Surprise Inside Cake - Hidden Magic the Gathering Colors

This cake was made for my special friend who was celebrating his 12th birthday recently. He wanted a Magic the Gathering themed cake and since I'd never heard of it I went right to work researching my options. Turns out it's been around for 30 years and has quite a following in some circles. A field trip to the local gaming store was quite an eye-opener!

  

The birthday boy's heart was set on having a "Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath" card on top but that was WAY beyond my piping skills and available time. Can't even pronounce it let alone pipe it properly.

So I opted for laminated versions of graphics that he could remove and save as mementos. Customizing with his name was an added incentive to use the printed graphics. MUCH cleaner and neater than my decorations would've been and I saved countless hours as well! Just the thought of trying to create an edible version of the dice had me worried due to time constraints. As you can see below, he was quite pleased with the non-edible decor. Whew!

I think this is the biggest smile I've ever seen on this boy! He was very happy with the cake and cupcakes topped with the 5 color dots using Sixlets. And he didn't even know what was waiting inside! heh, heh, heh!

   

The oval from the card back showing the five colors used in the game was hidden away with only his mom knowing in advance. I wanted to surprise her as well but I couldn't stand it and at the last minute had to share! Plus I wanted to make sure they cut the cake in the proper direction to reveal the design. Yeah. That's it. It was necessary. Not just me unable to keep my big mouth shut.

I cut the cake before frosting (hence the washed out pictures from the required camera flash at 6 am. The colors are a bit off in this photo and are also lighter since the cake was still frosty but they warmed and mellowed some when the cake was cut) and while it was still frozen to double check the hidden design. Yep, you can cut and peek and no one will be the wiser once it's assembled and frosted! Although the oval shifted a bit to one side during baking the party guests didn't seem to mind or notice.

All sides of the cake with the cupcakes ready to party! The cupcakes filled up the space between the cake plate and the round tray quite nicely and added a fun 3D element with the shiny (and tasty!) brightly colored Sixlet candies.

Hope you had a MAGICal birthday Cooper!

NOTE: this cake was not for profit so I didn't worry about copyright issues but if you plan to make this cake to sell you'll need get the proper permission to use the logos.

Surprise Inside Cake - Hidden Polka Dots ICE CREAM Cake with bonus mini tutorial

Summertime. Hot days, cooler evenings. Mostly. And lots of reasons to cool off with a frosty treat!

This Hidden Polka Dots Ice Cream Cake was made for a segment aired today on one of our local tv stations. 

"Fresh Living" by Channel KUTV 2 features special interest stories from around Utah in this program. I was thrilled to be contacted by them a few weeks ago but was both nervous and excited the closer it came to taping. Things on the homefront are hopping so it's been a little more challenging here but who doesn't love a little upheaval now and again to keep things exciting? You can see how it went here.

Our house is a bit of a wreck while the entire exterior and decks are sandblasted and readied for staining and sealing. The part they forgot to mention was that more than a little of the glass and sawdust would be coming right on through the walls to make the inside an untidy mess. One day last week my keyboard was even covered with a layer of stuff that should be floating around outside. Yuk! The one week estimate for that stage of the project has long since passed and there is still about a fourth of the work left before we move on to the fun part, powerwashing. Perhaps it will wash some of the dust away as it inevitibly finds it's way inside these log walls.

I've all but given up on taping a seperate baking demo (for a different occasion) in my kitchen over the past couple of weeks. After a multitude of attempts, I learned the following: Men in hazmat type gear strolling by the windows every so often doesn't pair well with a baking demo. Better suited for a great reality show. So that taping is now waiting for a camera crew and the local kitchen store or for the promised settling of the dust around here. And did I mention the noise? Fun and funner. I know it's gonna be beautiful when it's done. With lots more time, dust and patience.

So meanwhile, back at the ranch . . . I've been baking polka dots and tucking them in delicious creamy ice cream in preparation for the "Fresh Living" segment. Here they are peeking out from their hiding places before I unmolded and frosted them.

You can watch both me and my fever blister show how to make this cake in 5 minutes or less. Yeah. Fever blister in the middle of the night and right on my lower lip. Is the pouty or puffy look "in" these days? Guess the stress of house demolition has finally exposed itself. Great timing, eh? 

How's your summer going? Hope it's a fun one!

Deborah

Here are the tutorials for both the ice cream cake and a kid friendly quick and easy mini polka dot cake:

Hidden Polka Dots Ice Cream Cake

   

EQUIPMENT

§  5 Ziploc quart bags for tinting batter
§  Cake pop pan (18 cavities 1.75” each or similar)
§  Storage tub (8.5” size from Family Dollar set or plastic wrap lined pan, empty ice cream tub, etc
§  9” Tuff board cake round
§  Large spoon or rubber spatula
§  Scissors
§  Long, sharp serrated knife
§  Small offset spatula

