Easy Superhero Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray.
• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze 30 minutes to 1 hour or until firm.
• Use serrated knife to cut cake into head, arms and body (template can be found under the Tips below). Place cake on serving plate or foil-covered tray.
• In medium bowl, mix 1 container frosting and blue food color. Divide second container of frosting among 3 separate small bowls; add pink food color to 1 bowl, yellow to 1 bowl and red to third bowl. Spread thin layer of blue frosting on body and arms to seal in crumbs. Spread thin layer of pink frosting on head. Refrigerate or freeze 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Spread remaining pink frosting on head. With 1/2 cup of the blue frosting, create mask on face. Spread remaining blue frosting to cover body and arms. Generously spread yellow frosting on top of head for hair and at bottom of cake for belt. In center of body, spread red frosting in oval shape. Create lightning bolt with yellow frosting on red oval. Add candies on mask for eyes. Use decorating gel to pipe nose and mouth, and to outline oval, belt and belt buckle. Crumple fruit snacks; place next to body to look like cape.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make cake batter as directed on box. Divide batter equally among 3 bowls. Tint 1 bowl of batter with blue food color, 1 bowl with yellow food color and 1 bowl with red food color.
• Spray 2 (8- or 9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms of pans with cooking parchment paper, if desired, to prevent sticking. Spoon 1/3 cup blue batter into center of each cake pan. Spoon 1/3 cup yellow batter into center of blue batter in each pan, followed by 1/3 cup red batter in each. Repeat with remaining batter until used up.
• Bake as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch round cake pans. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Tint 1 container frosting with blue food color to desired shade of blue. On serving plate, place 1 cake layer, rounded side down. Frost top of cake layer with part of the blue frosting. Top with second layer, rounded side up. Frost side and top of cake with remaining blue frosting.
• In small bowl, tint three-fourths of the remaining container of frosting with yellow food color. Tint remaining frosting with red food color. Place yellow frosting in resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut off small corner of plastic bag, and pipe diamond-shaped emblem on top of cake. Place red frosting in another resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut off small corner of plastic bag, and pipe number or initials on cake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease six 9-inch round cake pans and dust with flour.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Beat 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, milk, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in flour mixture and mix until just combined.
• Divide cake batter evenly between 6 bowls. Mix in different food coloring to each bowl, creating 6 different colored batters. Start with just 1 to 2 drops of food coloring in each bowl, then mix; you can always add more.
• Bake each cake in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir together confectioners' sugar and mascarpone cheese in a separate bowl, then fold gently into the whipped cream until smooth.
• Spread frosting on each layer of cooled cake, placing one on top of the other. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment as well. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat well, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined. Add milk and vanilla and beat until just combined.
• Divide batter between pans; smooth tops with an offset spatula. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 33 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks to cool completely.
• Beat together butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium. Add confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add salt, milk, and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. If not using immediately, cover surface of frosting with plastic wrap. Frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week. Before using, bring to room temperature, then beat on low speed until smooth.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate and spread 1 cup frosting on top. Place remaining cake layer on top. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting, swirling to coat in a decorative fashion. (If frosting becomes too soft, refrigerate to firm up.) Cake can be covered with a cake dome and refrigerated overnight. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.