May Day Centerpiece Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray each stainless bowl with nonstick cooking spray and coat lightly with flour, tapping out the excess. Put the bowls on 2 sheet trays.
• In an extra large bowl add the cake mixes with the butter and combine with a hand mixer. Add the egg whites, 1 at a time, and incorporate. Slowly add buttermilk and mix on medium until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Fill each stainless bowl 2/3 of the way to the top with the batter. Bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 to 50 minutes. (Large cake will take closer to 50 minutes, smaller cakes closer to 30 minutes.) Remove the cakes from oven and cool. When cool enough to handle, unmold and cool upside down on a wire rack. You will have 1 (9-inch), 2 (7-inch), and 2 (5-inch) cake domes. Keep any extra batter in refrigerator. Cool down pans in between baking times. If there is still excess batter, bake off cupcakes for shower favors.
• To decorate:
• For the gum paste leaves, knead and roll out the gum paste to 1/16-inch thickness. Using the leaf cutter, cut vine leaves from gum paste. Using the back end of a butter knife make leaf veins by pressing lightly into the gum paste. Repeat until you have about 80 leaves. Set out on a sheet tray lined with a wrinkled piece of plastic wrap to dry completely. (This step is best done a couple of days ahead of time.) To make loops for around the base of the cake, roll gum paste into a very thin rope. Cut into 3-inch pieces, pinch ends together to form a loop using a dab of water, if necessary, to stick ends together. Dry flat on a sheet tray. (You will need 24 (3-inch) loops for the large cake, 40 (2-inch) loops for medium cakes, and 32 (1-inch) loops for the small cakes.)
• Adhere each cake to a corresponding cake board with a dab of icing. Ice each cake in a very thin smooth layer with an offset spatula. Put in refrigerator to set up. Working with 1 cake at a time, put a second slightly thicker layer of icing on cake, being sure to clean the knife frequently to keep the icing smooth. (If icing is too loose try mixing in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar to stiffen it a bit.) Knead the fondant to soften slightly. Using a flat surface dusted lightly with cornstarch, roll the fondant to a large (1/4-inch thick circle about 18 inches in diameter for the large cake). Lift with backsides of your hands and put over the center of iced dome cake. Using your hands lightly dusted with cornstarch, smooth fondant down and around the sides of the cake. Lift cake up and trim the excess fondant close to the cake board with kitchen shears or a paring knife. Put on a cake pedestal. Repeat until all of the cakes are covered.
• To make royal icing for the vines: In a medium bowl beat together the 2 cups confectioners' sugar, the meringue powder and the lemon juice with a hand mixer and slowly add in a little water until smooth. Continue to add water by the teaspoonful with beaters running until the icing will drop from the beaters but hold a line when drawn in with the back of a spoon. Fill a pastry bag fitted with small round tip. Pipe vines for leaves all around the cakes, using long strokes holding tip just off surface of the cake. Adhere dried gum paste leaves in groups along the vines with a small dab of royal icing. Lastly adhere the loops along the base of the cake with a small dab of royal icing as well. Put on the table in descending-size order.

Steps:

• 2 old fashioned glass soda bottles, 1 cola, 1 lemon-lime
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray 2 (8-inch) round baking pans with baking spray; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons extract and white cranberry juice. Use an electric mixer to beat cake batter on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
• Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 32 to 35 minutes, or until tester comes away clean.
• Let cakes cool completely. Use a cookie cutter or water glass to cut out a circle to fit the soda bottle - it will nest into cake.
• Add remaining 1 teaspoon extract to frosting and stir thoroughly. Frost entire cake. Sprinkle with colorful jimmies. Insert soda bottle into hole and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12 cup) muffin tins with white paper liners.
• Make the cake mix according to package instructions, substituting the milk for water. Pour the batter into the lined muffin tins and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 12 to15 minutes. Remove the tins from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
• In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the frosting with enough confectioners' sugar to create a stiff consistency. Divide the frosting among 4 bowls. Color 1 with blue, 1 with red, and 1 with green, leaving 1 white.
• When the cupcakes are cool, drop each into a picket fence liner.
