Surprise Inside Cake - Hidden Road

Easy. Cake mixes. Canned frosting. Candy Melts & molds. Chocolate rocks and stickers. You can do this!!!

The little hard hat and truck are made from Candy Melts and edible images. The truck was actually my inspiration for the whole project. Once I saw it the wheels really started turning. In my head of course. That particular chocolate truck wasn't going anywhere but in my tummy.

The barricade, vest, shovel and sign are stickers that I happened to have for just such an occasion. Edible versions would've been fun also but what a time saver they ended up being.

The hat was molded from a chocolate mold but I had no pickup truck. Woe was me. I always peek at the seasonal isle of the grocery store and that fateful day, I happened upon a chocolate colored pickup for Valentine's Day by RM Palmer Candy. I thought about using green luster dust to get the company color but then I noticed that the package used to protect the truck from moving around might actually be used as a mold. The plastic used to make it was thinner but it proved to be sturdy enough to mold the two trucks I needed. With careful handling, you could use reuse this mold at least several times. And who doesn't love a mold filled with FREE delicious chocolate for about a dollar? Check them out the next time you find yourself in the holiday isle.

If you can't find a pickup mold, there are lots of cute construction equipment molds that might suit your theme. Adorable for a child's party.

Even with all of the inspiration that the truck offered, I still had to find a way to hide the road inside. Ever wonder why simple ideas don't occur to you earlier? It was just never a problem that I needed to solve until that day but the solution was SOooo easy!

The sides and ends of the cake were covered in the leftover crumbs from the cake trimming. Just give them a few pulses in a food processor and they magically turn into delicious chocolate asphalt!

The rocks are Silver Nugget Choco Rocks. I purchased them at my local party supply store but you can also find them online here.

Let's get this construction project underway shall we?

You'll need some equipment:

2 large loaf pans (to hold one cake mix each)
4 baking nails
Large insulated shiny cookie sheet (optional)
Baking strips (optional)
Food processor or similar
Chocolate molds of choice (optional)
Rolling pin with 1/8" spacing bands or 1/8" dowels
Ruler
Exacto knife or similar

And some ingredients:
Cake
2 Devil's Food cake mixes plus ingredients on box
12 oz package Nestle mini chocolate chips
1 T vanilla
Americolor black gel coloring
1/2 c Hershey's Dark Chocolate syrup OR simple syrup, divided

Frosting & Decorations
2 cans chocolate frosting + 6 T powdered sugar
OR homemade frosting
Candy Melts for modeling chocolate and optional molds
Corn syrup
Oil based candy color for optional molds if needed
Chocolate candy rocks

One day in advance:

Make a small batch of white and black modeling chocolate. You can find the recipe here by my friend and modeling chocolate expert, Jessica Harris, along with helpful tips and tricks. And if you haven't taken any of her Craftsy classes, you're missing out.

You can also make the strips for the exterior and interior road stripes but until your cake is baked and measured, your spacing might be a little off. Just make the long strips and wait to slice them into the stripes until you decorate the cake.

You can also mold the optional decorations in advance or wait until you need them.

Method:

Mix the two cake mixes as directed on package. Add the vanilla, mini chocolate chips and coloring. You can leave the chips out if you'd prefer but they make a nice texture and add interest to the cake.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour or use baking spray to prepare the loaf pans and baking nails. Or line with parchment if you prefer. Place 2 baking nails in the center of each pan.

Divide the batter evenly between the 2 loaf pans. Add baking strips if desired for flatter cake. I also use a shiny insulated cookie sheet under the pans to prevent a thick crust.

Bake at 350F for about 60 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center and pulls away from edges.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Flatten cake tops with a damp paper towel and the bottom of the second pan. Be careful of the baking nails! Repeat for the second pan.

Brush the warm cake with the chocolate syrup or use simple syrup instead. Cool for 15-20 minutes and invert cakes onto parchment paper or a cooling rack.

When cakes are cool to the touch, wrap well in plastic wrap or foil and freeze until firm. Trim the tops of the cakes to 2" height while firm. Reserve the cake scraps.

Place one of the trimmed and cooled cakes on a cake board, plate or serving tray. Protect the edges with waxed or parchment paper for easy cleanup later on.

Tint the chocolate frosting to black and add 3T of powdered sugar per can to thicken slightly. About 40 drops of Americolor black gel per can gives you a nice black. Frost the top of the cake with an flat, even layer of frosting and set aside.

Knead the modeling chocolate until easy to work with. Roll the white modeling chocolate on a flat surface to 1/8" thickness using spacing bands or your rolling pin or dowels as a guide. Allow to set up slightly then slice into 5 strips about 1/8th inch wide by 1/8th inch thick or deep by the length of your cake. 

Depending on the finished size of your baked and cooled cake, you may need to adjust these measurements. Roll extra strips for the exterior of the cake at this time. I used 5 white and 4 black segments for the inside of my cake and 8 white for the exterior (no black needed for the top since they are just laid on top of the black modeling chocolate road) but do whatever pleases your eye.

