Melting Snowman Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare cake mixes according to package directions. Divide batter among two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans, one 9-in. square baking pan and 12 cupcakes. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes and cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , Place one round cake off center and 1 in. from the bottom of a 25x16-in. covered board. Place second round cake above it. Set aside 1 cup vanilla frosting. Frost round cakes with remaining vanilla frosting., Cut the square cake into two rectangles-one 8-in. x 2-in. and one 8x4-in. (save remaining piece for another use). For hat brim, place the smaller rectangle (B) above on the top round cake. Cut a 5-3/4x4-in. piece from the large rectangle; place (A) above hat brim. For scarf, cut the remaining cake piece in half diagonally (C and D); position on left side of top circle. (Save the cupcakes for another use.), Frost hat with chocolate frosting. Tint reserved vanilla frosting blue; frost a stripe on hat for ribbon and frost the scarf. Cut three holly leaves from fruit roll-up; place on hat ribbon. Top with tiny tarts for berries. Position red candy coin for nose; add black gumdrops for eyes and buttons. Add licorice bites for mouth.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine milk and extract. Stir in 2 cups confectioners' sugar and cocoa to form a dough. Turn onto a surface lightly sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Knead in enough remaining confectioners' sugar to form a soft dough (dough should not be sticky)., Divide into thirds. Shape one portion into twenty-four 1/2-in. balls. Shape remaining portions of dough into twenty-four 1-in. balls. On waxed paper-lined baking sheets, flatten each 1-in. ball into an irregular 1-1/2-in. circle., In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 2 oz. white candy coating. Using melted coating, attach a 1/2-in. ball near an edge of each circle. Let dry 1 hour., Using gumdrops, cut out noses and earmuffs as desired. Melt remaining white candy coating; cool slightly. Working in batches of six, spoon candy coating over snowmen, allowing coating to drape over each until completely covered. Immediately attach noses and earmuffs. Let stand at room temperature until dry to the touch, about 1 hour., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Using a toothpick and melted chocolate, form eyes, mouths, buttons, arms and tops of earmuffs.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease two 20cm round cake tins and line with baking parchment. Heavily grease a 16cm hemisphere cake tin and stand on a ramekin on a baking sheet to hold it steady.
• First, make the sponges. Using electric beaters or a tabletop mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Pour the eggs in, one at a time, giving the mix a thorough beating before adding the next. If the mix starts to look curdled, add 2 tbsp of the plain flour. Beat in the yogurt.
• Mix both the flours together, adding ½ tsp salt, and slowly beat into the batter, followed by the malt extract (or vanilla paste) and milk. Spoon half the mixture into one of the 20cm tins, and split the remaining half between the other 20cm tin and the 16cm hemisphere. Bake the smaller amount of cake batter in the 20cm tin and the 16cm tin for 1 hr, and the larger amount for 1 hr 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cakes. Cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Can be frozen at this stage for up to three months.
• Meanwhile, make the buttercream by beating all the butter and half the icing sugar together using an electric whisk or tabletop mixer. Add the rest of the icing sugar once incorporated, followed by the malt extract (or vanilla paste) and milk. Set aside until ready to use.
• To assemble, halve the largest 20cm cake horizontally so you are left with two equal-sized sponges the same size as the remaining 20cm cake. Put a blob of buttercream onto a 23cm cake board (or cake stand) and spread using a palette knife. Stick one of the sponges to the board. Spread a thick layer of buttercream on top of the cake and sandwich another sponge on top. Spread over another thick layer and sit the final sponge on top. Using a palette knife, coat the entire cake in a thin layer of buttercream and smooth the sides and top carefully, working around the whole cake, scraping off any excess icing. Chill in the freezer for 10 mins or in the fridge for 1 hr until set.
• Meanwhile, put the hemisphere sponge on the smaller cake board and halve horizontally. Fill the middle with some buttercream, sandwich with the top and coat the entire cake in a thin layer of buttercream. Chill in the freezer for 5 mins or in the fridge for 30 mins.
• Take the larger cake out of the fridge/ freezer and coat in another layer of buttercream. Take care when covering this time, as you want a smooth finish to the cake. Running the palette knife under hot water helps smooth over the sides once it is coated completely. Chill again for 5 mins in the freezer.
• Cover the hemisphere sponge with buttercream and smooth over with the palette knife. Carefully lift the hemisphere onto the centre of the cake (as the sponge has been frozen you shouldn't leave finger marks). Press down lightly to set on the buttercream. If there is a gap around the rim, use a small palette knife to fill in with any remaining buttercream. Chill for 10-15 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the eyes and nose using coloured fondant. Roll the black fondant into two balls for the eyes, and five smaller balls for the mouth. Roll the orange fondant into a carrot shape. Leave to set and harden slightly while you make the drippy ganache.
• Make the drippy ganache by mixing the chocolate and oil and microwaving for 30 secs, stirring and then giving it another 30 secs until melted. Transfer to a squeezy bottle, then pour down the edges of the round cake to create the melting snow effect.
• To finish the cake, stick the eyes to the head using a little remaining buttercream. Poke the wooden dowel into the carrot nose, leaving some poking out to stick it to the face. Stick the five small black fondant balls for the mouth and the chocolate buttons down the front of the cake for buttons. Insert the Mikado sticks on either side for the arms. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Line 3 rimmed baking sheets with parchment; set aside.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg and beat to incorporate. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat on medium-low speed after each addition until incorporated.
• Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of the batter with a cookie scoop onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart (12 cookies per sheet). Use your palm to gently flatten each dough ball to level the surface.
• Transfer the marshmallow creme to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag and snip the tip. Pipe about 2 teaspoons of the creme on top each cookie, directly in the center. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Bake the cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, until the bottoms and edges are barely golden brown and the marshmallow creme has puffed and spread on top of each cookie, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets (the creme should deflate slightly), then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Once the cookies are cool, decorate the face of each one as follows: affix 1 peanut butter cup, cut-side down, to the head for the snowman's hat; add 2 brown candy-coated chocolates for the eyes and 1 orange candy-coated chocolate for the nose; arrange 5 black nonpareils for the mouth and 2 red or green confetti sprinkles for the buttons. Finally, attach 1 pretzel piece on each side for the arms.
• The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Make sure to separate the cookies with wax paper to prevent them from sticking together.

Steps:

• Follow baking directions on sugar cookie pouch, dividing dough evenly into 12 round cookies.
• On cooled cookies, draw a "snow puddle" with Betty Crocker™ White Cookie Icing. TIP: Draw the outline of the puddle, then go back and fill in the shape.
• While the icing is still wet, immediately place a marshmallow to one side of the cookie.
• MAKE THE ARMS: Once the icing and marshmallow have set, pipe two "branches" onto each cookie using black gel. Add fingers with chocolate sprinkles.
• MAKE THE FACE: Using a small dot of white cookie icing, stick two "coal" eyes and a nose onto the marshmallow with Rainbow Chips. Pipe a small dot for the mouth with black gel.
• MAKE THE SCARF AND BUTTONS: Using blue, red, or green cookie icing; carefully draw scarves around the base of the marshmallow. Using a small dot of white cookie icing, stick three "coal" buttons beneath the scarf with Rainbow Chips.
• Allow cookies to set for at least one hour before serving.