• Fit 4 pastry bags with large star tips and fill each with a different color. Pipe a swirl of frosting onto 6 cupcakes with 1 color. Repeat with remaining cupcakes and colors. Arrange them on the cupcake tree, alternating colors and top with nonpareil sprinkles.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray each cake pan and 1 of the cups from the muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Coat the pans lightly with flour, tapping out the excess.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the cake mix with butter. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix to incorporate. Slowly add the buttermilk and mix on medium for 2 minutes, until well incorporated. Fill each prepared pan and muffin cup 2/3 of the way to the top. Bake for 30 to 50 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The large cake will take closer to 50 minutes, while muffin will be closer to 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely, right side up, on a wire cooling rack.
• Royal icing: In a medium bowl beat together the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and lemon juice with a hand mixer or whisk, and slowly add some of the water until smooth. Continue to add water by the teaspoonful with the beaters running until the icing drops from the beaters, but holds a line when drawn in with the back of a spoon. Fill the resealable bag with royal icing and snip the corner when ready to use.
• To assemble: Using a clean pastry brush, lightly coat the sugar cones with piping gel. Hold the cones over a plate and sprinkle each with the pink and orange sprinkles. Make sure the cones are completely coated with nonpareils. Set aside to dry slightly.
• Using a serrated knife, level the tops of each of the square cakes and the muffin. Adhere 1 square cake to the 7-inch square cardboard cake board, and the muffin cake to the 3-inch round cardboard cake board with a dab of frosting. Put a layer of frosting on top of the square cake and put the second layer on top of that. Ice both cakes with a thin layer of frosting and put in the refrigerator to set up about 15 minutes. Ice the cakes again with a slightly thicker layer of frosting.
• Knead the fondant to make it more pliable. On a clean surface dusted with cornstarch roll out 3/4 of the fondant to 1/4-inch thickness. Lift with the backsides of your hands and put it over the center of the frosted square cake. Lightly dust your hands with cornstarch, and smooth the fondant down and around sides of cake. Lift the cake up and trim the excess fondant close to the cake board with kitchen shears or a paring knife. Repeat with the small muffin cake and the remaining fondant, then place center it on top of the square cake.
• Pipe a small bead of royal icing around the base of each sugar cone and put 1 on each corner of the square cake and 1 atop the center of the small round muffin cake. Using royal icing for 'glue' adhere the licorice candies vertically around the sides of the small round cake, close to the top of the cake, spacing them out. Take 2 pink and 1 orange licorice twists and twist them together to form 1 rainbow twist. Repeat with the remaining twists. Secure the licorice twists vertically to the 4 corner edges of the cake with royal icing and toothpicks, if needed. It should cover the edge from the bottom of the cake to the top. Cut 2 orange sour candies in 1/2 along the diagonal and put each 1/2 atop the licorice twists. Arrange 5 orange (Spree) candies in a horizontal line towards the top of 1side of the cake. This will be the front of the cake. Attach the strawberry and cherry candies in a grid pattern close to the bottom of the cake, under the line of orange candies to form a doorway. Cut the remaining orange sour candies in 1/2 on the diagonal, and glue each 1/2 on top of the doorway, pointed side up. Glue the gum vertically along the top edges of the square cake and on the top edge of the round muffin cake making sure to leave a 1/2-inch space between each. Glue the orange segment candies, flat edge down, all along the bottom edge of the square cake, but not over the door. Let the icing sit for 1 hour to dry before transferring the centerpiece to a cake pedestal.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray each cake pan and 1 of the cups from the muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Coat the pans lightly with flour, tapping out the excess.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the cake mix with butter. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix to incorporate. Slowly add the buttermilk and mix on medium for 2 minutes, until well incorporated. Fill each prepared pan and muffin cup 2/3 of the way to the top. Bake for 30 to 50 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The large cake will take closer to 50 minutes, while muffin will be closer to 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely, right side up, on a wire cooling rack.
• Royal icing: In a medium bowl beat together the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and lemon juice with a hand mixer or whisk, and slowly add some of the water until smooth. Continue to add water by the teaspoonful with the beaters running until the icing drops from the beaters, but holds a line when drawn in with the back of a spoon. Fill the resealable bag with royal icing and snip the corner when ready to use.
• To assemble: Using a clean pastry brush, lightly coat the sugar cones with piping gel. Hold the cones over a plate and sprinkle each with the pink and orange sprinkles. Make sure the cones are completely coated with nonpareils. Set aside to dry slightly.
