A winter inspired recipe to warm you up during the cold months!
The summer has come and gone and autumn went away faster than a cool, fall breeze. Winter is here in full swing, whether you love it or are wishing for sunny skies and sandy beaches instead. To help with the cold nights ahead of us, why not snuggle up with a delicious piece of cake? This winter-inspired recipe is extremely scrumptious! This recipe is also great for bakers who have made layered cakes in the past and are familiar with the process. (Disclaimer: Might not be the best cake for a beginner to make.)
Snowflake Cake
Image Source: tasteofhome.com
Ingredients:
Cake Batter:
3 1/2 cups shortening
7 1/2 cups sugar
30 egg whites
4 cups milk
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
10 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Coconut Filling
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cans coconut milk
1 cup half and half cream
8 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
Frosting:
1 cup shortening
1 cup butter, softened
8 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
Decoration and Assembly Supplies
8 (2 3/4 inches x 1/4 inch) wooden dowels
3 (3 inches x 1/4 ich) wooden dowels
3 cardboard cake circles (one 8 inch, two 5 inch)
3 packages (about 1 1/2 pounds each) ready to use rolled white fondant
Assorted snowflake cookie cutters
White edible glitter
1 small new paintbrush
Additional clear vanilla extract
2 to 3 drops of blue food coloring
Pastry bad and round pastry tip
Rock Candy (optional)
Image Source: voytik.com
Wintertime isn’t always the snowy wonderland we wish for, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get in the winter spirit! Eating cake on a cold, winter day is a perfect way to celebrate the low temperatures and snowfall, especially if the cake is covered in edible glitter and fondant snowflakes!
Directions:
1. Cream together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. In seperate bowl, combine egg whites, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add each mixture a little at a time and beat together until all ingredients are smoothly combined.
2. Pour 2 cups worth of batter into each of 4 greased and floured 6-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes. Pour 3 cups worth of bater into each of 4 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350F for 27-33 minutes. Cool cakes for 10 minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
3. Filling: In large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in coconut milk and cream until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until it thickens and bubbles. Then, reduce heat and cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Stir a little bit of the hot filling into the egg yolks. Return all to the pan and continue stirring. Bring to a slight boil and cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla.
4. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover surface of filling with with wax paper and refrigerate until cooled. Then, stir in coconut.
5. For frosting: Beat together shortening and butter until light and fluffy. Add in confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla and beat until smooth.
6. Assembling cake: Level cakes if need be. Place a 9-in. cake on serving plate and spread 1 1/4 cups filling on top. Put a second 9-in. cake on top of that and spread 3/4 cup frosting. Insert four 2-3/4-in. wooden dowels 1 to 2 in. apart into center of cake in preparation for the next layers.
7. Place third 9-in. cake on an 8-in. cardboard circle; place over cake on platter. Spread with 1-1/4 cups filling on top. Top with remaining 9-in. cake. Frost top and sides of cake with about 2 cups frosting. Roll out about 1 1/4 pounds of fondant into a circle, big enough to cover the cake. Drape over cake and gently smooth, working from the center. Trim ends. Insert 4 (2-3/4-in.) dowels about 1 in. apart into center of cake. Set aside.
8. Place a 6-in. cake on a 5-in. cardboard circle. Spread with about a cup filling; top with second 6-in. cake. Spread top with about a 1/2 cup frosting. Insert remaining dowels 1 in. apart into center of cake. Place third 6-in. cake on remaining cardboard circle and position on dowels; spread with about 1 cup filling. Top with remaining cake. Frost cake with about 1 1/4 cups frosting. Roll out 1 1/4 pounds of fondant into a circle, big enough to cover the cake. Drape over cake and gently smooth, working from the center. Trim ends. Gently place the 6-in. layer cake on the 9-in. layer cake.
9. Roll out remainder of fondant to 1/8 in thickness and cut snowflakes with cookie cutters. Place your glitter in a bowl and press the snowflakes into the glitter. With the paintbrush, brush vanilla over sides of snowflakes and secure them onto the cake.
10. Beat together the food coloring and remaining frosting until smooth. Put the frosting in the pastry bag and pipe your desired design over the cake. Decorate with the rock candy if desired.
Original Recipe on tasteofhome.com
Enjoy this recipe with a nice, hot cup of cocoa and a snuggly blanket! A perfect wintertime cake for those perfect winter days! Happy baking!
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