Tree Stump Moss Cake Recipe By Tasty Food

STUMP DE NOEL CAKE

Steps:

• Put the cake on a slightly larger lazy Susan or cardboard cake plate.
• Frost the top of the cake: Mix approximately three-quarters of the dulce de leche with 1/4 cup of the vanilla frosting; transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (this will be your darker frosting). Mix the remaining dulce de leche with the remaining 3/4 cup vanilla frosting; transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (this will be your lighter frosting).
• Starting in the center of the cake, pipe concentric circles of the darker frosting out to about a 2-inch circle. Using a small offset spatula, spread out the frosting to about a 3-inch circle.
• With the lighter frosting, pipe concentric circles around the 3-inch circle, leaving about a 1-inch margin around the edge of the cake. Using a clean offset spatula, smooth the lighter frosting to the edge of the cake, so the entire top of the cake is covered. Smooth everything with a clean offset spatula.
• Line the point of a cake comb with the center of the cake and slowly rotate the cake to create concentric tree rings. When the lines of the circle meet, gently lift the comb (if you don't have a cake comb, this effect can be recreated using the tines of a fork).
• Make the chocolate bark: Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat and set aside.
• Separately melt the dark and milk chocolates over a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour the dark chocolate over the prepared baking sheet, using an offset spatula to spread to the width of the baking sheet but not smoothing out the chocolate. Drizzle the melted milk chocolate on top. Using the edge of a small offset spatula or a butter knife, make vertical lines and swirls running through the chocolate to create the look of tree bark. Be sure to apply various levels of pressure as the offset spatula is pulled through the chocolate to create a textured look. Let cool at room temperature until firmly set, at least 30 minutes.
• Break the chocolate into large vertical pieces of varying heights to form pieces of bark. Use these pieces to cover the sides of the cake.
• Make the berry mushrooms: Roll 1/2-inch pieces of marzipan between your fingers into stem shapes, making them wider at the base so they can stand upright. Place a stem inside the hollow of each raspberry and strawberry, using a skewer to secure the marzipan to the fruit if needed and to secure them down into the cake. Make mushrooms of various sizes and shapes to give a more natural effect and use the mushrooms to decorate the tops and sides of the cake, pressing gently to adhere the marzipan to the surface.
• Make the pistachio moss and marshmallow stones: Put the pistachios in a mini food processor and add approximately 8 drops each of the green and yellow food coloring. Pulse the food processor to chop the pistachios to a coarse grind the texture of moss. Adjust the food coloring as needed to achieve the desired color. Spoon the moss around the cake plate alongside the bottom of the cake.
• Mix the mini marshmallows and cocoa in a small bowl. Rough up the marshmallows between your fingers to create texture, shaking off the excess cocoa powder. Add the stones to the base of the cake on the pistachio moss.
• Using a fine-mesh strainer, shake confectioners' sugar over the top of the cake, creating a snowy effect.

NEAPOLITAN SWISS ROLL RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until light yellow and frothy. Add the water, oil, cake mix, sour cream, and stir until combined.
• Separate the batter into three bowls. Add the cocoa powder to one of the bowls of batter, and stir until combined. Pour the chocolate batter into a piping bag, cut off the tip off of the piping bag.
• Add the strawberry gelatin powder to one of the bowls of batter, and stir until combined. Pour the strawberry batter into a piping bag, cut off the tip off of the piping bag.
• Pour the rest of the vanilla batter into a piping bag, cut off the tip off of the piping bag.
• Pipe the strawberry onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, starting in the upper left corner. Pipe 3 1-inch (2 cm) lines of batter diagonally across the pan, beginning with the strawberry, following with the chocolate, then the vanilla. Continue this pattern until you have filled the entire baking sheet. Tap pan on the counter 3 times to release any air bubbles.
• Bake for 7 minutes.
• While warm, flip cake carefully onto a large dish towel. While still warm, roll with the towel tightly but carefully. Set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes.
• Unroll the cake carefully, and peel away the parchment paper.
• Spread the vanilla frosting evenly on the cake.
• Gently roll the cake up making sure not to roll too tight or the frosting will come out of the sides of the cake roll.
• Enjoy!

