31 of the Most Amazing Pirate Cake Ideas

Are you looking for ideas to make the best pirate cake out there to celebrate your little one’s birthday? Check out our list and get inspired!

A Few Words About Pirate Cake

There’s nothing like a pirate cake to liven up your little one’s birthday celebration! Whether they’re fans of Jake and the Neverland Pirates or the Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise, you’ll be impressed with what we have to offer on this list.

Our collection of pirate cake inspirations has myriad choices, from good ol’ pirate cakes, pirate cupcakes, pirate cake toppers, or even pirate cupcake toppers. We have them all. 
There are also different choices of difficulties that you can draw inspiration from. There are super simple cupcakes you can whip up in a matter of minutes to incredible three-dimensional pirate ship cakes made with fondant and gum paste that will take hours to create.

See the best selection of Pirate Cakes

Wondering how you can make an awesome ship-shaped pirate cake? We’ve got the details for you right here. Try one, and let us know how it goes!

1

Magic Pirate Ship Cake

If you’re looking for amazing pirate ship cake ideas, here’s one of the most amazing pirate ship cakes you can ever imagine. This tutorial will show you how you can create a surprise magic ship without putting too much effort into it.

You’ll feel like a magician when you present this cake. At first glance, you’ll only see a treasure map and a treasure chest, but when you use the app she gave you, it will show a whole pirate ship on screen!

The cake is made out of basic sponge cake and then decorated with some fondant. Remember that you have three different elements to create – the basic blue cake to emulate the ocean, the treasure chest, and the treasure map. It’s one of the most novel pirate cake ideas that’s different from others.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

2

Pirate Ship Cake

This is another impressive-looking pirate ship birthday cake that will leave everyone at your party speechless. The cake will need a lot of man-hours and ingredients, but it will be worth all the effort, especially if you’re out to celebrate with a bang.

This is a massive cake. You’re going to need around 2 kg of fondant to cover enough of the cake. You also need a cake baseboard, as you’ll be creating some blue waves the ship stands on using fondant.

The maker also suggested using pound cake as your base cake because it’s much more durable and can stay fresh at room temperature for weeks. It’s one of the best pirate-themed cake recipes you’ll ever make.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

3

How to Make Pirate Ship Cake Tutorial

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If you want something that impresses your little ones, here’s one of the most superb pirate theme cakes you can make. This pirate birthday cake features a wooden base, red and white sails, black skeleton flags, a ship wheel, wooden railings, and a choppy blue ocean underneath.

It might seem very intimidating, but once you get into the tutorial, you’ll find out that it’s more manageable than you first thought. Create the body of the cake using some sponge cakes, then cover it in fondant carved with some toothpicks to create the wood effect.

The wooden railings and the ship wheel were made using gum paste, and the flags and sails were made using paper. If you have time, why not add some mermaid tails on the ocean to create a mermaid and pirate cake?

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

4

Captain Hook Pirate Ship Birthday Cake

If you’re into using only one method or ingredient to create decorative elements, you might want to try this tutorial. This is one of the best pirate-themed birthday cakes you can make because it also features some familiar faces.

Start by baking a large base cake – you want to have enough to create a multi-layered cake that has at least three steps. Then you’ll cover it in chocolate ganache and let it harden inside the fridge.

Afterward, create all your decorative elements using fondant – wooden planks, railings, and canons. The maker also completed the cake with some paper sail, Captain Hook, and a crocodile. Here’s an idea: instead of Captain Hook, why not use a bride and groom figurine and create a pirate wedding cake? 

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

5

Pirate of the Caribbean Cakes: Skull Cake

Are you a big fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise? Then here’s one of the simplest but coolest Pirates of the Caribbean cakes you can make. It’s a Skull cake that is modeled from the poster they have of the movie.

The maker used a skull-shaped baking dish which you can get online. This is important as you’ll save a lot of time carving and shaping. Then you’ll cover the entire cake with black fondant.

