Light Up Reindeer Cake Food

CHOCOLATE REINDEER CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat two 8-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk the cocoa powder and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and tap the pans against the counter to help the batter settle. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level.
• For the ganache: Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand 5 minutes, then stir until completely smooth. Let the ganache sit until it has cooled and thickened to a spreadable consistency, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cardboard cake circle on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch any drips. Spread about 1/2 cup of the ganache on top and place the second cake layer cut-side down over the ganache. Dollop half of the remaining ganache on top and spread with a large offset spatula so the ganache covers the top of the cake and slowly runs down the sides. Repeat with the remaining ganache, using the offset spatula to make a smooth, even layer over the surface and around the sides of the cake. Refrigerate until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• To decorate: Melt the white chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave in 15 second intervals on 50 percent power until melted, stirring after each interval. Let sit 5 minutes, then transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip. (Alternatively, transfer to a resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner.) Pipe a straight line through the center of the cake from top to bottom, then another line through the center from left to right, dividing the cake into quarters. Pipe 2 more lines to divide the cake into eighths. Pipe a circle of white chocolate around the edge of the cake. Pipe a small circle where the points intersect in the center of the cake. Place a candy-coated chocolate near the tip of each point for reindeer noses (one of them will be red). Add 2 reindeer eyes above each nose. Stick 2 pretzel twist pieces above each pair of eyes.

TWINKLING CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS CAKE

Steps:

• First decorate the top of the cake. With the black sparkle gel, pipe three arcs across the top of the cake (These are the wires.) Draw tiny rectangles hanging off each arc, spaced about 1/2 inch apart. (These are the "sockets.")
• Snip the candies in half with kitchen shears. You'll be using the rounded ends; save the other ends for another use (or eat them!). Place each rounded end beneath a rectangle, so the flat cut side attaches to the flat side of the rectangle. (These are the lights.)
• Next decorate the sides of the cake. Pipe wide swags around the circumference, with their ends connected. Pipe rectangle sockets hanging off the wire, just as you did on top of cake. Place candy lights under the sockets.

REINDEER CAKE

Steps:

• Separate the buttercream into 4 separate bowls (2 larger bowls and 2 smaller bowls). In one of the smaller bowls, use leaf green, chocolate brown, yellow and black gel colors to make a dark, evergreen color. In one of the larger bowls, use a few drops of yellow and chocolate brown gel colors to make a mocha color (lighter than the shade of brown fondant you have). In the other larger bowl, use chocolate brown and black gel colors to make a dark brown (darker than the shade of brown fondant you have). In the other smaller bowl, use red gel color to make a Christmas red color.
• Sprinkle your clean table with cornstarch. Knead your light brown/mocha fondant (similar to bread dough) until it is smooth. Using a rolling pin, roll the fondant so that it is approximately a 14-inch circle that's 1/4-to-1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with cornstarch and roll onto the rolling pin. Unroll onto the top of the cake and smooth out the top and sides with a fondant smoother so that there are no air bubbles.
• Roll a thin snake of light brown/mocha fondant for the border of the cake.
• Make antlers: Roll modeling chocolate out to about 1 1/2 inches thick. Freehand cut 2 antler shapes. Slide a wooden skewer into each antler as far as it will go. Paint with edible gold paint.
• Make ears: Roll the leftover light brown/mocha fondant into 2 teardrop shapes. Use your thumb to indent the centers of each to create the ear shape. Place a toothpick or wooden skewer in the bottom of each one. Paint the center of each ear with edible gold paint.
• Take a small amount of black fondant and roll out a snake for each eye. Use smaller pieces to create the eyelashes. Accent eyelashes with edible gold paint.
• Create the mane by piping alternating rosettes down the center of the cake with the mocha and dark brown buttercream. Add smaller green shells and top each of those with a red holly berry bunch.
• Pipe a red nose below the eyes using a large plain tip.
• Add the antlers and the ears to the top of the cake.

REINDEER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of three 6-in. round baking pans with parchment paper; grease and flour parchment and sides of pans., In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat in butter until crumbly. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup milk and extracts; beat on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining milk. Gently fold in jimmies., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For buttercream, in a microwave, melt chocolate with cream until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Set aside to cool slightly. In a heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt until blended. Place over simmering water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until a thermometer reads 160°, 8-10 minutes., Remove from heat. With whisk attachment of stand mixer, beat on high speed until cooled to 90°, about 7 minutes. Gradually beat in butter, a few tablespoons at a time, on medium speed until smooth; beat in melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in cocoa through a sifter., Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Reserve remaining buttercream for decorating. Decorate as desired. Store in refrigerator.