For All Our Young Facebook Friends…
No need to wait for that perfect snow to create this charming fellow. Just break out the mini marshmallows.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 2 tablespoons flour
Yellow Cake Batter:
- Shortening, as needed
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for pans
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup (5 2/3 ounces) unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh orange zest or lemon zest
Creamy White Frosting:
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract, orange extract or almond extract
- 1 pound (1 box) confectioners’ sugar, sifted (4 ½ cups)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Classic Icing Glaze:
- 24 ounces (3 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons light-colored corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
- 6 cups mini marshmallows (10.5 ounce bag)
- Candy Coal, black rock candy, or any black candy, for eyes, mouth and buttons
- 4 ounces (1/2 cup) orange fondant
- 6 ounces (3/4 cup) red fondant
- 8 ounces (1 cup) white fondant
- 2 Little Debbie Snow Puff cookies
- 4 ounces white or clear food glitter
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom of one 6 inch round cake pan and one 8 inch round cake pan, then line it with waxed paper or parchment paper and grease and lightly flour the bottom and sides.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 ½ cups flour, the baking powder and salt.
- Using an electric mixer on medium to high speed, beat the butter in a large bowl for 30 seconds. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, beating each addition 3 to 4 minutes or until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl; continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes more, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low speed and beating until just combined after each addition, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the milk. Add the orange zest and, with mixer on medium to high speed, beat the batter for 20 seconds more.
- Fill the prepared pans two thirds full with batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes for the 6 inch pan, and 30 to 35 minutes for the 8 inch pan. Cool the cakes completely in the pans on cooling racks and then turn them out onto the racks.
- Make the Frosting: With a mixer on medium speed, beat together the shortening, vanilla extract and lemon extract in a medium bowl for 30 seconds. Slowly add half the confectioners’ sugar, beating well. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the milk. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar and enough milk until the icing reaches a spreadable consistency. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Referring to the photo, place the cooled cakes next to each other on a large platter or 16 inch cardboard base. Using an offset spatula, bond the cakes with a little frosting where they touch. Then frost the sides of the cakes.
- Make the Glaze: In a large bowl, add the corn syrup to the sugar; stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Stir in the water. The glaze should be thick but pourable and spreadable. If it is too thick, stir in more water, a few drops at a time. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Dip a clean offset spatula into warm water, wipe it dry, and use it to spread the glaze over the top of the cakes.
- Referring to the photo and working from the perimeter toward the center, arrange the mini marshmallows in concentric rings on top of each cake.
- Place 2 pieces of candy coal on the larger cake for buttons. Arrange some candy coal on the smaller cake for the eyes and mouth as shown. If the candy chunks are too large, place them in a sealable plastic bag on a work surface and lightly tap with a hammer or rolling pin to break them into smaller pieces.
- For the nose, mold the orange fondant into a carrot shape about 3 ½ inches long. Lay it on top of the smaller cake.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the red fondant to about 1/8 in thick. Using a small, sharp knife, cut it into 1 by 1 ½ inch strips. Roll out the white fondant to the same thickness. Cut into one 1 by 3 ½ inch strip and two 1 by 5 inch strips.
- Referring to the photo, arrange the fondant to be the scarf: Place the red strips at intervals on top of the white strips. Shape 1 end of the shorter white strip so it looks “crushed” and place the strip across the snowman’s neck. Cut 1 end of each of the other strips at an angle and layer them on top of the first at 1 side of the neck, placing the pointed ends down.
- For the earmuffs, spread a little frosting on back of each Snow Puff cookie and affix 1 on each side of the snowman’s head.
- Using a spoon, lightly sprinkle the food glitter over the entire cake.
Serves 10-14
Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.
THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com
Precious Art By Precious People 