Spirograph Cake Recipes

Steps:

• For the cakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch and two 6-inch round cake pans with flour-based baking spray.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk together the egg whites and milk in a separate bowl.
• Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment until soft and creamy. Add the granulated sugar gradually and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl intermittently. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the egg white and milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until smooth on medium-low speed after each addition.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes spring back when pressed in their centers, about 25 minutes for the 6-inch cakes and 35 minutes for the 8-inch cakes. Allow the cakes to cool slightly in the pans and then turn out on wire racks to cool completely.
• When cool, level the cakes using a large serrated knife or cake leveler.
• For the buttercream: Cream the butter and confectioners' sugar together on low speed in the bowl of an electric mixer. When the mixture is combined, increase the speed to high and whip until light in color. Turn the mixer off and add the vanilla extract and 1/3 cup heavy cream. Beat again until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add additional heavy cream if the mixture is too thick to spread or pipe.
• Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag with a 1/2-inch opening. Pipe a line of frosting around the top edge of one of the leveled 8-inch cakes. Spoon lemon curd in the center and spread evenly. Place the second cake layer on top of the filled cake and cover with frosting. Spread the buttercream as evenly as possible and refrigerate until the frosting is firm, about 1 hour. Repeat this process with the 6-inch cakes. Reserve the leftover buttercream for later use.
• When both cakes are well chilled and the frosting is firm, use a large spatula to transfer the smaller cake to the top center of the larger cake. Keep the cake chilled
• For the candy brushstrokes and decor: Place a sheet of parchment paper over a large baking sheet. Place the different colors of wafers in separate microwave-safe bowls and heat each in the microwave at 100 percent power until they can be stirred smooth, about 30 seconds for 6 ounces of candy. In separate bowls, combine different colors of the candy to create new colors. Make as many hues as desired.
• Use a spoon to place quarter-sized dollops of the candy on the parchment sheet. Hold the parchment sheet steady with one hand as you place a craft brush over the melted candy. Use quick motions to brush the candy upward, resulting in one long candy brushstroke. Repeat the process with the other colors of candy. Transfer the brushed candy to the refrigerator to chill, 5 to 7 minutes.
• When firm, transfer the chilled candy to a large plate. Repeat the candy brushing process until you have about 40 candy brushstrokes for decorating the cake.
• Transfer any leftover melted candy to squeeze bottles and drizzle decoratively over one side of both cake tiers.
• Use leftover buttercream to attach the firm candy brushstrokes to the opposite side of the cake; arrange them upright on both tiers. Press a few small brushstrokes into the frosting on top of the cake so they also stand upright. Use as many candy brushstrokes as possible to fill up one side of the cake.
• Before serving, arrange fresh sliced citrus on the edges of the candy-drizzled side of the cake. Tuck fresh mint between the fruit and candy brushstrokes. Present to delighted guests.
• To serve, move aside the fruit slices and cut the cake into pieces. Serve the fruit slices alongside pieces of cake, if desired.

Steps:

• Print the OMG Letter Templates (link below) and cut them out with scissors. Place the letters on one of the sheets of Sponge Cake and use a sharp knife or kitchen-dedicated X-Acto knife to cut out the letters. Repeat the process with the remaining cakes so you have 3 of each letter. Discard the cake scraps or save for ice cream sundae toppings.
• Place one set of letters on a 14-by-18-inch cake board or large platter, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Pipe mounds of the Buttercream Frosting in alternating colors onto the cake pieces. Stack one set of matching letters on top of the first set of letters. Pipe the second layer of cake pieces with more mounds of buttercream. Add the final layer of cake pieces on top and pipe mounds of buttercream on top. Add the rainbow nonpareils and confetti sprinkles immediately.
• Decorate the top of the cake with the mini chocolate bars, donuts, rock candy lollipops, gummy candies and chocolate balls. Serve at room temperature. Store leftovers covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 17-by-11-inch jelly roll pan with flour-based baking spray.
• Place the eggs in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and, with a timer set, beat for 5 minutes. Slowly add the granulated sugar and oil. Beat well. Add the milk and vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add slowly to the liquid ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes, until well combined. The batter will be thin.
• Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 10 minutes. When done, the cake should spring back when touched in the center. Immediately turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the buttercream frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the butter and confectioners' sugar. Begin mixing on low speed until the mixture is crumbly. Increase to high and beat for 3 minutes.
• Add the vanilla extract and beat again. While mixing, add cream or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes to piping consistency.
• Divide the frosting evenly into 7 separate bowls. Tint each bowl of frosting with one of the 6 colors (pink, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet), leaving one bowl untinted; begin with 1 teaspoon of food coloring and add more to intensify the color if needed. Transfer each color of frosting to a separate piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain decorator tip.

