Cute Panda Cake Recipe: Panda Macaron Cake with Matcha and Chocolate

[Updated 2026] This panda macaron cake is not a quick bake. It combines Italian-method panda macarons, matcha sponge, chocolate sponge and coconut Swiss meringue buttercream, so I would make the macarons on day one and the cake on day two.

The flavours are worth the faff: bittersweet matcha cake, chocolate and coconut, with the panda macarons adding the theatre. If you want more on how matcha behaves in cake, read our matcha cake guide. If you would rather leave the engineering to us, browse our bespoke cakes or our ready-designed Kung Fu Panda Cake.

Panda Macaron Cake at a glance

• Flavours: matcha, chocolate and coconut
• Skill level: advanced home baker
• Timing: two days recommended
• Decoration: handmade panda macarons

Animal cakes are especially good fun for birthdays. For more ready-designed ideas, browse our macaron cakes and cake collection.

Panda Macarons

Ingredients

• 150g ground almonds
• 150g icing sugar
• 150g caster sugar
• 110g egg whites, divided into two 55g portions
• 35g water
• Black gel food colour
• White gel food colour, if needed

Method

1. Pulse the ground almonds and icing sugar together briefly in a food processor, then sift into a mixing bowl.
2. Mix 55g egg white into the almond and icing-sugar mixture to make an even paste. Cover while you make the meringue.
3. Put the remaining 55g egg white into the bowl of a stand mixer. Put the caster sugar and 35g water into a small saucepan. Start whisking the egg white as the syrup approaches 115°C. When the syrup reaches 118°C, remove it from the heat and pour it slowly down the inside of the mixer bowl while whisking. Increase the mixer speed and whisk until the meringue is glossy, stiff and only slightly warm.
4. Fold about one-third of the meringue into the almond paste to loosen it. Fold in the remainder until the batter is glossy and falls from the spatula in thick ribbons. Stop before it becomes runny.
5. Colour a small portion of batter black. Pipe ears, eyes and noses with the black batter, then pipe the white panda faces and matching backs. A template under the parchment helps keep the shells even.
6. Leave the piped shells until the surface feels dry to a light touch. Thirty minutes is a useful starting point, but humidity changes the drying time.
7. Bake at about 140°C for roughly 14 minutes. Ovens vary, so use a small test tray if you have not baked macarons in that oven before. The shells should release cleanly once cool.
8. Fill the cooled shells with coconut buttercream or another firm filling. If making them ahead, refrigerate the filled macarons in a covered container overnight so they can mature, then let them lose their fridge chill before serving or decorating the cake.

Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients

• 240g egg whites
• 360g caster sugar
• 500g unsalted butter, softened but not greasy
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 200g creamed coconut, softened and cooled if you needed to warm it
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Put the egg whites and sugar into a very clean heatproof mixer bowl over gently simmering water. The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.
2. Whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 71°C on a digital thermometer. Do not judge doneness by touch alone.
3. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and whisk on high until the meringue is glossy, forms stiff peaks and the bowl has cooled substantially.
4. Add the vanilla, salt and softened butter gradually. If it looks curdled, keep whipping until the buttercream becomes smooth and silky.
5. Add the softened creamed coconut and coconut extract and whisk only until evenly combined. If the creamed coconut was warmed to soften it, let it cool first so it does not melt the buttercream.

Matcha Sponge

Ingredients

• 250g caster sugar
• 80ml neutral oil
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 80g yoghurt
• 230g plain flour, sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon matcha powder
• Pinch of salt
• 200ml milk

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170°C. Grease and line two 6-inch round cake tins.
2. Whisk the eggs, oil and sugar until evenly combined, then stir in the yoghurt.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, matcha, salt, milk and vanilla. Mix only until no pockets of dry flour remain.
4. Divide between the tins and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Check the centre with a skewer; it should come out without wet batter.
5. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks and cool completely before trimming and layering.

Chocolate Sponge

Ingredients

• 230g self-raising flour, sifted
• 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 teaspoons instant coffee
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 200g caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 200ml neutral oil
• 200ml milk
• 3 tablespoons golden syrup

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170°C. Grease and line three 6-inch round cake tins.
2. Mix the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and sugar.
3. Dissolve the coffee in the milk, then add it with the oil, eggs and golden syrup. Mix only until the batter is even.
4. Divide between the tins and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, checking the centre with a skewer rather than relying on time alone.
5. Cool in the tins for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto racks and cool completely.

Assembling the Panda Macaron Cake

You will also need 100g desiccated coconut and about 2 teaspoons matcha powder for finishing.

1. Secure the first chocolate sponge to a cake board with a small dab of buttercream. Add a layer of coconut buttercream, then continue stacking alternate chocolate and matcha sponge layers with buttercream between them.
2. Apply a thin crumb coat and chill until firm. Add a second coat of buttercream and smooth it with a scraper or palette knife.
3. Press desiccated coconut gently around the sides and scatter a little over the top.
4. Mix matcha into a small portion of buttercream and pipe swirls on top. Sit the panda macarons on the swirls just before presentation.

This is an involved project, but it becomes manageable when the work is split over two days. If you want the flavour without the project, our matcha cakes are the natural next stop. For chocolate-led designs, browse our chocolate cakes.