Spirograph Cake Recipes

RED VELVET SHARK CAKE

Steps:

• For the red velvet cake layers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and two 6-inch round cake pans with flour-based baking spray.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and granulated sugar and mix on medium speed until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
• In a small bowl, combine the liquid food coloring and cocoa powder. Stir until smooth. Add the mixture to the creamed butter mixture.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the flour. Scrape down the bowl and mix again on low speed until no pockets of flour remain.
• Combine the baking soda and vinegar in a small cup; the mixture will bubble and fizz. Pour into the cake batter and mix on medium-low speed until well incorporated.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when pressed in the center. Let the cakes cool slightly in the pans. Turn the cakes out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• When the cakes are cool, use a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut the centers from two of the 8-inch cake layers, or use a knife.
• Cut a large triangle from the center of each 6-inch cake layer; cut the triangles in half and set aside. Save all of the scraps from the 6-inch cakes for later use.
• For the buttercream frosting: In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the butter and confectioners' sugar on low speed. Add the vanilla extract and increase the speed to medium. Gradually add milk or cream a little at a time until the mixture thins to spreading consistency. Whip at high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.
• Remove half of the frosting and transfer to a large disposable piping bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in the end.
• Remove half of the remaining frosting to a separate large bowl and tint with the black, sky blue and royal blue food coloring. Mix in the food coloring 1/4 teaspoon at a time until the desired intensity of blue-grey hue is achieved. Transfer to a large piping bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in the end.
• Divide the remaining frosting into three separate small bowls; tint one bowl with red food coloring, one bowl with sky blue food coloring and the last bowl with black. Add the coloring 1/4 teaspoon at a time until the desired intensity is achieved. Transfer the red buttercream to a disposable piping bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in the end. Transfer the sky blue buttercream to a disposable piping bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in the end. Transfer the black buttercream to a disposable piping bag with a 1/8-inch hole snipped in the end.
• For the decors and assembly: Place a cake layer with the center removed on a cardboard cake round (8 inches or larger). Pipe a fat line of white (untinted) frosting on top of the cake around the opening. Place the second cake layer with the center removed on top of the first.
• Combine the blue sprinkles and fish-shaped candy in a bowl or a jar; mix together. Pour the candy into the center of the cake, filling the empty hole to the top. Pipe a fat line of white icing around the filled hole in the center of the cake. Place the last, whole cake layer on top. Chill the cake in the refrigerator until the buttercream is set, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the chilled cake from the refrigerator and carefully cut away two sides of the cake so that the cake is an oval shape.
• Place a fat line of white frosting on one long side of the cake; stack the four cake triangles (cut from the 6-inch cakes) upright onto the line of frosting. Frost the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting (crumb-coat). Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until the frosting is firm.
• Frost the cake with additional white frosting. Using an offset spatula, smooth and round the pointed triangle pieces with extra frosting so that it resembles a shark's snout. Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes.
• Pipe a fat line of white frosting around the mouth of the shark and down the front of the cake. Smooth using an offset spatula. Pipe a thick covering of blue-grey frosting on the back of the cake and smooth with a spatula.
• Pipe red frosting in the front mouth opening and use the back of a spoon to smooth it into the cavity. You will have leftover frosting; reserve for later use. Refrigerate the cake until well-chilled, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer the cake on the cake board to a large 12-inch square cake drum. Pipe a line of blue-grey frosting around the right and left sides of the cake at the base. Use two of the 6-inch cake scraps with rounded edges to create the shark's flippers. Cover the pieces with blue-grey frosting and smooth with an offset spatula.
• Use one or two more of the rounded cake scraps to create a fin on the back center of the shark. Cover with blue-grey frosting.
• Make a divot on each side of the shark head with the back of a spoon; fill each divot with black frosting. While the frosting is still wet, add a single white confetti sprinkle to each eye.
• Remove 35 white candy melting wafers and cut each to a point so they are shark tooth-shaped, using kitchen-dedicated scissors. Insert the teeth into the top and bottom edge of the mouth opening, creating a double row of teeth.
• Pipe the sky blue buttercream around the bottom edge of the cake to create water around the shark. Pipe a small amount of leftover white frosting and blend into the blue portion.
• Place the remaining candy melting wafers in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until the candy can be stirred smooth. Transfer the melted candy to a disposable piping bag and snip a small hole in the end. Pipe the candy into a nonstick donut pan. Chill until set, about 20 minutes.
• Turn out the candy and place around the bottom of the shark cake in the blue frosting. Pipe four lines of leftover red buttercream to create the appearance of a life preserver.
• Allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving. Use a large serrated knife to open the shark's belly in front of an audience. Remove the slice to reveal a cascade of candy fish and ocean blue sprinkles.