I used the template above to plan what the slice of my cake would be. It was about 4.25 inches square.

Clean the work surface and tools and roll out 4 strips of the black modeling chocolate to 1/8th inch thickness by 1/8th inch wide by the length of the cake.

Place the strips along the long side of the cake.

Start with white at the edge and alternate with black until you reach the other side.

You can see that my spacing was still a little off even with all of the math and measuring but the resulting cake was still perfect for effect.

Add another thin layer of black frosting on top of the strips.

The end view should now look something like this. Only better. 'Cuz you're learning from my mistakes. Right?

Top with the second cake. Frost the entire exterior of the cake with the remaining black frosting.

Place the reserved cake scraps in a food processor and pulse a couple of times to form coarse crumbs. Press the crumbs into the sides and ends of the cake, leaving the top smooth.

Roll out a piece of black modeling chocolate about 1 inch less than the width but as long as the top of your cake for the road. Center on top of the black frosting.

Cut the remaining white strips into about 8 segments of about 3/4th inch long each and space evenly on the black road.

If you didn't mold your decorations in advance, now's the time. When they are set up, add them around the cake along with the candy rocks and optional stickers. You can personalize a truck, vest or hardhat or print road signs to edible frosting sheets if you'd like.

Here's a shot of the edible logo on the truck door applied with a tiny dab of corn syrup.

I applied the same logo to the hat using the same method. One sheet of tiny logos went a LONG way!

I didn't waste the edible logos on these non-edible toppers but wanted to cover up the John Deere logo. So these were printed on regular paper to go along withe the "Hats off to Granite Employees!" theme.

Hope you enjoyed this fun but simple and TaStY construction project! Now grab a fork (or a shovel) and get to the real work of devouring your moist delicious creation!

If you won't be there for the cutting of the cake, be sure to tell the server to slice across the cake to reveal the surprise!

UPDATE:

This plan can be adapted to any letter or number (or entire name if you're that industrious) or a simple oval racetrack. Here is an example of a roadway font by Susanne Fiedler on Dingfontbats. 

You can download it for free here but you'll need permission to use it commercially. Or you could enlarge any block style font and add the dotted lane lines for a pattern. For a quick alternative, use the jumbo paper mache or chipboard letters or numbers from your local craft store as cake carving guides and then cover or paint them to work into your party decorations.

This chart on how to carve number cakes may come in handy for some of the cake ideas shown below.

cakejournal.com

sugarcraft.com

geeliciousconfections.com/specialty-carved-cakes

And don't limit the fun to the little ones. This cake by Cake Central user ApelilaRains for a 40 year old could be adapted for a car enthusiast of any age.

Deborah

Chocolate Candy Acorns

Fall is upon us. Just ask my blistered hands after 3 hours of raking leaves this morning. And scooping fallen acorns from the ponds. Where were my gloves?

Since our "yard" is mostly oak trees, the acorns are EVERYWHERE right now. Here's a shot of some of them ripening before they took the leap.

These cute little guys inspired me to try a sweeter version.

This is the first attempt. Took just a couple of minutes to see if it would work and then I made these for you.

They are super easy and fast to make. And did I mention yummy? I thought they looked pretty nice and could add a sophisticated element to any fall gathering. I plan to use them on a fall inspired cake. We'll see how that goes . . . 

(UPDATE: you can see the cake I used them on here.)

They would also look adorable as a cupcake or brownie topper. Or how about or dressing up a simple fall dessert serving by placing one or two on that plate? Can't wait to see where your imagination takes you!

So, have you figured out what they are made with yet?

Harvest Peanut m&ms

and Tootsie Rolls.

Told you it was easy. And fast.

Here's how:

Chocolate Candy Acorns
Deborah Stauch
www.Once-Upon-A-Pedestal.blogspot.com

Makes about 75.

Note: The m&ms can be substituted with chocolate covered almonds although they are a bit more costly than the candies.

If you're not a Tootsie Roll fan, try caramels or pre-made caramel apple sheets as an alternate.

For fun brightly colored acorns, use regular colors of peanut m&ms and Starburst candies.

Ingredients
One 12.60 ounce package Harvest Blend Peanut m&ms
One 3.73 ounce package Tootsie Roll Midgees (about 17 per King Size pkg, only 13 needed)

Equipment
Paring knife with sharp pointed end

Directions

Wash and dry hands thoroughly. Do I need to say that? Just a friendly reminder since this is a hands on project.

Separate m&ms and set aside and yellow and red candies for snacking. You should have about 75 rust and brown candies remaining.

Unwrap 12 of the Tootsie Rolls.

1.  Cut the Tootsie Rolls into 6 equal segments by slicing the log in half and cutting each half into thirds.

2.  Not really shown in the photo but . . . using the warmth of your hands, roll each segment into a ball.

3.  Flatten each ball into a disk about 3/4" in diameter. Adjust the size if needed for any smaller m&ms. A smooth surface like a tile or granite countertop is great for this. Waxed paper can also be used as a non-stick surface. Use the paring knife to score criss-cross lines across the top of each disk, about 8-10 lines in each direction. Use the flat blade of the paring knife to loosen and release the disk if needed.

