New Years Eve Macaron Cake
Wrapping up the the holidays with this delicious Macaron Cake made last weekend to celebrate New Years eve! This macaron cake is a showstopper, complete with silver and gold decorative finishes and a roman numeral royal icing clock design! Standing 4 shells high with layers off hazelnut frosting and luxe chocolate hazelnut ganache throughout, it is a rich and decadent treat to bid farewell to a long year, setting our affirmations for all the possibilities that 2024 will bring! If one of your goals is to make macaron cakes this new year, be sure to read below for the step by step details! Cheers!
New Years Eve Macaron Cake
Four chewy 5″ macaron shells, layered with hazelnut frosting, and chocolate hazelnut (Nutella flavored) ganache. Stacked to form an elegant 5″ macaron cake decorated with dragées and silver leaf. Dairy free & gluten-free.
It has been some time since I last made a macaron cake, but they are still relevant and a delicious alternative to any celebratory cake, resembling that of a naked cake with shells exposed. The oversized macaron shells act as the cake/sponge with piped frosting and filling between each layer and they look beautiful once stacked and decorated. This version is quite fitting for the new year with chocolate hazelnut (Nutella) filling and silver & gold details but could really suit any special occasion from bridal showers to birthday parties! This cake is also gluten free and dairy free making it allergy friendly.
Taste and flavors
From creamy hazelnut frosting to the rich chocolatey hazelnut center, the macaron cake is full of delicious nut and chocolate flavor. Similar to Nutella in taste, yet enhanced with the chewy almond shells and a bit of crunch from the toasted hazelnuts for texture in every heavenly bite!
If you’re looking to make a special cake for an upcoming occasion, I highly recommend giving this macaron cake a try!
New Years Eve Macaron Cake Supplies/Ingredients:
Below is a list of supplies and ingredients you’ll need:
Macaron Shells
- Egg whites divided, cream of tartar, quality fine ground almond flour, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, powder, water, silicone mat or parchment, a piping bag fitted with round tip, baking sheets.
Hazelnut Frosting (dairy free)
- Organic Shortening,(or plant based butter) powdered sugar, alternative milk, vanilla, hazelnut extract, pinch of salt, piping bag fitted with star tip.
Hazelnut Ganache (nutella flavored)
- Dark chocolate, coconut milk, toasted and chopped hazelnuts, hazelnut extract
Royal Icing
- Meringue powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, warm water, black food coloring, tipless piping bag.
Decorations
- Edible glitter and gold leaf (optional) Round sprinkles such as silver or gold dragees.
How to make a New Years eve macaron cake
Macaron cakes can be time consuming to make from start to finish, but are no more complicated than making a batch of macarons. Use the same macaron recipe while only increasing the size of the piped macarons. This can be done by piping the batter for a longer duration to achieve the 5″ round shells. You can also achieve the larger shell size by either tracing a 5″ circle and placing the template under the silpat mat, or using the counting method which I prefer, when piping each 5″ macarons.
Piping the Batter
The count method is my preferred way to pipe macaron batter for large shells. While piping, keep even pressure on the piping bag up to approximately 25 seconds of piping per shell, so all the shells bake the same size.
Note: It takes longer for the large macarons to form a skin, so the resting time for large macarons increases. Be sure to watch the center of the macaron shells while resting- you might notice the outside edges are dry to touch, but the center must also be dry before transferring to the oven.
Tip: Use leftover batter to pipe smaller macaron shells, in 2″ size for topping the macaron cake.
Let macarons cool fully before removing from the silicone mat. You can pop the macarons in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up the cooling process.
Frosting & Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache
Mix the ingredients together to make the hazelnut frosting and transfer to a piping fitted with tip 4B.
Once frosting is ready, pour the chocolate in a heat proof dish and heat coconut milk in a saucepan to make the ganache. Pour coconut milk into the chopped chocolate, stirring consistently until melted. Add the chopped hazelnuts and extract at the end, then cover transfer to the fridge to set. While ganache is setting and macaron shells are cooling, make the royal icing for the Roman numeral clock design.
Royal Icing
Royal icing is easy to make with meringue powder, powdered sugar, extract or flavoring of choice, food coloring and warm water. Whisk the meringue powder and water together in a stand mixer until it’s light and foamy, then mix in the powdered sugar and extract. Once fully combined, the icing becomes thick like toothpaste. With a few drops of water at a time for thinning slightly, this icing consistency is perfect for adding decorations to finished desserts.