Steps:

• For the red velvet cake layers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and two 6-inch round cake pans with flour-based baking spray.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and granulated sugar and mix on medium speed until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
• In a small bowl, combine the liquid food coloring and cocoa powder. Stir until smooth. Add the mixture to the creamed butter mixture.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the flour. Scrape down the bowl and mix again on low speed until no pockets of flour remain.
• Combine the baking soda and vinegar in a small cup; the mixture will bubble and fizz. Pour into the cake batter and mix on medium-low speed until well incorporated.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when pressed in the center. Let the cakes cool slightly in the pans. Turn the cakes out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• When the cakes are cool, use a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut the centers from two of the 8-inch cake layers, or use a knife.
• Cut a large triangle from the center of each 6-inch cake layer; cut the triangles in half and set aside. Save all of the scraps from the 6-inch cakes for later use.
• For the buttercream frosting: In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the butter and confectioners' sugar on low speed. Add the vanilla extract and increase the speed to medium. Gradually add milk or cream a little at a time until the mixture thins to spreading consistency. Whip at high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.
• Remove half of the frosting and transfer to a large disposable piping bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in the end.
• Remove half of the remaining frosting to a separate large bowl and tint with the black, sky blue and royal blue food coloring. Mix in the food coloring 1/4 teaspoon at a time until the desired intensity of blue-grey hue is achieved. Transfer to a large piping bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in the end.
• Divide the remaining frosting into three separate small bowls; tint one bowl with red food coloring, one bowl with sky blue food coloring and the last bowl with black. Add the coloring 1/4 teaspoon at a time until the desired intensity is achieved. Transfer the red buttercream to a disposable piping bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in the end. Transfer the sky blue buttercream to a disposable piping bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in the end. Transfer the black buttercream to a disposable piping bag with a 1/8-inch hole snipped in the end.
• For the decors and assembly: Place a cake layer with the center removed on a cardboard cake round (8 inches or larger). Pipe a fat line of white (untinted) frosting on top of the cake around the opening. Place the second cake layer with the center removed on top of the first.
• Combine the blue sprinkles and fish-shaped candy in a bowl or a jar; mix together. Pour the candy into the center of the cake, filling the empty hole to the top. Pipe a fat line of white icing around the filled hole in the center of the cake. Place the last, whole cake layer on top. Chill the cake in the refrigerator until the buttercream is set, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the chilled cake from the refrigerator and carefully cut away two sides of the cake so that the cake is an oval shape.
• Place a fat line of white frosting on one long side of the cake; stack the four cake triangles (cut from the 6-inch cakes) upright onto the line of frosting. Frost the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting (crumb-coat). Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until the frosting is firm.
• Frost the cake with additional white frosting. Using an offset spatula, smooth and round the pointed triangle pieces with extra frosting so that it resembles a shark's snout. Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes.
• Pipe a fat line of white frosting around the mouth of the shark and down the front of the cake. Smooth using an offset spatula. Pipe a thick covering of blue-grey frosting on the back of the cake and smooth with a spatula.
• Pipe red frosting in the front mouth opening and use the back of a spoon to smooth it into the cavity. You will have leftover frosting; reserve for later use. Refrigerate the cake until well-chilled, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer the cake on the cake board to a large 12-inch square cake drum. Pipe a line of blue-grey frosting around the right and left sides of the cake at the base. Use two of the 6-inch cake scraps with rounded edges to create the shark's flippers. Cover the pieces with blue-grey frosting and smooth with an offset spatula.
• Use one or two more of the rounded cake scraps to create a fin on the back center of the shark. Cover with blue-grey frosting.
• Make a divot on each side of the shark head with the back of a spoon; fill each divot with black frosting. While the frosting is still wet, add a single white confetti sprinkle to each eye.
• Remove 35 white candy melting wafers and cut each to a point so they are shark tooth-shaped, using kitchen-dedicated scissors. Insert the teeth into the top and bottom edge of the mouth opening, creating a double row of teeth.
• Pipe the sky blue buttercream around the bottom edge of the cake to create water around the shark. Pipe a small amount of leftover white frosting and blend into the blue portion.
• Place the remaining candy melting wafers in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until the candy can be stirred smooth. Transfer the melted candy to a disposable piping bag and snip a small hole in the end. Pipe the candy into a nonstick donut pan. Chill until set, about 20 minutes.
• Turn out the candy and place around the bottom of the shark cake in the blue frosting. Pipe four lines of leftover red buttercream to create the appearance of a life preserver.
• Allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving. Use a large serrated knife to open the shark's belly in front of an audience. Remove the slice to reveal a cascade of candy fish and ocean blue sprinkles.

