Cakes
Now that Halloween is over, we're now running into the holiday season. (I know, we have a certain election to get through before the holidays begin; please make sure you vote!)
But with holidays, we tend to celebrate for the next couple of months. Since cakes seem great for celebrations, here are six cake recipes to help you through the day, including Stuffed Pinata Cake, Rocky Road Cake (since it has been a rocky election season), and Fabulous Vegan Fudge Cake with Bittersweet Icing. Enjoy!
ALL-IN-ONE CHOCOLATE CAKE
This comes from Nigella Lawson, from The New York Times' cooking newsletter. If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it. Nigella writes, “This is the perfect chocolate cake: beautiful, melting, intense but not heavy. The batter comes together quickly in a food processor, and the cake bakes at 350 degrees for a while, giving the baker time to assemble the frosting, which is given a luscious sheen by a bit of corn syrup. Use the best chocolate you can find for the frosting, and gild it however you like: with a few flowers, some birthday candles or nothing at all.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; 10 to 12 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Butter for greasing baking pans
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder
6 ounces (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
For the Frosting:
6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
Preparation
For cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides of two 8-inch cake pans, and line bottoms with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Process to make a smooth, thick batter.
Using a rubber spatula, divide batter between pans, and smooth tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from cake pans.
For frosting: Combine chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl, and heat until melted in a microwave oven or over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in corn syrup, sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk in confectioners' sugar until very smooth. Frosting should be thick and spreadable. If necessary, add a teaspoon or two of boiling water to thin it, or additional sifted confectioners' sugar to thicken.
Cut four strips of waxed or parchment paper, and place them side by side on a cake plate, covering the surface. Place one cake layer domed-side down on plate.
Spoon about a third of the frosting onto center of cake, and use a knife or a spatula to spread it evenly. Place the other cake on top, domed side up. Spoon another third of frosting on top of cake, spreading to make swirls or a smooth finish. Spread sides of cake with remaining frosting, and allow to sit for a few minutes until set. Carefully remove paper strips. Place cake under glass or in an airtight container, and set aside in a cool place until serving.
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
Years ago, I'd gone back to school at the local junior college, something that eventually took way longer than I'd anticipated: a few years here (with repeated classes), a couple of semesters there, until I finally graduated in 2002. (Hooray!!!)
One of the classes that was required to graduate was a speech class. One week we had to give a demonstration speech. One of the students demonstrated how to make this cake. After her short demonstration, she passed out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake!
This recipe can also be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1 C chopped nuts
4 eggs
1 C raisins
1 C mayonnaise
1 C mini-marshmallows
1 C water
6 oz. package of chocolate
1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix with pudding
Directions
Grease and flour 2 9” pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl.
In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, mayo and water until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Stir the nut mixture into the cake batter, then pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.
Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)
Ingredients
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
Directions
Place ingredients in bowl and cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!
FABULOUS VEGAN FUDGE CAKE WITH BITTERSWEET ICING
This recipe, from the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 66, begins, “'I’ve tried vegan cake recipes in the past, but didn’t like the sour taste of the vinegar that is usually used to activate the leavening,' says single mom and café manager Shelly Platten. 'I tinkered with some recipes that didn’t use vinegar to come up with a fudgy, satisfying cake.'” Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill organic unbleached white flour
1-2/3 cups Florida Crystals organic cane sugar, divided
1-1/3 cups Chatfield’s cocoa powder, divided
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup Silk vanilla soymilk, divided
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup canola oil, divided
1 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch round pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
Whisk together flour, 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk together 2/3 cup soymilk, 1/3 cup oil, and 1/2 cup water in separate bowl. Stir soymilk mixture into flour mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Unmold onto plate.
Warm remaining 2/3 cup cocoa, 2/3 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup oil in saucepan over medium heat. Pour in remaining 1/3 cup soymilk, and cook 1 minute, or until smooth. Spread icing over warm cake, and sprinkle with hazelnuts.
from the September 2012 issue, p.66
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 525; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 67 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 315 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 43 g
STUFFED PINATA CAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “Your guests will certainly be delighted by the sight of this bright cake. But make sure they don't put their cameras away too soon: once you cut into it, a candy surprise comes spilling out!”
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes; Active: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffed-pinata-cake.