Roman numeral clock design
Once the macaron shells have fully cooled, decorate the shell designated as the top of the cake with the royal icing clock design. For this clock design, you’ll only pipe the XII, III, VI & IX (12, 3, 6 & 9).
Start at the top of the shell and pipe the XII, followed by the III, VI and then IV. Then pipe the two lines evenly between each piped number. Followed by the clock hands, pointing close to midnight. Set aside to dry.
Assembling the macaron cake
Working with macarons fresh out of the oven can result in a broken cake. If possible, make the shells the a few hours before assembling the cake so they have time to set. The frosting and chocolate hazelnut filling filling can also be made in advance.
- To assemble, place a dollop of the frosting on the cake stand, then place the bottom shell on top of the frosting to hold it in place.
- Pipe the frosting along the entire outside edge of the first macaron shell.
- Fill the center with chocolate hazelnut ganache.
- Top with second macaron shell, then repeat with the frosting and ganache.
- Top with third shell, then repeat with the frosting and ganache.
- Place the 4th shell on top, that has been decorated with the Roman numeral clock design.
- Decorate the layers of frosting with sprinkles or dragees and gold/silver leaf.
- Finish the macaron cake with edible glitter.
- Cover and transfer macaron cake to fridge to mature for at least 4 hours or up to 24.
- Upon serving, let rest for 15 minutes to come to room temp. Cut into 4-6 slices.
- Serve and enjoy!
New Years Eve Macaron Cake
- Prep Time: 40
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 5" macaron cake 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Macaron Cake
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
Four chewy 5″ macaron shells, layered with hazelnut frosting, and chocolate hazelnut ganache. Stacked to form an elegant 5″ macaron cake decorated with dragées and silver leaf. Dairy free & gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 106 grams of almond meal
- 106 grams powdered sugar
- 41 and 45 grams of egg whites divided
- 115 grams of granulated sugar
- 79 grams of water
- dash of cream of tartar or lemon juice for stabilizing
- 1 piping bag fitted with piping tip of choice for frosting. Wilton 4B.
- 1 piping bag fitted with a round tip (Wilton 12) for macaron batter.
- Silver dragees, edible gold/silver, glitter
- 1 cups organic shortening or plant based butter (you can also use dairy butter)
- 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp hazelnut extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 Tbsp alternative milk
- 1 cup quality dark chocolate chopped
- 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts (chopped)
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1/4 tsp hazelnut extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp meringue powder
- 2 tbsp cup warm water
- splash of vanilla or extract of choice
- Black gel food coloring
Instructions
5″ Macaron Shells
- Wipe down the mixing bowl and whisk attachment with vinegar to remove any built up residue. This will ensure that the egg whites whisk up properly.
- Prep and measure all of the ingredients using a kitchen scale.
- Prep a piping bag with a round tip. Wilton tip 12.
- Line 2 baking sheets with silpat (or parchment).
- Combine measured almond meal & powdered sugar together in a bowl. Sift one time to remove any lumps, discarding of them, then mix together to break up clumps.
- Make a well in the center of the dry mix and pour the 41 grams of measured egg whites into the center of the dry mixture. Fold together until blended. The finished mix will be thick and paste-like. Set aside.
- For the sugar syrup:
- To make the sugar syrup, heat granulated sugar and water in a pot on medium heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side. **Make sure the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pot so the temp measures properly**.
- Once the thermometer’s temperature reaches approximately 200 degrees F, place the 45 grams of measured egg whites in the stand mixer and whisk on medium speed, to soft peaks.
- Add a drop of lemon juice or dash of cream of tartar to stabilize, then continue whisking.
- If the egg whites are at soft peaks before the syrup reaches 248 F, turn the mixer down to low speed to keep the egg whites moving.
- Watch the sugar syrup closely.
- As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees F, remove from heat.
- Quickly increase mixer speed to medium and begin slowly pouring the sugar syrup down the side of your mixing bowl into the meringue until thoroughly combined.
- THEN increase the mixing speed to high and whisk sugar and meringue together until glossy and medium peaks form and the meringue has cooled down. (The meringue should slightly keep its form.)
- Gently transfer finished meringue into the almond/powdered sugar mixture in thirds, making sure that it’s fully incorporated before adding the additional 3rd of meringue.
- Continue to fold the batter in a circular motion, going around the edges of the bowl, then once through the center. Repeat these steps until smooth and thick ribbons of batter run off the spatula.
- **Be careful not to over-mix**
- You want the batter to be slightly thick, but not so thin that it does not hold the ribbon shape. Err on the side of caution.
- Transfer batter to the prepped piping bag.
