Baby Shower Funky Zebra Cake 3 Layers 3 Flavors Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Optional* Make flowers a day in advance so they can harden or use whatever decorations you prefer. I used royal icing consisting of powdered sugar, meringue powder and water and a # 104 piping tip. Pipe flowers on a piece of wax paper and place on an "empty" paper towel piece of cardbord cut in half length-wise, to let dry and harden. Results were well worth the extra work and time!
• 2. Follow the cake directions on the box. I used 3 different sized square pans. Add the champagne flavoring to the white cake mix. You will need a special cake pan to make the little blocks or just make two of the smallest size cake pan and cut one into 4 equal squares. Bake, and keep cakes cold in the refrigerator (you can do this the day before). Make up 3 batches of icing, one white, one pink and one black (add some almond extract to the black frosting). After you frost the bottom cake, mark the top of it where you want to place the middle layer, put the wooden dowels in the cake like dots on a number 5 dice, then place the cut-out cardboard on top of the bottom cake, then frost, (you will then stack the top layer on the middle layer and frost, no need to add dowels or cardboard to this piece). For the zebra design on the edges, use a number 3 tip, then flatten it by using your finger tips dipped in corn starch...this will be time consuming, but as you can see the results were amazing! Pipe little pearl beads at the bottom boarder of the pink cake with a # 3 tip. Do seashell borders on the top edges of all the cakes to match the color of each layer, use the seashell tip for the blocks also. the middle cake was frosted with small star piping (you could just frost it plain like the top and bottom layers). Use a # 3 for writing the letters on the blocks. Sprinkle with the edible iridescent powder or edible glitter after frosting. WOW!!!

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms and sides of 3 (8- or 9-inch) round pans with shortening. Line pan bottoms with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper; grease again and lightly flour. Make dark chocolate cake mix as directed on box using water, oil and eggs; set aside. Make white cake mix as directed on box using water, oil and egg whites.
• Place 1/4 cup of the chocolate cake batter into center of each pan. Do not spread batter. Place 1/4 cup white cake batter on top and in center of chocolate batter in each pan. Do not spread batter. Let batter in each pan spread on its own. Repeat placing remaining batters, 1/4 cup at a time, in center alternating between chocolate and white batter.
• Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Carefully remove waxed paper. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• If necessary, using serrated knife, cut rounded top off cakes to make a level surface. Place 1 cake layer on cake plate, top side up. Spread frosting over top. Top with another cake layer, top side down; spread with frosting. Top with remaining cake layer, top side down. Reserve about 1/2 cup remaining frosting for garnish. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Use metal spatula to smooth frosting. Using #9 writing tip, pipe reserved 1/2 cup frosting around bottom of cake.
• Knead fondant to soften. Lightly sprinkle smooth surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar. Roll out fondant to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut strips from fondant of various lengths and widths to make black stripes. Place strips on cake side and top forming striped pattern on cake, leaving about 1/2 inch of frosting between stripes. Store cake loosely covered.