Steps:

• For the panna cotta: In a medium saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water. Let stand until absorbed, about 3 minutes. Place the saucepan over low heat until the gelatin dissolves, about 1 minute. When the gelatin is liquid, whisk in the half-and-half and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted and the mixture is hot and just steaming, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract and remove from the heat to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Place each color of gelatin in its own medium microwave-safe bowl or 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Add 1 teaspoon of the unflavored gelatin to each; whisk until combined. Pour 1 cup of the boiling water into each container and stir well to dissolve the gelatin. Add 1/4 cup of the vodka to each container. Stir to combine.
• Set an empty 18-count egg carton on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place eight 5-ounce dessert glasses at an angle in the cavities, spacing them apart. Make room in the refrigerator to accommodate the baking sheet.
• Pour 1 tablespoon of the liquid panna cotta in each glass. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Next, pour in about a 1/4-inch layer of the grape gelatin. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Repeat pouring and chilling 1/4-inch layers of the panna cotta, blue raspberry gelatin, more panna cotta, lime gelatin, then panna cotta again, refrigerating each layer for 15 minutes before adding the next. If the colored gelatins begin to set before pouring, microwave each container for 30 seconds and stir well to bring it back to a liquid state.
• Place the dessert glasses upright directly on the baking sheet. The chilled diagonal layers will stay in place. Pour and chill 1/4-inch layers of the lemon, orange, and strawberry gelatin, alternating each color with the panna cotta and finishing with the strawberry gelatin on top. Refrigerate until well set, about 2 hours. Serve well chilled.

Steps:

• For the inlay paste: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and confectioners' sugar. Add the egg whites and beat again until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Sift the flour into the mixing bowl and beat on low speed until just combined. Divide the mixture between four bowls. Tint the first bowl of paste with the juniper green food color; begin with 1/8 teaspoon, mixing and adding a little color at a time, until a dark green color is achieved. Tint the second bowl of paste with a dab (the amount picked up on the end of a toothpick) of juniper green food color and dabs of neon yellow food color. Mix until a light avocado color is achieved. Tint the third bowl with two dabs of neon yellow gel food color and mix until bright yellow is achieved. Tint the fourth bowl using the brown food color; begin with 1/8 teaspoon and add more until a dark brown color is achieved. Transfer each color to a piping bag with a small hole snipped in the end. You may also fit each bag with a small round decorator tip, if desired.
• Cut a sheet of parchment paper to fit inside a 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan. Print the Avocado Emoji Template (link below) and trace the pattern onto the piece of parchment paper using a pencil. Flip the paper over so that the side with the drawn emojis is touching the pan. You should be able to see the images through the paper. Pipe a line of yellow paste around the face (oval part) of the avocado, then use the brown paste to fill in the round shape in the center (the avocado pit). Fill in the yellow outline using the light green paste. Finally, use the dark green to pipe the avocado shell-shape. Transfer the pan with the piped images to the freezer while you prepare the cake batter.
• For the cake roll: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on high speed using the whip attachment until they lighten in color considerably and have the appearance of yellow cake batter, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running, slowly add the granulated sugar and oil to the whipped eggs. Next, add the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients. Mix until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and over the inlay paste emojis. Smooth the batter using a rubber spatula to distribute it evenly.
• Lay a large cotton tea towel on a work surface. Sprinkle the towel with confectioners' sugar and rub the sugar into the towel with your hands. Set aside.
• Bake until the cake springs back when pressed with fingers, 10 to 12 minutes (check at 10 minutes). Immediately turn the cake out onto the tea towel--do this without delay! Peel off the parchment to reveal the avocado design. Gently flip the cake over so that the avocados are against the tea towel. Immediately roll the cake into the tea towel, beginning at the narrow end. Roll as evenly as possible. Place the cake in the towel on a refrigerator shelf and chill for 1 hour.
• For the avocado frosting: Halve and pit the avocados. Using a spoon, scoop the avocado from the skins and place in the bowl of an electric mixer. Squeeze the juice from the lemon half into the bowl over the avocados. Mix on high speed until the avocados are creamed with just a few pea-sized solid pieces of avocado in the mixture. Add the confectioners' sugar a little at a time until thick, spreadable frosting forms.
• For the cake assembly: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and gently unroll; allow the most tightly rolled end to remain slightly curled. Apply the avocado frosting to the cake in a smooth even layer using an offset spatula. Re-roll the cake and then roll it up in the tea towel. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Combine the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Heat, stirring, until the sugar is melted. Transfer to a small bowl and allow to cool to just warm.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Brush the outside of the cake with the simple syrup using a pastry brush. Apply the syrup in an even layer to remove the dusty confectioners' sugar appearance. Serve the cake immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.