Donna Hay’s Christmas layer cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Donna Hay
Irish coffee cake sandwiched with Bailey's cream mascarpone.

Irish coffee cake with Bailey’s filling

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
Helen Goh's raspberry bitters sponge cake.

Raspberry bitters sponge cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
Layers of soft sponge and crisp meringue, topped with kiwi and passionfruit.

Helen Goh’s Matildas tribute cake

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
Danielle Alvarez's milk-soaked cake decorated with soft Swiss meringue and dulce de leche.

Banana, caramel and rum tres leches cake

  • 2 hrs +
  • Danielle Alvarez
Katrina Meynink's pistachio picnic cake.

Katrina Meynink’s pistachio picnic cake with cream cheese icing

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Katrina Meynink
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Sunshine on a plate: Hummingbird cake stacked with lemon curd and cream cheese icing, and topped with golden-hued decorations if you're feeling 'extra'.

Hummingbird layer cake with lemon curd, honeycomb and chamomile

  • 2 hrs +
  • Katrina Meynink
Double chocolate olive oil cake.

Double chocolate olive oil cake with white chocolate mascarpone buttercream

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Dan Lepard
Marble chocolate layer cake decorated with candy-shelled chocolate 'bird's eggs'.

Marble chocolate layer cake with chocolate buttercream and chocolate crumb

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Katrina Meynink
Vegan vanilla sponge cake.

Vegan vanilla sponge cake with cream ‘cheese’ icing, maple and pomegranate

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Katrina Meynink
Dan Lepard's gluten-free chocolate birthday cake.

Dan Lepard’s gluten-free chocolate birthday cake with soft-set cocoa icing

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Dan Lepard
Helen Goh's devil’s food cake with chocolate fudge frosting for Halloween.

Devil’s food cake with chocolate fudge frosting

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Helen Goh
Coconut sponge sandwiched with papaya compote and coconut cream.

Coconut sponge with lime and papaya compote

  • 2 hrs +
  • Helen Goh
Katherine Sabbath's showstopping vintage-inspired cake decorated with buttercream ruffles.

Katherine Sabbath shares how to make (and decorate) a vintage buttercream cake

  • Katherine Sabbath