Then you create some fondant detailing using brown-colored fondant. Try making the pattern first before you cut out the fondant. Then you’ll dust the brown fondant with some gold powder to create a shiny finish to the cake.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

6

How to Make a Pirate Ship Cake From Scratch

Here’s another tutorial on how you can carve a pirate ship if you want to create a DIY pirate cake at home. This cake is made from scratch, so be sure to follow the instructions closely. The cake features a wooden body, black and white sails, skull flags, canons, and ship windows.

It’s a simple introduction to cake sculpting, and you don’t need to be a professional cake decorator to do this one. For the tools, all you need is a knife, ball tools, cutters, and an exacto knife to cut in precisely.

The cake is made of the most decadent chocolate fudge cake, so it will look impressive, and you’ll be enjoying a wonderfully rich cake. Truly one of the best pirate birthday cake ideas.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

7

Fun Pirate Birthday Cake

If you want to make a boy pirate cake, you don’t want to miss this tutorial. Unlike our previous cakes, this cake is one of the most creative ideas for pirate cakes for boys.

Compared to the others, it’s a pretty simple pirate birthday cake featuring a little boy dressed as a pirate. You’ll be creating their face, complete with a red polka dot bandana, an earring, and his patch covering one of his eyes.

You’ll be creating the three-dimensional elements of his face using fondant, and you can even buy the readily colored ones at the store. You’ll then finish the design with pink dust and an edible pen. It’s surprising how a simple pirate theme cake can still look impressive.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

8

Treasure Pirate Cake

Are you looking for an easy pirate ship cake to make? Then you’d want to give this one a try. If a three-dimensional cake is a bit overwhelming for you, you might prefer this two-dimensional pirate ship cake instead.

This cake is a two-tier cake featuring wonderful pirate cake toppers. The first tier will feature a two-dimensional ship on a blue background. The next level features a skull cut-out made out of black fondant.

And the toppers are a treasure chest and some gold coins scattered onto sandy biscuit crumbs. What is even more wonderful, this tutorial also gives you a template for skull and sword, so all you need to do is trace them. It’s a simple cake that still looks wonderful as a centerpiece.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

9

Pirate Cake with Fondant Details

If you’re looking for easier pirate cake ideas, you can also try creating this cake. Similar to the last tutorial, this cake features mostly two-dimensional elements that might be less intimidating for beginner bakers.

The cake is a simple round cake that has two tiers and pirate-themed cake toppers. The bottom tier features red and white stripes which are synonymous with the pirate flag. It also features an eye patch with a skull painted on it.

The second tier features a treasure map, where X marks the spot. Lastly, the top of the cake features the birthday number. You’ll also see some gold chocolate all over the cake and a toy sword leaning onto the cake as extra decoration. It’s one of the simplest boy pirate birthday cake ideas on our list and worth a try.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

10

First Birthday Pirate Ship Cake

Are you a beginner baker who wants to try making your own three-dimensional pirate ship cake? Then you should definitely make this one instead of the others.

Although it’s a three-dimensional cake, the elements on this cake are much more simplified than others, so you’ll be comfortable with making it even if you’re a novice decorator. This pirate cake design only features windows, railings, and flags, so you’ll have fewer elements to worry about.

What makes this cake better, the recipe is for dark chocolate mud cake, so not only will it look great, it will taste incredible as well. If you feel the cake is a bit too simple, try adding some mermaid tails and make a pirate and mermaid cake!

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

11

Simple Pirate Cake Idea

Here’s another cute idea to create your own pirate ship cake. The cake is only a single-tier cake, but it also has an amazing ship topper made out of fondant and Rice Krispies. The round cake has several pirate elements on its sides.

The first one has scattered galleons, then a treasure chest, a skull flag, a treasure map, and the legs of a giant octopus coming up from the bottom of the base. On top of the cake, you’ll create blue ocean waves from fondant.

