The La Croix craze is real — and for good reason. When we finally tried incorporating that bright, bubbly look into a cake, the result was so fun and festive we couldn’t wait to share it. This La Croix–inspired cake is perfect for birthdays, bachelorette parties, or anytime you want a playful, colorful centerpiece.
If you think it looks complicated, don’t worry: it’s approachable. We created a clear step-by-step video tutorial because many readers asked for one — and it really helps show how simple the process is. With a little patience and a few basic tools, you can recreate this look at home.
DIY La Croix Cake
1 Cake
Ingredients
- Your favorite cake recipe, baked as follows:
- Four 6-inch round cake layers (about 1.5–2 inches tall)
- One 5-inch round cake layer (about 1.5–2 inches tall)
- Batch of your favorite buttercream
- Black and white candy melts (to create gray for the can lid)
Instructions
- Stack the cake layers with about 1/2 cup of buttercream between each layer. Begin with the four 6-inch rounds and finish with the 5-inch round on top.
- Crumb-coat the assembled cake with a thin layer of buttercream and chill for 30 minutes.
- Frost the entire cake in a light pink buttercream to form the base color.
- Drop small blobs of dark blue, teal, and deep pink buttercream randomly across the cake using a small spoon or offset spatula. Concentrate blue and teal toward the bottom and deep pink toward the top.
- Use a flat-edged frosting smoother or bench scraper to run along the sides and blend the colors gently. Chill for at least an hour until the buttercream is cold and set.
- For the can top, melt about 1 1/2 cups of candy melts (mostly white with a bit of black to achieve gray). Pour into a small round container to a thickness of roughly 1/2 inch. An aluminum pie plate or small Tupperware works well. Aim for a diameter around 5–5.5 inches.
- Reserve some of the gray candy melt mixture in a small squeeze bottle and pipe a chunky “8” shape onto parchment paper to form the pop-top piece. Chill both pieces until set.
- Print or trace the La Croix logo onto thick cardstock and carefully cut out the letters with an X-Acto knife. Press the cardstock letters into the chilled buttercream to create an indent for the logo.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a very small round writing tip with dark navy blue buttercream. Carefully pipe into the letter indents, using a toothpick to guide buttercream into tight corners.
- Place the hardened candy-melt can lid on top of the cake and finish by attaching the pop-top. Chill briefly to set everything in place.
Photos & video by Rachel Kivlahan | Recipe by Theresa Rountree
So, the important question: when will you make this? And which La Croix flavor is your favorite?