HAUNTED GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Sift 3 cups of flour, the ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and molasses. Mix until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until a thick dough forms. If the dough is sticky, mix in the remaining flour a little at a time until the dough can easily be handled without it sticking to your fingers. You may not have to use all of the flour.
• Gather the dough into a ball; divide in half. Roll each dough piece flat to 1/4-inch thickness between parchment paper sheets. Transfer the dough inside the sheets to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Print the Haunted Gingerbread House Walls and Roof Template (link below) and cut the shapes out with scissors. When the dough is well chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and peel back the top sheets of parchment. Lay the templates on the dough and cut around them using a flat-edged knife (do not discard the templates). Transfer the dough shapes to the prepared baking sheets. Leftover dough can be re-rolled and cut into cookies, or you can shape it into a baton and store it in your freezer for up to 1 month.
• Bake the shapes for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. While the cookies are still warm, lay the templates on top of the baked cookies and re-cut them using a knife. This will help the shapes fit together perfectly when you are assembling the house.
• Assemble the house: Place the white candy wafers in a heatproof bowl and cook at 100 percent power in the microwave at 30-second intervals. Stir well after each interval until the candy is smooth (this should take about 1 minute total cook time). Transfer the candy to a disposable piping bag with a small hole in the end snipped (you may also use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped). Use cans from your pantry to help prop the house pieces up as you work. Glue the sides, front and back of the house together using the white melted candy. Let stand until dry, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the landscape: Spread half of the chocolate frosting over a 14-inch cake board or serving platter. Sprinkle the surface with the cookie crumbs and press them down slightly with flattened palms. Save leftover cookie crumbs and frosting for later use.
• When the candy holding the gingerbread walls together is dry, gently lift the assembled house and place it in the center of the prepared board. Pipe white melted candy along the top edges of the house and attach the roof; hold the pieces steady with your hands until they hold on their own, about 2 minutes. Pipe extra candy around the roof edges and walls to fill in any visible gaps.
• Place the corn cereal in a bowl or zip-top bag and add the cocoa powder. Mix together until the cereal pieces are well coated with cocoa. Pipe a line of candy on the bottom edge of a roof piece and place cereal pieces end-to-end in a single layer to make roof tiles. Pipe another line of candy just above the first row of cereal and add another row, slightly overlapping the first. It's okay to use broken cereal pieces, as this will add to the character of the haunted house. Cover the entire rooftop with cereal. Pipe candy on the front and back top edges of the house and line with cereal squares. Allow the house to stand at room temperature until the candy is set, about 15 minutes.
• Make the windows and door: Print the Haunted Gingerbread House Windows Template (link below). Place the template on a flat work surface and cover it with a large sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Melt the black candy wafers in a heatproof bowl and cook at 100 percent power in the microwave at 30-second intervals. Stir well after each interval until the candy is smooth (this should take about 1 minute total cook time). Transfer the candy to a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped. Pipe the candy over the black boxes (windows and doors) on the template. Use a toothpick to push the candy into small corners and to fill in gaps. Make as many windows as you wish for your haunted house by moving the template under a new sheet of parchment paper. Place candy buttons in each of the smaller windows before the candy is set. Use a food color marker to draw on eyeballs. Allow the candy to stand until set, about 15 minutes at room temperature or 5 minutes in the refrigerator. Peel the candy boxes with eyes off of the parchment and use a little melted candy to attach them to the top front of the house. Position each window tilted inward slightly. Attach the larger candy rectangle below the 2 windows to create the door. Use the white melted candy (reheat if necessary) to pipe dots on the top and bottom edges of the door. Use a toothpick to pull the melted candy into points to create fangs.
• Make the monster arms: Melt green candy wafers as previously directed with the white and black candy wafers. Transfer the candy to a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped. Lay a sheet of parchment on a work surface. Pipe a 4-inch L shape on the parchment paper with the green candy. Use a toothpick to smooth the candy into an arm shape. Use the toothpick end to pull the bottom of the L shape into fingers. Pour green sanding sugar over the top portion of the arm, leaving the hand uncovered. Place a chocolate sprinkle on each finger to create long claws. Allow the shapes to set until firm. When the candy is firm, peel it off of the parchment and shake the excess sugar off of the arm. Repeat this process with a backwards L shape so that you have 2 monster arms. Attach a candy window with melted candy to each side of the house and hold until set, about 2 minutes. Attach an arm to each window and hold until set. Further decorate the sides and back of the house with more windows.
• Create boards for the windows: Knead 2 chocolate chews together and roll flat with a rolling pin (if the chews are too firm to flatten, heat them in the microwave for 5 seconds). Cut small board shapes (about 1/4 inch by 1 inch) from the candy using a knife. Use the end of a toothpick to striate the pieces. Use the pointed end of the toothpick to poke 2 small holes in each end, creating nail holes on the boards. Attach the pieces over the windows using melted candy.
• Make candy pumpkins: Carefully poke holes in the gumballs using a metal skewer or knife, and thread them onto the pointed ends of toothpicks. Melt the orange candy wafers as previously directed. Dip the gumballs into the candy and place them on parchment paper. Remove the toothpick. Use leftover chocolate chews to fashion small pumpkin stems. Place them standing upright on top of the pumpkins. Allow to stand until set, about 15 minutes.
• Make scary trees: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use the black melted candy (reheat as needed) to pipe 3 well-spaced lines on the cookie sheets. Place a rolled wafer cookie on top of each line. Use the black candy to completely cover the wafers. Draw tree branches with the candy coming off of both sides and the top ends of the wafers. Cover with black sanding sugar. Let stand until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the pretzel ladder: Break 2 of the pretzel sticks in half. Place 2 whole pretzel sticks parallel to each other. Attach the broken pretzel rungs to the whole pretzel sticks using melted candy. Let stand until set. When firm, lean the ladder against the house, preferably leading up to a window with eyeballs peering out.
• When the trees are firm, lift them from the parchment and shake away excess sugar. Place each snack cake on the cake board upside-down and press a candy tree in its center. Cover the snack cakes with leftover cookie crumbs, if desired.
• Make tombstones: Place leftover chocolate frosting in a piping bag. Break the chocolate bars at their perforations. Pipe a small dot of frosting onto the crumb-covered cake board and press an upright turned chocolate piece into the frosting. Repeat with remaining chocolate pieces to create a graveyard.
• Finishing touches: Use melted white candy to pipe spider webs onto the house. Use the food color marker to draw cracks on the house, and spiders near their webs. Place the pumpkin decorations on the landscape and around the house as desired.