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch fine salt
6 large egg whites
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks, at room temperature
5 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Filling and Decoration:
Blue, orange, yellow, purple and pink food coloring
2 cups of your favorite small and soft candies (none in wrappers), such as gummies or candy-covered chocolates
Cake:
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar
Directions
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1-1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
RICH CARROT CAKE
This is from Linda Larsen, who writes for The Spruce Eats. Linda wrote, " This is the carrot cake recipe best known for bringing anyone out of a foul mood. Yet it's easy to make, once you get the carrots shredded! We believe that baby carrots, although truly a pain to shred, is the secret to this recipe. They are more tender than regular carrots, with a sweeter flavor (even though they are just well-trimmed regular carrots!).
"The cream cheese frosting is essential to this cake. No other frosting will do. The slight tang and the richness the cream cheese adds to the frosting is incredible."
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 1 cake (16 servings)
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-carrot-cake-482725.
Ingredients
2 cups baby carrots (shredded)
1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional: 1 cup walnuts (chopped, or shredded coconut)
1 batch cream cheese frosting (recipe follows; or your favorite recipe)
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Shred baby carrots (this takes some time, but is well worth it).
In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs and beat well.
Stir in half of the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and mix well.
Add carrots and beat well.
Then beat in remaining flour.
Stir in 1/2 cup walnuts and mix well.
Pour into a 9-by-13-inch pan and spread evenly.
Bake at 350 F for 45 to 55 minutes until dark golden brown and cake springs back when lightly touched in center.
Cool the carrot cake on a wire rack.
Fold walnuts or coconut into cream cheese frosting.
Spread over cooled carrot cake.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
This is from Diana Rattray, who writes for The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, " Cream cheese frosting is a versatile cake filler and topper that contains only five ingredients: butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract.
"Vanilla is the flavoring of choice in this recipe, but there are many possible alternatives. Cinnamon or orange flavoring might be an excellent choice for a carrot cake or pumpkin cupcakes. Or you might want to add lemon zest if you're frosting a lemon cake or dessert. Almond flavoring complements a white cake or cupcakes nicely. Take a look at the below variations for more ideas.
"Cream cheese comes in solid bricks and in tubs. Because it is made for spreading, the cream cheese sold in tubs contains more moisture. Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese in this frosting for the best flavor and consistency.
"This recipe for cream cheese frosting makes enough for a large rectangle or two-layer cake. Use the same basic formula to make a thinner glaze for a Bundt cake. Use half the amount of butter and cream cheese, about 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, and a pinch of salt, along with one teaspoon of vanilla. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk or half-and-half or a flavored liqueur to thin the mixture as desired."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Yield: enough for 2 layers (serves 24).
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/cream-cheese-frosting-recipe-3057705.
Ingredients
1 (8 tablespoon) stick butter (softened)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
3 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar (about 1 pound, sifted)
Pinch salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy.
With the electric mixer on low speed, add 3 cups of the confectioners' sugar a little at a time; continue beating until well blended. Beat on high speed until very smooth and creamy. Add more confectioners' sugar, as needed for thickness.
Add a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract and blend thoroughly.
Spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting on cupcakes or cake. The recipe makes enough cream cheese frosting for a small layer cake, a sheet cake, or about 12 to 18 cupcakes.
Does Cream Cheese Frosting Need to Be Refrigerated?
A cake or cupcakes frosted with cream cheese frosting is fine at room temperature for several hours (the USDA recommends no more than 2 hours) if the house is kept at 70 F or less, but must be refrigerated for longer storage. So, if you won't be eating the cake within one day, refrigerate it or freeze it in portions.
What If the Frosting Is Too Runny or Too Thick?
The amount of confectioners' sugar you add depends on whether you will be spreading or piping the frosting. Use a bit less for spreading or use slightly more to make a stiffer frosting for piping. If your frosting turns out too thick, you can always thin it with a small amount of milk or cream. A tablespoon or two of cornstarch is another way to stiffen the frosting, and it's especially useful if you want to avoid extra confectioners' sugar.
Tips
For a thicker or stiffer frosting, use vanilla powder instead of vanilla extract to flavor the frosting.
Recipe Variations
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Sift 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa with 3 cups of the confectioners' sugar. Add it to the cream cheese mixture and blend thoroughly. Add more confectioners' sugar, as needed.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting: Add a few tablespoons of maple syrup or about 1/2 teaspoon of maple flavoring, or to taste.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: Add 1-1/2 teaspoons of lemon extract and a few teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest, if desired.
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting: Add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract. If desired stir in crushed candy canes or peppermint candies.
Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting: Dissolve 1-1/2 teaspoons of espresso powder in the vanilla extract.