INGREDIENTS

§  1 white cake mix
§  3 whole eggs
§  1/3 cup vegetable oil
§  1 1/4 cups milk
§  1 T clear imitation vanilla
§  1 small box instant vanilla or white chocolate or cheesecake pudding
§  Non-stick baking spray with flour
§  AmeriColor soft gel pastes in Orange 113, Egg Yellow 106, Electric Pink 164, Electric Green 162, & Royal Blue 102
§  1 gallon vanilla ice cream (with some leftover) or homemade
§  Optional: “All White Buttercream” (recipe follows), pre made magic shell ice cream topping or homemade
§  Candy Melts in Orange, Yellow, Pink, Vibrant Green & Blue or optional toppings like M&Ms, Chewy Skittles, Chewy Sprees, Trix cereal or similar, sprinkles or gumballs (Be sure to add at serving time or colors will run on coated candies.)
                                         

DIRECTIONS:

CAKE BALLS

§  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cake ball pan by spraying the outside of the vents and cavities with baking spray.
§  Prepare 1 white cake mix by stirring 1 small box of instant vanilla or white chocolate pudding mix into dry mix. Add eggs or whites, vanilla, vegetable oil and milk to dry mixture and stir with whisk until well combined.               
§  Divide the batter into 5 quart-sized Ziploc bags, about 3/4 c or slightly more per bag. Or you can weigh out the batter at about 7 oz. per color. Tint each bag using about 8 drops orange, 4 drops egg yellow, 3 drops pink, 3-4 drops electric green & 3 drops royal blue gel paste to resemble the Candy Melt colors. Squish the batter around in the sealed bags until colors are evenly distributed.
§  Snip a small corner from each bag and pipe out the tinted batters into the cake ball pan cavities, filling just to rim as shown.
§  The batter makes 8 of each color or 40 total (if using the 18 cavity 1.75” pan) so you’ll need to bake them in batches if you don’t own more than one cake pop pan. Yields for other cake pop pan sizes will vary.
§  Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until the cake balls are just done and springy to the touch but not browned. When cooled, trim the tops and edges to remove the ridges using sharp craft scissors.
§  Place the balls in single layer on a small baking sheet and freeze until firm. If storing, place the frozen balls in a gallon Ziploc freezer bag and store until needed or continue with assembly if desired.
§  Remove ice cream from freezer to soften when ready for assembly. Ice cream can be quick thawed by placing in microwave in 45-second intervals at 30% power. Be sure the container is microwave safe and leak proof.


ASSEMBLY

§  Line pan with plastic wrap if not using plastic tub or container.
§  Stir the softened ice cream until it is smooth and creamy. Ice cream should be similar to soft serve or frosting so it’s soft enough to spread or even close to being runny so that it will fill all the nooks and crannies.
§  Place about 2 cups of the softened ice cream or enough to cover the bottom of the prepared plastic container or lined pan and set the cake balls on top. Try to make sure that the same colors aren’t next to each other.
§  Pour the softened ice cream evenly around and on top of the cake balls to fill in any gaps.
§  Add another layer of cake balls and follow up with more ice cream. Smooth the top when finished so that no colors are showing through. Place the lid on and place cake in freezer.
§  Freeze the assembled cake for at least 2-3 hours, preferably overnight.

                                        
DECORATING & SERVING

§  Remove cake from the freezer at least 15 minutes prior to decorating for ease of unmolding.
§  Invert the cake onto a flat plate or Tuff board cake round. Frost or decorate as desired and return to freezer until serving.
§  Recommended: place frozen cake in 40-degree (standard for frig temps) refrigerator 30 minutes prior to serving time. Thawing times can very depending on type of ice cream used, other ingredients in your cake and freezer temperature.
§  Alternatively: remove from the freezer about 10 minutes prior to serving and transfer to display plate or cake pedestal if desired.
§  Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.

 _______________________________________________________________

All White “Buttercream”

Adapted from Wilton
Makes about 3 cups of frosting

Ingredients:
•   1 cup solid vegetable shortening
•   2 T clear vanilla extract
•    4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)

Instructions:
In large bowl, cream shortening with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.
For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add up to 4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.

_______________________________________________________________

Hidden Polka Dot

MINI Ice Cream  & Cereal Cakes

EQUIPMENT

§  10 count package of round mini food safe containers ($1 at Dollar Tree)
§  Small spoons & mixing bowls
§  Small offset spatula for unmolding

 
INGREDIENTS

§  Trix cereal or similar
§  Vanilla ice cream
§  Optional: pre made magic shell ice cream topping or DIY
§  Optional toppings like mini M&Ms, sprinkles or jimmies                                

DIRECTIONS:

Making the mini cakes

§  Fill mini containers with cereal in advance or let the kiddos sort the colors and count the polka dots as they fill them for you. Make sure you can still put the lids back on without crushing the cereal.
§  Remove ice cream from freezer and allow to thaw until mostly melted. Or quick thaw ice cream by placing in microwave in 45-second intervals at 30% power. Stir the softened ice cream until it is smooth and creamy. Ice cream should be similar to soft serve or frosting so it’s soft enough to spread or even close to being runny so that it will fill all the nooks and crannies.
§  Working one container at a time, dump each mini container of cereal into a small bowl. Add 3-4 small spoons of melted ice cream and stir to coat.
§  Add 2 small spoons of melted ice cream to the mini container and scoop the coated mixture back inside. Top with more ice cream until container is full.
§  Place lids on containers and freeze for 1-2 hours or preferably overnight.

