Frosted White Chocolate Easter Cake Food

EASTER EGG NEST CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large metal mixing bowl (about 10 1/2 inches in diameter) with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Combine the cake mix, eggs, oil and 1/2 cup water in a large bowl. (The water and oil is less than what the box instructions call for.) Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until fully combined, about 2 minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared bowl and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes in the bowl, then remove from the bowl and let cool completely on a cooling rack, about 2 hours.
• For the nest: Meanwhile, spray the same bowl you used to bake the cake in with nonstick cooking spray.
• Melt the butter and marshmallows together in a large pot over low heat, stirring frequently. Add the white chocolate and cinnamon and stir until fully combined. Add the brown and yellow food coloring and mix until blended. Add the chow mein noodles and mix until all the noodles are coated with the marshmallow mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared bowl and quickly press into the bowl to form a nest shape. If your hands start to stick, spray them with cooking spray (Caution: the mixture is hot, but you have to work quickly or it will harden; you can wear gloves for this step if necessary). Let cool about 2 hours.
• Remove the nest from the bowl and line the bowl with plastic wrap, letting some plastic wrap hang over the edge of the bowl. Place the nest back in the bowl, over the plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• For the eggs: Place the white chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. (Do not overheat.) Divide the melted chocolate into 2 bowls. Whisk 6 drops blue food coloring and 5 drops green food coloring into one bowl until a robin's egg blue color is created.
• Gently push the pointed end of a skewer into the bottom of each chocolate egg, slightly off-center (do not hit the seam of the egg, or the egg will split along the seam). Gently dip the egg into the blue chocolate and turn until the egg is evenly coated. Lift the egg out of the blue chocolate and hold above the bowl to allow excess to drip off. Push the flat end of the skewer into a foam block or container of sugar or salt to allow the egg to dry undisturbed. Repeat this process to dip 4 more eggs into the blue chocolate. Dip the remaining 5 eggs in the white chocolate in the same manner. (If at any point the melted chocolate becomes too thick, microwave for 30 seconds more to loosen.) Set the eggs aside to harden for 1 hour.
• Remove the eggs from the skewers and place on a paper towel-lined tray.
• Combine 4 drops green food coloring and 4 drops blue coloring with 1 tablespoon water in a small spray bottle. Lightly spritz the green mixture onto the eggs in a speckled pattern. Allow the eggs to dry again for 1 hour.
• For decorating: Spread 1 can of the cream cheese frosting into the nest, leaving the outer border unfrosted.
• Slice 1 1/2 to 2 inches off of the flat side of the cake so that it will fit well inside the nest. Using a spoon, remove some cake to hollow out a depression in the top (the flat side) of the cake, leaving a 2-inch border intact along the outer edge of the cake.
• Place the cake hollowed-side up into the frosted nest. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large tip with the remaining cream cheese frosting and frost the top of the cake; spread evenly using an offset spatula or a spoon. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top of the cake, making sure to coat completely. If not using immediately, refrigerate. (Let the refrigerated cake come to room temperature for 1 hour before serving.)
• Using the excess plastic wrap, pull the nest cake out of the bowl and place on a cake stand or platter. Arrange the eggs in the nest, then decorate with mint sprigs and edible flowers, and serve.

FROSTED CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. In a small bowl, mix cocoa and boiling water until smooth; cool slightly. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment., Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter, brown sugar and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and 1 egg yolk at a time. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition. Stir in cocoa mixture., With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 23-28 minutes., Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely., Beat together first 4 frosting ingredients. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, dust top lightly with cocoa.

EASTER CUPCAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 (6-cup) muffin pans with cupcake liners.
• Frosting: Put the chocolate chips and shortening in a medium microwavable bowl. Microwave on high, stirring halfway between cooking time, until the chocolate is melted, about 40 to 50 seconds. Stir until smooth. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the melted chocolate, orange juice, vanilla, and salt until blended. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
• Cupcakes: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and egg yolks, 1 at time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the sour cream, zest, and juice until blended. Add the flour mixture on low speed, and beat until just blended.
• Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely on a rack.
• With a small metal spatula, spread the frosting over the tops of the cooled cupcakes; use assorted fruit and candies to decorate the cupcakes.

ALMOND LAYER CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Pulse 2 cups flour, the baking powder, salt and almonds in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground into a powder, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the egg whites, milk, and vanilla and almond extracts in a medium bowl until combined.
• Beat 1 stick butter and the granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, until just combined.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool in the pans. (The cakes can be frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 weeks. Unwrap and thaw at room temperature.)
• Make the frosting: Microwave the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring, until melted; set aside. Beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 4 minutes. Gently fold in the melted white chocolate with a rubber spatula. (The frosting can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days. Beat with a mixer to soften just before frosting the cake.)
• Assemble the cake: Loosen the edges of the cakes with a knife, then invert 1 layer onto a platter and peel off the parchment. Spread 1 to 1 1/2 cups frosting on top. Remove the other layer from the pan, peel off the parchment and carefully place on top of the first layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting (this is the "crumb coat"; it doesn't have to be perfect). Chill 15 minutes, then cover with the remaining frosting and decorate with nonpareils.

WHITE CHOCOLATE EASTER CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• To make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high-sides.
• Bring half and half to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla and stir until smooth; cool to room temperature.
• Finely grind pistachios with flour and baking powder in processor. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture alternately with white chocolate mixture in 2 additions each. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 2 additions.
• Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn out cakes onto racks; cool completely.
• Hull and slice 2 baskets strawberries. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1 cup buttercream over. Arrange enough berry slices over to cover. Spread 1 cup buttercream over. Arrange another layer of sliced berries over to cover. Spread thin layer of buttercream over second cake layer and place cake, buttercream side down, atop berries. Press gently to adhere. Spread remaining buttercream over top and sides of cake. Chill cake until buttercream is firm, about 1 hour.
• Knead marzipan in medium bowl to soften. Shape marzipan into disk. Dust work surface with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Roll out marzipan disk on powdered sugar to 9 1/2-round. Place on cake; press to adhere to top and gently press overhang onto sides of cake.
• Beat whipping cream and remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar in large bowl to firm peaks. Transfer to large pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe cream in side-by-side columns up sides of cake. Pipe border of rosettes around top edge of cake. Refrigerate cake until cold, at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.)
• Arrange remaining whole strawberries in center of cake.
• To make frosting:
• Bring half and half and pistachios to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Whisk sugar, yolks and flour in medium bowl to blend. Bring half and half mixture to simmer; gradually whisk into yolk mixture. Return to same saucepan; stir over medium heat until mixture bubbles thickly, about 5 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Transfer to processor; blend until nuts are very finely chopped. Transfer pistachio pastry cream to bowl. Cover and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
• Using electric mixer, beat unsalted butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add pastry cream by 1/4 cupfuls, beating well after each addition. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)