Chef notes
This lamb cake is an Easter tradition in chef Jeffrey Mauro's household, and once you see the look on the kids' faces when you reveal this cute creation, it's sure to be one in your household, too.
Kitchen equipment required: Lamb tin, mixing bowls, hand held mixer
Technique tip: When I bake a cake, I always start testing the cake with a toothpick about halfway through the bake time.
Swap option: You can definitely change up the decorations and use cookies in place of jelly beans.
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups sugar
- 6 eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 1½ tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Shredded sweetened coconut
- Jelly beans (assorted colors)
- Red rope licorice
Preparation
For the lamb cake:
Heat oven to 325°F. Coat lamb cake mold with cooking spray and generously dust with flour. In a large bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix well. Add flour beating until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Do not over-bake. Remove from oven, and let sit until cool. Remove from mold and let cool prior to decorating.
For the frosting and decoration:
In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and flour. Add milk and mix well. Cook over low heat until boiling and thick like custard. Pour into a large bowl and let cool thoroughly. Add room temperature butter, vanilla and beat with a mixer on high speed until it resembles whipped cream.
The frosting may seem thin, but it will thicken once it's applied to the cake and refrigerated.
Add sweetened shredded coconut all over the cake to resemble the lamb's wool, jelly beans for the eyes, nose and mouth, and add licorice or blue ribbon for its bow tie.