You’ll also be creating an anchor and its yellow rope that wraps around the cake. It’s truly one of the best ideas with the funniest elements.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

12

Easy Treasure Chest Pirate Cake

You might be looking for a simple pirate sheet cake idea because you don’t want to waste too much time creating the cake. You’re also probably intimidated because you’re a novice baker without any cake-decorating experience.

If you are, this cake is an amazing alternative for all beginner bakers. You won’t have to create any decorative elements because you’ll be using candies bought from the store.

The cake is simply a sheet cake with Kit Kats placed on its sides, then topped with some gold chocolate coins to emulate the galleons used by pirates.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

13

DIY Pirate Ship Cake

Do you want to create an amazing pirate ship cake, but you’re not a fan of fondant? Then why not try this one for a change?

This is a truly creative idea on how you can create a pirate-themed cake without using too much fondant for decorative elements. Fondant can be a bit too overwhelmingly sweet for some, so for those who want to skip it, this is the perfect recipe for you.

The principal idea is the same, create the base cake using a chocolate sponge cake, then carve it to look like a pirate ship and cover it with chocolate ganache. Then, you’ll be using some candies and pretzels to create decorative elements. No fondant is needed!

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

14

Easy Pirate Ship Cake Recipe

This is another easy pirate ship cake tutorial you can create with less effort and less time.

The maker of the tutorial will show you how you can create it from scratch, even going as far as showing you how to bake the chocolate base cake so that it’s the perfect consistency for carving and shaping.

Remember to let the cake cool down first before you attempt carving it because hot sponge cakes will fall apart when you cut into it.

Another amazing fact is you won’t have to carve this cake. You’ll just be covering it with some chocolate ganache, then decorate it with candies and the sail.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

See the best selection of Pirate Cupcakes

If you want to save some time and go for cute little pirate cupcakes, look no further and read up on some inspiration on our list! There are different flavors you can use, too. Take your pick and find one that suits you.

1

Easy Chocolate Pirate Cupcakes

Are you too tired to create a big-sized cake and prefer to create some cupcakes as party favors instead? Well, we understand it completely. That’s why we have this amazing pirate cupcakes recipe for winning you over.

What’s even more amazing is that this cupcake features simple cupcake toppers. The cupcake toppers are creamy chocolate icing and easy fondant pirates.

The base cupcakes are made using a fudge cupcakes recipe, so you’ll be greeted with a chewy and moist chocolate flavor when you bite into it.

The decorative toppers are made of red, white, and black fondants, making for a super simple but effective pirate face.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

2

Mermaid and Pirate Cupcakes

Do you want to please both the boys and girls at the party? Here’s a simple but on-theme cupcakes recipe that features two different toppings – which is why this recipe is called the Mermaids and Pirates cupcakes recipe.

The base cupcakes are the same – a simple vanilla sponge cake topped with blue icing and decorated with white edible pearls. The toppers are different – several have a shell to create mermaid cupcake toppers, and several have black skull flags to create pirate cupcake toppers.

They’re very simple to make since you’ll be using candy melts and paper flags.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

3

Captain Jack Sparrow Pirate Cupcakes

If you’re a big fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and want to make something easy to celebrate a movie marathon, you might be interested in making these cupcakes. Instead of an elaborate multi-tiered pirate ship cake, why not create these cupcakes?

What makes this even more special is that the cupcakes will be drizzled with some special sauce, a caramel-rum sauce, something that Jack Sparrow will likely approve with his whole heart.

The base cupcakes are made of moist chocolate sponge cakes, then topped with caramel-rum frosting and drizzled with the special sauce. Pop a paper pirate flag with a toothpick in the middle of the cupcakes, and you’re ready to present them to your guests.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

4

Ocean Pirate Cupcakes

Want to make a super simple cupcake with little effort that still looks on the theme? Then we’ve got just the perfect recipe for you. The tutorial is so simple and short that you’ll love it.

Not only will you be using less time to create this, but you also won’t even need to make your own toppers. The maker of the recipe decided to use plain vanilla sponge cupcakes as its base.