- Pipe four 5 inch rounds about 6 inches apart on the silpat lined baking sheet (s). You can pipe one macaron in each corner of the baking sheet, using the silpat mat as a guide.
- Be sure to hold the piping bag about 1/2 inch directly above the baking sheet when piping the rounds. For this size of macaron, you can either use a 5 inch circle template to pipe the rounds of batter, or the count method. Counting to about 25 seconds for each 5″ round.
- Reserve the second baking sheet for smaller macarons to use the leftover batter.
- *Gently tap the bottom of the sheet the macarons are piped on to release air bubbles.
- *Pop any air bubbles that come to the surface, using a scribe or even a toothpick.
- Before placing the macs in the oven, let them rest until a proper skin has formed on the full outside of the shell. This takes around 20-30 minutes. For the large shells I recommend 25-30 minutes total, depending on humidity. Test by touching the center of the piped macs with a clean finger. They should be dry to touch with no batter coming off on fingers.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. ( lowering the temp by 5degrees to prevent browning because the shells are white.)
- Once dry to touch, place the macarons in the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 14-15 minutes.
- Feet will form halfway through the baking process.
- You can open the oven after the first 14 minutes to test the shells. Wiggle gently from side to side to see if they need more time. A fully baked macaron should be sturdy when tested.
- Once fully baked, remove from oven and allow 20 minutes to cool before attempting to remove the shells from the silpat.
- Once macarons are completely cool, gently remove from parchment paper/silpat.
- Repeat same steps to bake the remaining macaron batter. You can fill up the second baking sheet with smaller macaron shells or make extra 5″ shells for a second cake.
- Once completely cooled, set aside until ready to assemble.
Hazelnut Frosting:
- Mix shortening/butter, powdered sugar together for roughly 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Mix in milk, vanilla and hazelnut in a stand mixer until incorporated.
- Transfer filling to piping bag fitted with wilton 4B and set aside.
Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache:
- Pour chocolate into a heat proof dish.
- Heat coconut milk in saucepan until simmering.
- Slowly pour simmering coconut milk into the dark chocolate, stirring continuously until smooth and completely melted.
- Stir in hazelnuts.
- Transfer to the fridge to cool for about 15 minutes.
- Once cool, transfer to piping bag to pipe macarons
Royal Icing:
- Place Meringue powder and half of the water in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- Add water and whisk on high for about 2-3 minutes until light an foamy.
- Switch to a paddle attachment and mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla (or extract of choice) on medium for 2 minutes until well combined.
- The icing will be very thick. Add warm water a few splashes at a time until the frosting has thinned slightly, but is still able to hold its shape.
- Add gel food coloring to icing until desired color is achieved.
- Transfer the colored icing into 1 tipless piping bag and tie or seal closed.
Roman numeral clock design:
- Once the macaron shells have fully cooled, decorate the shell designated as the top with the royal icing clock design.
- For this clock design, you’re only piping the 4 Roman numerals: XII, III, VI & IX (12, 3, 6 & 9).
- Start at the top of the shell and pipe the XII, followed by the III, VI and then IV.
- Then pipe the two notches or lines evenly between each piped number.
- Finish by piping the clock hands, pointing close to midnight. Set aside to dry for about 20 minutes.
MACARON CAKE ASSEMBLY:
- To assemble, place a dollop of the frosting on the cake stand, then place the bottom 5″ shell on top of the frosting to hold it in place.
- Next, pipe the frosting along the entire outside edge of the first macaron shell.
- Fill the center with chocolate hazelnut ganache.
- Top with second macaron shell, then repeat with the frosting and ganache.
- Top with third shell, then repeat with the frosting and ganache.
- Place the 4th shell (the one that has been decorated with the Roman numeral clock design,) on top of the frosting and ganache.
- Decorate the layers of frosting with sprinkles or dragees and gold/silver leaf.
- Finish the macaron cake with edible glitter.
- Cover and transfer macaron cake to fridge to mature for at least 2 hours or up to 24.
- Upon serving, let rest for 15 minutes to come to room temp. Cut into 4-6 slices.
- Serve and enjoy!
This elegant macaron cake serves 4-6 and is such a delicious and lovely holiday dessert for a quaint new year’s gathering. The macaron cake could also be used for birthdays, bridal showers, or any other special occasion upcoming.
With layers of Nutella flavored ganache and hazelnut frosting, it is sure to be enjoyed by everyone who tries it!
Cheers!
Happy 2024 from my family to yours! I am so grateful for all of you and your support and love in 2023. I’m wishing you all a beautiful and rewarding year ahead and cannot wait to share the new work and recipes in progress.
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