4 - 5.  Unwrap one Tootsie Roll and slice in half. You can eat the other half if you're hungry about now. Roll the cut half into a long, narrow rope about 1/8" - 1/4" in diameter. Slice the rope into tiny segments. The segments should be no larger than 1/4" since it just takes a tiny amount to form the stems.

6.  Look for the fatter end of the m&m. This will be the top or cap end.

7.  Attach the scored disks to the tops of the m&ms. The stickiness of the candy will act as the glue but if you're having trouble, use a tiny piece of Tootsie Roll as adhesive. Center the disk over the top of the m&m and use your fingertips to gently form the cap to the candy. Try not to press or rub so much as to remove the criss-cross pattern.

8.  Pierce a small hole in the top of the cap with the sharp end of the paring knife, puncturing the Tootsie Roll, not the m&m. Roll one of the tiny segments into a stem shape in the palm of your hand. Place one end of the stem inside the hole and press very gently. The stem will adhere best when the hole is freshly cut and the stem is still slightly tacky and warm from being formed.

9. Repeat 74 times or until you have enough acorns for whatever project you want to use them for.

 Enjoy your tiny treasures and the splendor of Fall!

Surprise Inside Cake - Hidden Squares and Geometrics

Just a quick note to show you another way to hide some fun inside a cake.

This cake is a chocolate cake with Duff's black color gel added.

The colorful squares are cut from white cake that has

been tinted and baked into cupcakes beforehand.

The squares stayed nice and moist and didn't get lost in all the black.

A few more squares could be added to the batter next time.

Hope you'll give them a try sometime and let me know how your experiment went.

More to come on this method since I still have scraps . . . 

Hope to see you soon!

Surprise Inside Cake - More Hidden Polka Dots

Actually the title should read more like, "Twice Baked Cakes and Cupcakes" to be accurate.

The reason is that the insides are baked first in a separate step

and then baked again with more raw batter.

Remember this cake from my last post?

I just couldn't wait to experiment some more!

Good thing we had a long holiday weekend so that

I could play Barbies in the kitchen all day long.

My head is just filled with things to try inside cakes and cupcakes!

At 3:30 am this morning, cones were calling.

Must've been on my brain from my recent snow cone cupcake post.

Who knows? Anywho, cones were first at bat in the oven today.

 It had been several years since I made the snow cones but the cans and cups were still waiting for me.

I'd forgotten about the very minor fumes from the empty V-8 juice cans I'd used way back then.

Word to the wise: find a can with no plastic coating, inside or out to support the cup while baking.

I plan to try the chrome plated egg cups next time or maybe Wilton's King Sized Muffin pan.

A metal rack for ice cream cones might also work.

I'm fairly certain my V-8 can method is no where near food safe.

Who knows what kind of drain bramage I caused myself already.

 That would explain SO many things!

Please be safe and let me know if you come up with a better solution.

 These are the empty wrappers from today.

Since snow cones were the goal last time and they weren't to be

removed from the liner until eaten, I didn't worry about the cake

releasing from the paper so much. It stuck more than I'd have preferred.

Next time I plan to try an inner liner of either parchment

or waxed paper inside the paper cone. Baking spray probably

won't work since the paper is somewhat more porous than cupcake liners.

You can see that I combined two colors in one cup in the red/green paper above.

Fun little surprise when I opened that cone.

The green on the bottom had baked up inside the center of the red.

Not sure if this happens every time but it might be worth looking into.

 Here are the naked cones inside a prepared 9 inch round.

A thin layer of batter went in first then the rest was dumped on top to cover.

I added an additional 1/4 cup of water to the cake mix this time

so that it would be thin enough to flow around the shapes.

I'd also trimmed the top and bottom of each cone to level them up a bit.

The tips of the cones all stuck in the very points of the cups

but I wanted a blunt end anyway. So it was all good.

Photo used with permission of Kerry Vincent.

Forgive me Kerry Vincent, for I have sinned. On purpose.

I made no attempt whatsoever to do a good job at frosting or decorating

the following cakes and cupcakes you'll see in my next few posts.

I really wish they would have magically decorated themselves.

For your sake. But I was beyond caring about the outside.

My mommy always told me, "It's what's inside that counts."

Let's hope so.

I am the slowest decorator ever and I REALLY

wanted to get to the heart or the guts of the matter in this case.

(I had a punk boss many years ago whose favorite saying to me was,

"You may not be good but you sure are slow!" Still true. And he's still a punk.)

So please forgive what you are about to witness.

Plain. White. Frosting.

Not even smoothed down. Shameful.

Okay. I caved and smoothed a tiny bit.

The embossed circles were added with the large end of a giant piping tip.

Notice the red/green one? That's the one I was telling you about earlier. Cool.

I was hoping to end up with larger and smaller polka dots with this cone method.

Perhaps if I'd arranged them differently.

So when it came right down to it, I still had no idea what the middle would look like.

 But I LOVE the bright colors!


More experiments to come . . .