It is then topped with some blue vanilla buttercream made simply by mixing blue coloring with buttercream. Then you’ll top it off with some gold chocolate coins and a dusting of gold glitter all over the cupcakes. If you want to go extra, add in the pirate flags using toothpicks.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

5

Jack and the Neverland Pirates Cupcakes

This is another simple and easy tutorial on how you can create your own pirate-themed cupcakes. The only difference is this recipe might be more appropriate for your little ones’ birthday party because it features a popular kid character – Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

The base cupcake is just made out of vanilla cupcakes that are colored blue using food coloring. It is then topped with some blue buttercream frosting.

After your cupcakes are topped with buttercream, you’ll dip the buttercream onto cookie crumbs to create a sandy beach. Then top the cupcakes off with a printout of Jake.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

6

Simple Pirate Cupcakes

This cupcake recipe has the same concept as the other pirate cupcake recipes, but the maker decided to create her own custom toppers instead of using a simple printout. So if you are reluctant to buy more baking tools, this tutorial may not be for you.

The base cake is made of vanilla sponge cakes, which are then topped with blue buttercream. But she also decorated the cake with pirate elements made out of candy melts.

So you will have to buy silicone molds online – one is shaped like a skull, and another is shaped like a treasure chest. The result is very cute, and everything on the cupcake will be completely edible.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

7

Treasure Chest Pirate Cupcakes

If you’re looking for another impressive pirate cupcake recipe that requires a little bit more effort, you should try making this recipe. The cupcake is cute, featuring a blue buttercream base, goldfish crackers, green buttercream seaweed, and a treasure chest!

The maker decided to use a chocolate base cupcake, then cover it with blue buttercream icing. If you’re already dreading making the treasure chest, then you can rest easy – because the treasure chest is made from Swiss Rolls that are cut into half, then you’ll stick some M&M’s to create the colorful coins on the treasure chest.

Put the elements together, and you’ll have cute cupcakes to go with your pirate theme decorations.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

See the best selection of Pirate Cake Toppers

Is your cake looking a little plain and in need of some pirate cake toppers? Have your pick from some of the best cake-topper ideas here, and you’ll be a decorating expert in no time.

1

Jake and the Neverland Pirate Cake Toppers

Are your kids big fans of the show Jake and the Neverland Pirates? Then you’re going to love this cake topper tutorial. The maker will show you how to make Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates in this cake modeling tutorial.

She used flower and modeling paste, which is a gum paste used to create delicate flowers on wedding cakes. You can also use Mexican paste or fondant mixed with tylose powder.

The maker will remind you that although plain fondant can be easy to handle, it won’t hold up as well as gum paste. That’s why if you choose to use fondant, you should mix it with some tylose powder.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

2

Fondant Tutorial Pirate Cake Toppers

You might not be a fan of cute pirate cartoon characters and want to make something that’s a little bit more traditional as your cake topper. Then we suggest you try this cupcake topper.

Instead, it’s an old-school pirate complete with his hat, eye patch, hook for a hand, red coat, wooden leg, and of course, red beard. This might be a little bit more difficult to create, you’ll need a myriad of colored fondants to make this cake topper from scratch, but the result will be very worth it.

Plus, the tutorial is super helpful, and they’ll show you in detail and sequence how you can create each element carefully.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

3

Figurine Pirate Cake Toppers Tutorial

If the last cake topper features an old-school pirate captain, then this cake topper is almost the opposite of that. This cake topper features a cute little skipper with his pirate attire – pirate hat, red bandana, red and white shirt, and blue jacket.

This particular design will be more cartoony than the last one, with a more innocent face that the sea hasn’t ravaged. So this cake topper might be more suitable for kids’ birthday parties or movie marathon cakes.

Instead of fondant, you’ll create the pirate using modeling paste because it has a firmer and steadier texture.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

4

Ship Shaped Pirate Cake Toppers

This is an impressive pirate ship cake topper that is bigger than others. What’s fun about this cake topper is that it’s actually an accompanying video to one of the pirate cakes we have on our list.

