Have a sweet July 4th!
What better way to say “Happy birthday, America” than with a red-white-andblue candy surprise cake!
CAKE 1 pkg. (15.25 oz.) white cake mix
4 egg whites 1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup red and blue sprinkles FROSTING 2 cups butter (1 lb.), at room temperature
2 cups shortening, at room temperature
8 cups confectioners’ sugar, from 3 (16 oz.) pkgs.
6 Tbs. milk ★ Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 3 (8") round cake pans with cooking spray with flour. On low speed, beat cake mix, 1 cup water, egg whites and oil 30 seconds until blended; on medium, beat 2 minutes. Stir in sprinkles. Divide among 3 cake pans. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on racks 10 minutes. Transfer from pans to racks; cool. ★ Frosting: On medium, beat 1 cup butter and 1 cup shortening until fluffy, 2 minutes. On low, gradually beat in 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, then 3 Tbs. milk, 2 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 tsp. almond extract until blended; on medium-high, beat until light and fluffy. Reserve frosting. Repeat with remaining butter, shortening, confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla and almond extract to make second batch of frosting. Divide 4 cups frosting between two bowls; tint one bowl red and remaining bowl blue with food colorings. Transfer red, blue and 1 cup white frosting to separate pastry bags each fitted with medium star tip (such as Wilton #1M). ★ Using 2 1/2" round cookie cutter, cut out round from center of 1 cake layer, as shown. 4 tsp. vanilla extract, preferably clear
1/2 tsp. almond extract
No-taste red and royal blue concentrated food colorings
1/2 cup red, white and blue M&M’S candies ★ Place 1 of remaining cake layers on serving plate. Spread top with 1 cup of remaining white frosting. Top with cutout cake layer, as shown. ★ Fill center of cake with candy. Spread 2/3 cup frosting on cake layer, as shown. ★ Top with remaining cake layer, as shown. Spread top and side with remaining white frosting. Refrigerate until frosting is set, about 30 minutes. ★ Starting from bottom of cake, with half of red frosting, pipe rosettes around bottom edge of cake; repeat with white frosting, then remaining red frosting, as shown. Using blue frosting, pipe rosettes over cake top. Makes 16 servings.