A chalkboard cake is a fun way to kick off a new school year and is simpler to make than I expected! After making the cake, I created a handful of candy chalk to write on the cake with. It was fun to set up our new year of affirmations in sweet treat form.

chalkboard cake recipe

To make this chalkboard cake recipe, I used a mix of store-bought (boxed cake) and homemade (buttercream frosting) ingredients. You can create any combination you want, and I promise everyone will still love it.

The real showstopper here is the black fondant that acts as a chalkboard coating for the cake, mixed with the candy chalk writing. It was fun and fresh for our back-to-school party this year.

Chalkboard Cake

Victoria
A cake with chalkboard fondant and candy chalk for writing
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chill Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 people
Calories 339 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Rolling Pin
  • 6 Kitchen skewers
  • 1 Pastry brush
  • 6 Straws
  • 3 Leveled cake baking pans, to create the stacked cake look.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box Cake mix (any flavor), or your own recipe
  • 3 cups Powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
  • 24 oz Box of black fondant
  • 1 bag white chocolate candy melts
  • 1 cup 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1 stick Butter Room Temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions
 

  • Start by baking cake following instructions. We wanted a stacked cake and used 3 round cake sizes: 6×3, 4×2, and 3×2. Make sure to check for doneness on cakes in the oven if baking in different sized pans. Allow the cakes to cool.
  • Frost the base layer (6×3 cake) with buttercream (instructions below). Let chill in fridge for 10-15 minutes.
  • Next apply the fondant by covering the bottom layer first. Cut about half of the fondant block. Place the rest of the fondant in a ziplock bag until ready to use again. Sprinkle powdered sugar on a flat surface or board. Begin kneading the fondant to a workable consistency. Roll out the piece of fondant with a rolling pin, to about 1/4 inch thickness, lifting and turning as you go.
    Dust surface with more powdered sugar if necessary to prevent fondant from sticking.
    Carefully lift the fondant with both hands and place it above the cake, eyeballing where it’ll be evenly positioned on the cake. Cover the cake with the fondant. With your hands, lightly smooth outward on the top and down the sides of the cake, shaping the fondant to the cake. Trim excess fondant from the base of the cake.
    Take any leftover fondant scraps and re-roll, or cut about a palm-sized piece of fondant from the ziplock bag. Repeat the instructions for rolling and covering the second layer of cake. Place second layer on top of the first, dabbing the center of the first cake with frosting so the second layer will stay in place.
    Repeat steps for the third piece of fondant. Cover the top layer of cake with fondant and place on stacked cake.

Buttercream Frosting

  • Cream the butter on medium speed; 2 to 3 minutes (until light and fluffy). Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  • Add the cream and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until incorporated; 2 to 3 minutes. Add more cream if necessary, mixing on low speed, until the frosting reaches the desired light and fluffy consistency; about 3 to 5 minutes.

Candy Chalk

  • Melt about 6-8 ounces of candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl, following instructions on package. Allow to cool a few minutes before scooping into a ziplock bag and sealing.
  • Place 3-4 straws in a tall glass filled halfway with regular sugar (to keep straws upright). Snip off one corner of the ziplock bag containing melted chocolate and slowly squeeze and fill straws with the chocolate.
    Place glass in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to allow chocolate to harden.
  • Remove from freezer. Take a skewer and insert into one end of the straw. Gently push the chocolate out. You now have “chalk” that is not only edible but can be used to write on your chalkboard cake. It

Notes

Store any leftover fondant in a ziplock bag for later use.
Keyword back to school, cakes

Back to school cake.

How to make a chalkboard back-to-school cake

Before creating the chalkboard look with the fondant, you’ll want to frost the cake with the initial layer of buttercream frosting.

Note that smoothing out the fondant might take a little time. Wet fingers will help the process. If the buttercream frosting layer is solid, it should go more easily as well, so don’t skip the fridge chilling step!

chalkboard cake instructions for making fondant you can write on with chalk.

I love the impact of creating this stacked cake look for our back-to-school party. If you need less cake, this idea works just as well on a sheet cake or a smaller cake plan. The more surface area you have to write, the more fun the cake will be to create!

You can even get the kids involved in writing their own beginning-of-the-year hopes on your own cake.

candy cha;k instructions for cake

How To Write With Candy Chalk

Be creative and draw or write sayings on your chalkboard cake with the homemade chalk.

The smaller chalk is easier to write with, so breaking it up after the candy chalk sets will help.

To create the effect of a chalkboard used over the years, take a pastry brush and dip it lightly into powdered sugar.

Gently brush on the surface of the fondant and sweep back and forth until you achieve the desired chalk-erased effect.

Candy Chalk Recipe

We host a back-to-school party every year, and this chalkboard cake is a fun way to incorporate a little whimsy and excitement for the new year of teaching ahead.

Photography by Athena Plichta.