But with holidays, we tend to celebrate for the next couple of months. Since cakes seem great for celebrations, here are six cake recipes to help you through the day, including Stuffed Pinata Cake, Rocky Road Cake (since it has been a rocky election season), and Fabulous Vegan Fudge Cake with Bittersweet Icing. Enjoy!
ALL-IN-ONE CHOCOLATE CAKE
This comes from Nigella Lawson, from The New York Times' cooking newsletter. If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it. Nigella writes, “This is the perfect chocolate cake: beautiful, melting, intense but not heavy. The batter comes together quickly in a food processor, and the cake bakes at 350 degrees for a while, giving the baker time to assemble the frosting, which is given a luscious sheen by a bit of corn syrup. Use the best chocolate you can find for the frosting, and gild it however you like: with a few flowers, some birthday candles or nothing at all.” Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; 10 to 12 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Butter for greasing baking pans
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder
6 ounces (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
For the Frosting:
6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
Preparation
For cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides of two 8-inch cake pans, and line bottoms with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Process to make a smooth, thick batter.
Using a rubber spatula, divide batter between pans, and smooth tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from cake pans.
For frosting: Combine chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl, and heat until melted in a microwave oven or over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in corn syrup, sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk in confectioners' sugar until very smooth. Frosting should be thick and spreadable. If necessary, add a teaspoon or two of boiling water to thin it, or additional sifted confectioners' sugar to thicken.
Cut four strips of waxed or parchment paper, and place them side by side on a cake plate, covering the surface. Place one cake layer domed-side down on plate.
Spoon about a third of the frosting onto center of cake, and use a knife or a spatula to spread it evenly. Place the other cake on top, domed side up. Spoon another third of frosting on top of cake, spreading to make swirls or a smooth finish. Spread sides of cake with remaining frosting, and allow to sit for a few minutes until set. Carefully remove paper strips. Place cake under glass or in an airtight container, and set aside in a cool place until serving.
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
Years ago, I'd gone back to school at the local junior college, something that eventually took way longer than I'd anticipated: a few years here (with repeated classes), a couple of semesters there, until I finally graduated in 2002. (Hooray!!!)
One of the classes that was required to graduate was a speech class. One week we had to give a demonstration speech. One of the students demonstrated how to make this cake. After her short demonstration, she passed out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake!
This recipe can also be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1 C chopped nuts
4 eggs
1 C raisins
1 C mayonnaise
1 C mini-marshmallows
1 C water
6 oz. package of chocolate
1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix with pudding
Directions
Grease and flour 2 9” pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl.
In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, mayo and water until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Stir the nut mixture into the cake batter, then pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.
Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)
Ingredients
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
Directions
Place ingredients in bowl and cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!
FABULOUS VEGAN FUDGE CAKE WITH BITTERSWEET ICING
This recipe, from the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 66, begins, “'I’ve tried vegan cake recipes in the past, but didn’t like the sour taste of the vinegar that is usually used to activate the leavening,' says single mom and café manager Shelly Platten. 'I tinkered with some recipes that didn’t use vinegar to come up with a fudgy, satisfying cake.'” Serves 8.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill organic unbleached white flour
1-2/3 cups Florida Crystals organic cane sugar, divided
1-1/3 cups Chatfield’s cocoa powder, divided
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup Silk vanilla soymilk, divided
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup canola oil, divided
1 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch round pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
Whisk together flour, 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk together 2/3 cup soymilk, 1/3 cup oil, and 1/2 cup water in separate bowl. Stir soymilk mixture into flour mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Unmold onto plate.
Warm remaining 2/3 cup cocoa, 2/3 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup oil in saucepan over medium heat. Pour in remaining 1/3 cup soymilk, and cook 1 minute, or until smooth. Spread icing over warm cake, and sprinkle with hazelnuts.
from the September 2012 issue, p.66
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 525; Protein: 5 g; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 67 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 315 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 43 g
STUFFED PINATA CAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “Your guests will certainly be delighted by the sight of this bright cake. But make sure they don't put their cameras away too soon: once you cut into it, a candy surprise comes spilling out!”
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes; Active: 1 hour 5 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/stuffed-pinata-cake.