WOODLAND STUMP CAKE

Steps:

• Chiffon Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush two rimmed baking sheets with butter. Line with parchment; butter parchment.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together oil, egg yolks, milk, and vanilla seeds. Whisk egg-yolk mixture into flour mixture.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Whisk one-third of egg-white mixture into batter. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining egg-white mixture with a rubber spatula.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared sheets and spread to edges with a spatula. Bake until tops spring back when lightly touched, about 18 minutes. Dust two kitchen towels with confectioners' sugar. Invert one cake onto a towel; remove parchment. Dust with more confectioners' sugar. Starting at one short side, roll into a log, incorporating towel. Repeat with remaining cake. Let cool completely.
• White Modeling Chocolate: Stir together white chocolate and 3 tablespoons corn syrup until mixture has consistency of thick batter or very soft dough. If mixture is too thick, add remaining 1 tablespoon corn syrup. Pour mixture into center of a large piece of plastic wrap; use edges of plastic to gather into a disk. Wrap tightly and let stand until firm, about 1 hour or up to overnight. When ready to use, transfer to a surface dusted with confectioners' sugar; knead until smooth and pliable.
• Semisweet Modeling Chocolate: Stir together semisweet chocolate and corn syrup until mixture has consistency of thick batter or very soft dough. Pour mixture into center of a large piece of plastic wrap; use edges of plastic to gather into a disk. Wrap tightly and let stand until firm, about 1 hour or up to overnight. When ready to use, transfer to a surface dusted with cocoa; knead until smooth and pliable.
• Chocolate-Hazelnut Filling: In a small bowl, whisk together chocolate-hazelnut spread and 1/4 cup cream until thickened. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 3 cups cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Add chocolate mixture and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
• Assembly: Unroll cooled cakes, remove kitchen towels, and reroll. Cut each cake crosswise into thirds. Unroll one piece of cake and spread with about 1 cup filling. Roll into a tight spiral and place, cut-side up, in center of a large serving platter. Unroll a second piece of cake, spread with another 1 cup filling, and wrap around perimeter of first piece. Repeat with remaining 4 pieces of cake. Spread remaining filling over top and sides of cake.
• Roll white modeling chocolate into a 1/4-inch-thick round, about 11 inches in diameter. Place on top of cake and fold overhanging edges down sides of cake. Lightly brush overhanging edges with water. Roll 1 1/2 cups semisweet modeling chocolate into a 6-by-8-inch rectangle. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to press a pattern crosswise on semisweet chocolate to resemble bark. Use a pizza wheel to cut a straight edge along one long side of semisweet chocolate. Affix bark to perimeter of cake, cut-side up, and gather bottom to resemble roots, placing small balls of semisweet chocolate in between bark and cake to create more dimension. Continue in this manner, working around sides of cake. Repeat process with remaining semisweet chocolate, then seam pieces of semisweet chocolate together by pinching and folding over each other to create a gnarled appearance.
• Using a paring knife, score lines onto surface of tree stump, radiating out from center, to resemble cracks. Use a soft bristled brush to dust white chocolate with cocoa. Mix a small amount of cocoa with water, one drop at a time, until it has consistency of thick paint. Dip the tip of a 2-inch-wide coarse brush into cocoa mixture; dry-brush tree rings onto surface of tree stump. Brush sides and roots of stump in some spots with corn syrup; sprinkle pistachios over brushed spots to create appearance of patches of moss. Place a few candy mushrooms on sides of cake. Decorated cake can be stored in refrigerator, covered, up to 1 day.

GIANT ZEBRA 'BOX' CAKE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the whipped cream and marshmallow fluff. Beat with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
• Use a serrated knife to carefully remove the domed top from the cakes, leaving a flat, even surface. Save the scraps for later - you can eat them with leftover melted chocolate or crumbled over ice cream.
• Spread the filling over the bottom cake, leaving about ¾-inch (2 cm) border around the edge. Place the other cake upside down on top of the filling.
• Trim the cake into a hexagon. Transfer the cake to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
• Make the coating: Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Combine the white chocolate chips and coconut oil in a medium heatproof bowl and set it over the pan (make sure the bottom of the bowl isn't touching the water). When the white chocolate and coconut oil begin to melt, mix together until smooth. Be careful, as the bowl will be very hot.
• Pour the melted white chocolate mixture over the cake. Use a knife to spread to the edges and down the sides. Once smooth, run a knife under the edges of the cake so it doesn't stick to the rack and place the cake in the refrigerator until the coating is set, 10-15 minutes.
• Transfer the melted dark chocolate chips to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Carefully pipe chocolate zebra stripes onto the cake. Return to the refrigerator to set for 10-15 minutes. Remove the cake once the stripes are dry.
• To serve, slowly and carefully slice with a serrated knife so the shell doesn't crack. Score the slices with a paring knife before cutting to make it easier, if needed.
• Enjoy!