So you can create this pirate ship topper together with the cake we already have on our list. Because it’s quite a big structure, you won’t be using only modeling paste or fondant for this cake.

Instead, you’ll use Rice Krispies as the base shape before you cover and decorate the cake using colored fondant. Follow the tutorial closely because even though it’s intimidating, the maker is very detailed in giving instructions, so even beginner bakers can be comfortable making this.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

5

Kit Kat Treasure Chest Pirate Cake Toppers

Want your kids to be more involved with your baking? Why not show them this video instead? The instructor in this video is a very young girl, which shows that this recipe will be very beginner-friendly.

She will show you how to create a pirate treasure chest using Kit Kats as a cake topper! She’ll also complete the design using several gold chocolate coins that emulate the gold galleons used by pirates.

All you need is some chocolate ganache or melted chocolate to put everything together. You’ll create the sides using Kit Kats, then put them together using melted chocolate. Hold the top of the chest using some toothpick, then inset several galleons into the chest.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

6

Simple Boy Pirate Cake Toppers

Do you want to create a three-dimensional cake topper but don’t want to put too much time and effort into it? Then this tutorial to create a simple boy pirate figurine will be perfect for you to try.

The boy pirate figurine is made out of fondant and inspired by a picture of a cake the maker saw on Pinterest. The figurine is simple – a pirate wearing an eyepatch, holding a sword, with a hook for a hand, and one leg substituted with wood.

The design is cartoony and simple, so you won’t have any issues making this topper, even if you don’t really have any artistic skills.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

See the best selection of Pirate Cupcake Toppers

There’s nothing like cute little pirate cupcake toppers to liven up your plain cupcakes. With different colors and flavors that will satisfy your cravings, find your inspiration right here!

1

4 Different Fondant Pirate Cupcake Toppers

Do you want to create cupcake toppers that have different options? Well, this tutorial will show you not one, not two, but four options of cupcake toppers!

The first topper is a simple black background with a white skull on top, the second one has a red background with a pirate’s hat on top, the third one has a red background with a treasure map on top, and the last one is the face of a pirate with an eye-patch and red bandana.

All of these cupcake toppers are made using fondant, and because they have similar color schemes, you won’t have to buy too many different colored fondants or food coloring.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

2

Lego Pirate Cupcake Toppers

Are you a big fan of both Lego and Pirates? Then this Lego pirate cupcakes tutorial will be a great alternative to satisfy both of your cravings. The Lego people are dressed up as pirates for Halloween, and you’ll have so much fun designing their outfits.

The maker of these cupcakes will give you several options on the Lego Pirates, so your kids and their friends can have their own cupcakes that will be different from others.

All the Lego pirate elements are made using fondant, so you will need to follow the tutorial closely. One trick is to also print out a Lego person as a stencil to carve your fondant.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

3

Simple Pirate Cupcake Toppers

We have a great alternative if you want your cupcakes to look simple but still on theme. This cupcake topper features the face of a pirate, complete with a red and white polka dot bandana and his own eye patch.

You start creating it by creating the base fondant using flesh-colored fondant. Then cut it into circles. After that, you’ll be creating the red bandana using red fondant, don’t forget to create small circles using white fondant as its polka dots.

Put everything together to create the basic shapes. You will then use black and white fondants to create more details for the face – his nose, eyes, and mouth.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe

4

How to Make Faces Pirate Cupcake Toppers

Here’s another simple cupcake topper tutorial that features the face of a pirate. You will start by using flesh-colored fondant to make his head. After that, you’ll use a red-colored fondant to create the basic shape of his bandana or hat.

Then you’ll decorate the red bandana using a small white fondant to create a polka dot pattern. Then create a small nose using flesh-colored fondant, an eye patch using black fondant, and more black fondant for his mouth and eye.

Put everything together, and you’re ready with your simple cupcake toppers. For guidance, you can also try to find the pattern online and print it out to trace it with fondant.

Click here to see the instructions for the Recipe