• Using a serrated knife, level the tops of each of the square cakes and the muffin. Adhere 1 square cake to the 7-inch square cardboard cake board, and the muffin cake to the 3-inch round cardboard cake board with a dab of frosting. Put a layer of frosting on top of the square cake and put the second layer on top of that. Ice both cakes with a thin layer of frosting and put in the refrigerator to set up about 15 minutes. Ice the cakes again with a slightly thicker layer of frosting.
• Knead the fondant to make it more pliable. On a clean surface dusted with cornstarch roll out 3/4 of the fondant to 1/4-inch thickness. Lift with the backsides of your hands and put it over the center of the frosted square cake. Lightly dust your hands with cornstarch, and smooth the fondant down and around sides of cake. Lift the cake up and trim the excess fondant close to the cake board with kitchen shears or a paring knife. Repeat with the small muffin cake and the remaining fondant, then place center it on top of the square cake.
• Pipe a small bead of royal icing around the base of each sugar cone and put 1 on each corner of the square cake and 1 atop the center of the small round muffin cake. Using royal icing for 'glue' adhere the licorice candies vertically around the sides of the small round cake, close to the top of the cake, spacing them out. Take 2 pink and 1 orange licorice twists and twist them together to form 1 rainbow twist. Repeat with the remaining twists. Secure the licorice twists vertically to the 4 corner edges of the cake with royal icing and toothpicks, if needed. It should cover the edge from the bottom of the cake to the top. Cut 2 orange sour candies in 1/2 along the diagonal and put each 1/2 atop the licorice twists. Arrange 5 orange (Spree) candies in a horizontal line towards the top of 1side of the cake. This will be the front of the cake. Attach the strawberry and cherry candies in a grid pattern close to the bottom of the cake, under the line of orange candies to form a doorway. Cut the remaining orange sour candies in 1/2 on the diagonal, and glue each 1/2 on top of the doorway, pointed side up. Glue the gum vertically along the top edges of the square cake and on the top edge of the round muffin cake making sure to leave a 1/2-inch space between each. Glue the orange segment candies, flat edge down, all along the bottom edge of the square cake, but not over the door. Let the icing sit for 1 hour to dry before transferring the centerpiece to a cake pedestal.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with two racks evenly spaced. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line with parchment paper; butter again. Dust bottoms and sides with flour, and tap out excess. Set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt three times. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on low speed to soften. Increase speed to medium, and beat until fluffy and light in color. Keep beating while gradually adding sugar; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
• Gradually drizzle in beaten eggs, beating between additions until the batter is no longer slick, scraping down the sides twice. With the mixer on low, alternate adding reserved flour mixture with milk; starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just incorporated after each addition. Scrape sides of the bowl; mix 10 seconds longer.
• Divide batter evenly between the pans. Bake in lower third of oven until a cake tester inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans, remove parchment, and return to the rack to cool, top-sides up.
• To assemble, turn cakes upside down. Using a long serrated knife, slice each cake in half horizontally. Place a layer on a cake round or cake stand. Spread top of layer with 1 1/2 cups frosting. Stack the second layer over the frosted layer; spread another 1 1/2 cups of frosting over top of this layer; repeat with third layer; cover with top layer. Using a dry pastry brush, gently brush any loose crumbs away from cake. Frost cake thinly to seal in crumbs. Use 3 cups frosting for final coating.
• To decorate, evenly distribute cream-colored sprinkles over the top surface of the cake.Using an 1 1/8-inch gum-paste petal cutter, cut petals out of jellied citrus slices -- you will need 84 petals. Gently press 14 small gumdrops around the perimeter of the cake, spaced evenly apart; arrange 6 jellied petals around each drop to form flowers. Transfer to a large cake stand -- ours measures 19 inches across.
• To make the maypole, you will need a wooden dowel, painted white, and six pieces of 1/8-inch satin ribbon, each three times the length of the dowel. Gather the ribbons together, and pin them through their centers to one end of the dowel. Gently press a Lifesaver over the pinned ribbons, and top with a small gumdrop. Insert the maypole into the center of the cake, and fan the ribbons out around the cake stand, taping in place and letting the ends trail over the table.