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch fine salt
6 large egg whites
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks, at room temperature
5 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Filling and Decoration:
Blue, orange, yellow, purple and pink food coloring
2 cups of your favorite small and soft candies (none in wrappers), such as gummies or candy-covered chocolates
Cake:
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar
Directions
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1-1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
RICH CARROT CAKE
This is from Linda Larsen, who writes for The Spruce Eats. Linda wrote, " This is the carrot cake recipe best known for bringing anyone out of a foul mood. Yet it's easy to make, once you get the carrots shredded! We believe that baby carrots, although truly a pain to shred, is the secret to this recipe. They are more tender than regular carrots, with a sweeter flavor (even though they are just well-trimmed regular carrots!).
"The cream cheese frosting is essential to this cake. No other frosting will do. The slight tang and the richness the cream cheese adds to the frosting is incredible."
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 1 cake (16 servings)
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-carrot-cake-482725.
Ingredients
2 cups baby carrots (shredded)
1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional: 1 cup walnuts (chopped, or shredded coconut)
1 batch cream cheese frosting (recipe follows; or your favorite recipe)
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Shred baby carrots (this takes some time, but is well worth it).
In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs and beat well.
Stir in half of the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and mix well.
Add carrots and beat well.
Then beat in remaining flour.
Stir in 1/2 cup walnuts and mix well.
Pour into a 9-by-13-inch pan and spread evenly.
Bake at 350 F for 45 to 55 minutes until dark golden brown and cake springs back when lightly touched in center.
Cool the carrot cake on a wire rack.
Fold walnuts or coconut into cream cheese frosting.
Spread over cooled carrot cake.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
This is from Diana Rattray, who writes for The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, " Cream cheese frosting is a versatile cake filler and topper that contains only five ingredients: butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract.
"Vanilla is the flavoring of choice in this recipe, but there are many possible alternatives. Cinnamon or orange flavoring might be an excellent choice for a carrot cake or pumpkin cupcakes. Or you might want to add lemon zest if you're frosting a lemon cake or dessert. Almond flavoring complements a white cake or cupcakes nicely. Take a look at the below variations for more ideas.
"Cream cheese comes in solid bricks and in tubs. Because it is made for spreading, the cream cheese sold in tubs contains more moisture. Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese in this frosting for the best flavor and consistency.
"This recipe for cream cheese frosting makes enough for a large rectangle or two-layer cake. Use the same basic formula to make a thinner glaze for a Bundt cake. Use half the amount of butter and cream cheese, about 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, and a pinch of salt, along with one teaspoon of vanilla. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk or half-and-half or a flavored liqueur to thin the mixture as desired."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Yield: enough for 2 layers (serves 24).
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/cream-cheese-frosting-recipe-3057705.
Ingredients
1 (8 tablespoon) stick butter (softened)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
3 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar (about 1 pound, sifted)
Pinch salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy.
With the electric mixer on low speed, add 3 cups of the confectioners' sugar a little at a time; continue beating until well blended. Beat on high speed until very smooth and creamy. Add more confectioners' sugar, as needed for thickness.
Add a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract and blend thoroughly.
Spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting on cupcakes or cake. The recipe makes enough cream cheese frosting for a small layer cake, a sheet cake, or about 12 to 18 cupcakes.
Does Cream Cheese Frosting Need to Be Refrigerated?
A cake or cupcakes frosted with cream cheese frosting is fine at room temperature for several hours (the USDA recommends no more than 2 hours) if the house is kept at 70 F or less, but must be refrigerated for longer storage. So, if you won't be eating the cake within one day, refrigerate it or freeze it in portions.
What If the Frosting Is Too Runny or Too Thick?
The amount of confectioners' sugar you add depends on whether you will be spreading or piping the frosting. Use a bit less for spreading or use slightly more to make a stiffer frosting for piping. If your frosting turns out too thick, you can always thin it with a small amount of milk or cream. A tablespoon or two of cornstarch is another way to stiffen the frosting, and it's especially useful if you want to avoid extra confectioners' sugar.
Tips
For a thicker or stiffer frosting, use vanilla powder instead of vanilla extract to flavor the frosting.
Recipe Variations
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Sift 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa with 3 cups of the confectioners' sugar. Add it to the cream cheese mixture and blend thoroughly. Add more confectioners' sugar, as needed.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting: Add a few tablespoons of maple syrup or about 1/2 teaspoon of maple flavoring, or to taste.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: Add 1-1/2 teaspoons of lemon extract and a few teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest, if desired.
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting: Add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract. If desired stir in crushed candy canes or peppermint candies.
Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting: Dissolve 1-1/2 teaspoons of espresso powder in the vanilla extract.
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