Hidden snowman cake

Preparation

Baking Directions:

For Vanilla Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 13×9×2-inch baking pan.

Line bottom of pan with parchment; grease paper and flour pan.

Set aside.

In a medium bowl stir together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down sides as necessary, about 3 minutes.

Add oil; beat until combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.

Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating on medium-low speed after each addition until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.

Remove from oven.

Transfer pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Cover with plastic wrap.

Freeze 30 minutes.

For Chocolate Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coat a 10-inch tube pan with nonstick cooking spray for baking; set aside.

Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.

Pour hot coffee over; do not stir.

Let stand 2 minutes.

Whisk chocolate and coffee mixture until smooth; cool.

Stir in buttermilk and vanilla; set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until combined, about 30 seconds; set aside.

In a very large bowl beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed, scraping down sides as necessary, about 2 minutes.

Add oil; beat 2 minutes more.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Alternately add flour mixture and chocolate mixture, beating on medium-low speed after each addition until fully incorporated.

Increase speed to medium high; beat 20 seconds more.

Set chocolate batter aside.

Using a 3-inch snowman cookie cutter, cut 12 to 15 snowmen from vanilla cake; set snowmen aside.

* 7. To assemble, spread half of the batter into prepared tube pan.

Place snowmen cutouts, heads down, into batter, about 1⁄2 inch apart.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large open round tip with some of the remaining batter.

Pipe (or spoon) batter around snowmen, keeping them evenly spaced.

Spoon remaining batter over snowmen to within 1 inch of top of pan; carefully spread to cover.

Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake cake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a long skewer inserted near center of cake comes out clean.

Loosely cover cake with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning.

Remove; cool 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Using a table knife, loosen sides and around tube.

Invert pan onto the rack; remove pan.

Cool cake completely.

Meanwhile, for Marshmallow Frosting, in a large heatproof stainless-steel bowl combine egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, and salt.

Set bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water).

Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F, about 10 minutes.

Remove bowl from saucepan.

Continue beating until stiff peaks form; let cool.

Using a small offset spatula, generously frost top and sides of cooled cake.

Makes 24 servings.

Tips:

Note: Use remaining chocolate batter for cupcakes, spooning 1⁄4 cup batter per cup into a pan lined with paper bake cups.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes at 350ºF.

Each 1-inch-slice serving 477 cal, 24 g fat, 79 mg chol, 197 mg sodium, 64 g carb, 2 g fiber, 6 g pro.