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Pickle cake shaped like a jar of pickles with green ombre frosting and cake pop pickles on top
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Tangy-Sweet Pickle Cake Recipe

A vanilla cake dressed up to look exactly like a jar of dill pickles, with tangy cream cheese frosting and hand-shaped cake pop pickles that fool everyone until the first bite.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time3 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 430kcal

Ingredients

For the Cake Layers:

  • 21/2 cup cake flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 13/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp dill pickle brine
  • Green gel food coloring, a few drops

For the Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 41/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp dill pickle brine, strained
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • Green gel food coloring, divided into 3 shades

For the Cake Pop Pickles:

  • 1 cup reserved cake crumbs
  • 2 –3 tbsp frosting (from above)
  • 12 oz green candy melts
  • Fresh dill sprigs, for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
  • Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together for a full 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of pickle brine.
  • Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter in three additions, starting and ending with flour, mixing just until combined.
  • Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 24–28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  • Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • Level the cooled cake layers with a serrated knife, reserving 1 cup of the trimmed crumbs for the cake pop pickles.
  • Beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar in two batches on low speed, then mix in the vanilla, salt, and strained pickle brine.
  • Divide the frosting into three bowls and tint each a different shade of green, from deep to pale.
  • Frost the cake in an ombre effect, with the darkest shade at the base blending up to the palest shade at the top.
  • Mix the reserved cake crumbs with 2–3 tablespoons of frosting until it holds together like dough. Shape into small pickle-spear ovals and chill for 15 minutes.
  • Melt the candy coating and dip each cake pop pickle, texturing the surface with a toothpick while the coating is still wet.
  • Once the coating has set, arrange the cake pop pickles on top of and around the base of the cake, tucking in fresh dill sprigs for the finished look.

Notes

  • Strain the pickle brine before adding it to the frosting to remove any dill flecks or spice bits.
  • Stick to exactly 2 tablespoons of brine in the frosting — more than that shifts the flavor from "tangy" to "actual pickle."
  • Chill the cake pop pickle shapes for at least 15 minutes before dipping so they hold their shape.
  • If candy melts seize, stir in a teaspoon of coconut oil rather than water.
  • The unfrosted cake layers freeze well, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.
  • The finished cake keeps in the fridge, loosely covered, for up to 4 days.
  • Build the ombre frosting in two thin layers per shade rather than one thick coat for smoother blending.
  • For a milder version, swap the dill brine for bread-and-butter pickle brine and reduce it to 1 tablespoon.