Decorating & Serving

§  Remove mini cakes from the freezer at least 15 minutes prior to decorating for ease of unmolding. Invert the cakes onto a small flat plate.
§  Top with Magic Shell or DIY coating and decorate as desired with sprinkles, jimmies or mini M&Ms. Decorated cakes should be served immediately to prevent candy colors from running.
Serve with disposable mini party forks and spoons in coordinating colors if desired.

Surprise Inside Cake - Hidden Mini Polka Dots in Pumpkin!

Mini polka dots in fun Halloween colors hidden in this twice baked Magic in the Middle cake.

UPDATE: You can learn how to make your own surprise inside mini polka dot cake here.

Happy Fall!

Surprise Inside Cake - Hidden Polka Dots Recipe and Tutorial

Hope that all of you are enjoying summer where ever you are! Sun, fun and a little cake mixed in never hurt anyone.

It's been a long time coming but I've finally trimmed down the original Hidden Polka Dot Cake post. Hopefully this will make it easier to have polka dots in your life.

Hope to hear more of your success stories really soon!


Thanks!

Polka Dot Cake

Tutorial by Deborah Stauch

www.Once-Upon-A-Pedestal.blogspot.com

EQUIPMENT

§  6 bowls for tinting

§  3 – 6” cake pans

INGREDIENTS

§  2 white cake mixes

§  3 whole eggs (for cake balls)

§  3 egg whites (for second cake mix)

§  2/3 cup vegetable oil (divided)

§  1 1/4 cup (to replace water in 1^st cake mix + 1/2 cup milk (2^nd cake mix)

§  1 cup sour cream (optional for added moistness & density in 2^nd cake mix)

§  2 small boxes of instant vanilla or white chocolate pudding

§  Non-stick baking spray with flour

§  AmeriColor soft gel pastes:

Orange 113                                  Lemon Yellow 107

Electric Pink 164                        Electric Green 162  

Sky Blue 103                              Mix of Regal Purple 130 & Electric Purple 165

§  AmeriColor or Wilton White coloring (optional)

           

DIRECTIONS:

CAKE BALLS

§  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray pans with baking spray.

§  Prepare 1 white cake mix making the some of the adjustments recommended in the instruction guide with the cake pop pan. Suggested: Add 1 box of instant vanilla pudding and substitute milk for the water called for in the mix. Do not decrease the liquid or increase the amount of eggs listed in the cake mix instructions.              

§  Divide the batter into 6 bowls and tint each using about 1/2 t. of gel paste so that the colors remain vivid after baking. You will have batter left over to make another batch of cake balls for a different project.

§  Prepare cake ball pan by spraying the outside of the vents with baking spray. Pour tinted batters into cake ball pan – 3 balls of each color.

§  Bake at 350F for 13 minutes so the cake balls are just done and springy to the touch but not browned. This way they won’t dry out too much and float during the second bake time.

§  When cooled, trim the tops and edges to remove the ridges using sharp craft scissors.

  WHITE CAKE

§  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray pans with baking spray.

§  Prepare the 2^nd cake mix as directed on the box using the all white method shown on the package with egg whites. Add a small box of instant vanilla pudding, 1 cup of sour cream, 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup milk and 1/3 cup vegetable oil to the dry mix. Make sure the cake mix does NOT have pudding already added. Add optional white color for even better contrast if desired.

§  Place just enough batter to cover the bottom of the prepared pans and set the cake balls on top.

§  Pour the batter evenly around the cake balls, saving a small amount to barely spoon over the top of the balls. Do not tap the pan.

§  Mark the edge of the pans w/batter where you want the balls to line up – and notch the cakes when they’re done.

§  Bake the filled 6” rounds for about 30-35 minutes until they pull from the sides of the pan and spring back when lightly touched. Do not use a toothpick to test.

§  If your cakes are not level or have bumps where the balls have risen, place a damp paper towel on top of each layer as soon as they are removed from the oven. Press the warm cake with something flat, like the bottom of a smaller pan. Invert the layers after 10 minutes onto a flat surface to finish cooling. Wrap the cooled layers in plastic wrap and freeze until solid.

§  Prepare frosting from recipe below. Double the recipe if you like tons of frosting.

§  Remove cake layers from freezer. Frost the tops of 2 layers and stack. Frost the top and sides and decorate as desired. Refrigerate until 1 hour before serving for cutting ease.

Wilton's Buttercream Icing (Pure White Version)

Yield: about 3 cups of icing

INGREDIENTS

•  1 cup solid vegetable shortening

•  1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract Easy-Add clear vanilla extract

•   4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)

•  2 tablespoons milk

•  1/2 teaspoon No-Color Butter Flavor

•  Add up to 4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk to thin for icing cakes.

INSTRUCTIONS:

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.

Happy Caking!