Forest Friends Cake
Celebrate fall with this three-tiered cake decorated as adorable woodland creatures.
Note: The total time does not include cooling time.
- Yields:
- 30 serving(s)
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
Cake
- 3
tube pans (8 5/8-, 1/2 -, and 10 1/4-in.; we used Paderno World Cuisine, $17 to $22 each, amazon.com)
- 2 c.
(4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp, plus more for the pans
- 6 c.
all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp.
baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
- 3 1/2 c.
granulated sugar
- 8
large eggs, at room temperature
- 4 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 c.
whole milk, at room temperature
Buttercream
- 4 c.
confectioners’ sugar
- 2 c.
(4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1/4 c.
heavy cream
- 1 tbsp.
pure vanilla extract
Turquoise and orange gel food coloring, optional
Oreos, M&M’s, sugar cookies, and royal icing for the faces
Directions
- Step 1Make Cake: Heat oven to 325°F. Butter the tube pans.
- Step 2In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Step 3Using an electric mixer, in a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar on low speed to combine. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; add eggs 1 at a time, beating each until incorporated before adding next. Beat in vanilla.
- Step 4Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk and beating just until incorporated.
- Step 5Scoop batter into the prepared pans: Fill the 10 1/4-inch pan to 3/4 inches from top and the others to 1/2 inches from top. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
- Step 6Make Buttercream: Using an electric mixer, beat confectioners’ sugar, butter, and salt on low speed until combined, then increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With machine running, slowly add cream. Beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Tint as desired.
- Step 7Spread frosting over cooled cakes and decorate as desired.
- Step 8Make Owl: We used Oreos and chocolate chips for the eyes and decorated sugar cookies for the nose and ears.
- Step 9Make Fox: We used M&M’s for the eyes, decorated sugar cookies for the ears and teeth, and royal icing for the nose and mouth.
- Step 10Make Bear: We used mini M&M’s for the eyes and decorated sugar cookies for the ears, nose, and mouth.
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