Chocolate Pinata Food

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE PINATA CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, vanilla and eggs. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and then stir in the coffee.
• Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Begin checking for doneness at 23 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat together the powdered sugar and butter in a large bowl until creamy. Add the heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and beat to combine.
• For the assembly: Once the cakes are cooled, use a biscuit cutter to cut out 2- to 3-inch circles from the centers of 2 of the layers. (Use these circles to make a mini cake or just eat them.) Place one of the uncut layers on a plate or cake board and spread on a layer of frosting. Stack up the 2 cut layers on top of that with a layer of frosting in between. Fill the hole to the top with the candy-coated sunflower seeds or your favorite candy. Frost the top of the cake, then top it with the remaining uncut cake layer and frost it all over.

STUFFED PINATA CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
• Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
• For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
• Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
• For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1 1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
• Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
• Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.

SURPRISE PIñATA FOOTBALL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and base line a 20cm round cake tin with baking parchment. To make the chocolate cake, put the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Add all the remaining ingredients and beat well until light and creamy. Spoon into the tin and spread level. Bake in the oven for about 45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool. When cold, slice the top off the cake to make it level.
• To make the mint cake, grease and base line your 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. Put the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Add the remaining ingredients and beat well until light and creamy. Spoon into the tin and spread level. Bake in the oven for about 45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool. Do not slice the top level as it needs to be rounded.
• To make the butter icing, put the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Slice the chocolate and mint cakes in half horizontally so you have four layers. Using an 8cm round cutter, stamp a circle from the centre of each layer. Place the bottom layer of chocolate cake on a 25cm cake board. Spread with a little butter icing. Place the bottom green layer on top. Spread with butter icing and place the other chocolate layer on top. Spread with more icing and place the rounded green sponge on top.
• Fill the centre hole with sweets, almost to the top. Take one of the 8cm green sponge pieces and slice in half horizontally. Place one piece on the cake to cover the hole containing the sweets. Spread the top with the remaining butter icing. Roll out about 300g of the white fondant icing to a 20cm circle and place on top of the cake.
• Brush the sides of the cake with apricot jam. Measure the circumference of the cake and the depth. Add 2.5cm to the depth measurement. Using these measurements roll out the green fondant to a long strip. (You may find it easier to do two shorter strips). Attach the strip around the cake. Use scissors snip around the top edge to represent grass.
• Make a cardboard template of a pentagon (5 sides). Roll out the black icing and cut out six pentagons. Place them on the cake as for a football. If you wish to stick them in place use a little icing sugar mixed with water.
• With the remaining white icing trimmings make a scarf and paint with food colouring in your team colours. Drape the scarf over the edge of the cake. Add candles as desired.

CHOCOLATE PINATA CUPCAKE: CUPCAKE SANDWICH RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 12-cup cupcake tins with paper liners.
• OPTION 1: If using prepared mix, in a medium bowl, whisk together the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs.
• OPTION 2: If making the cupcake batter from scratch, in a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and boiling water until the cocoa powder is completely dissolved. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, cocoa mixture, baking soda, salt and vanilla extract.
• Fill the cupcake cups halfway with batter.
• Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating.
• Using a large piping tip, poke a hole in the center of each cupcake. Discard the scraps or save for another use.Fill each hole with the sprinkles.
• Top each cupcake with cream cheese frosting, a drizzle of chocolate, and a mini peanut butter cup.
• Enjoy!