OMG CAKE

Steps:

• Print the OMG Letter Templates (link below) and cut them out with scissors. Place the letters on one of the sheets of Sponge Cake and use a sharp knife or kitchen-dedicated X-Acto knife to cut out the letters. Repeat the process with the remaining cakes so you have 3 of each letter. Discard the cake scraps or save for ice cream sundae toppings.
• Place one set of letters on a 14-by-18-inch cake board or large platter, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Pipe mounds of the Buttercream Frosting in alternating colors onto the cake pieces. Stack one set of matching letters on top of the first set of letters. Pipe the second layer of cake pieces with more mounds of buttercream. Add the final layer of cake pieces on top and pipe mounds of buttercream on top. Add the rainbow nonpareils and confetti sprinkles immediately.
• Decorate the top of the cake with the mini chocolate bars, donuts, rock candy lollipops, gummy candies and chocolate balls. Serve at room temperature. Store leftovers covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 17-by-11-inch jelly roll pan with flour-based baking spray.
• Place the eggs in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and, with a timer set, beat for 5 minutes. Slowly add the granulated sugar and oil. Beat well. Add the milk and vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add slowly to the liquid ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes, until well combined. The batter will be thin.
• Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 10 minutes. When done, the cake should spring back when touched in the center. Immediately turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the buttercream frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the butter and confectioners' sugar. Begin mixing on low speed until the mixture is crumbly. Increase to high and beat for 3 minutes.
• Add the vanilla extract and beat again. While mixing, add cream or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes to piping consistency.
• Divide the frosting evenly into 7 separate bowls. Tint each bowl of frosting with one of the 6 colors (pink, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet), leaving one bowl untinted; begin with 1 teaspoon of food coloring and add more to intensify the color if needed. Transfer each color of frosting to a separate piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain decorator tip.

AVOCADO EMOJI SWISS ROLL

Steps:

• For the inlay paste: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and confectioners' sugar. Add the egg whites and beat again until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Sift the flour into the mixing bowl and beat on low speed until just combined. Divide the mixture between four bowls. Tint the first bowl of paste with the juniper green food color; begin with 1/8 teaspoon, mixing and adding a little color at a time, until a dark green color is achieved. Tint the second bowl of paste with a dab (the amount picked up on the end of a toothpick) of juniper green food color and dabs of neon yellow food color. Mix until a light avocado color is achieved. Tint the third bowl with two dabs of neon yellow gel food color and mix until bright yellow is achieved. Tint the fourth bowl using the brown food color; begin with 1/8 teaspoon and add more until a dark brown color is achieved. Transfer each color to a piping bag with a small hole snipped in the end. You may also fit each bag with a small round decorator tip, if desired.
• Cut a sheet of parchment paper to fit inside a 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan. Print the Avocado Emoji Template (link below) and trace the pattern onto the piece of parchment paper using a pencil. Flip the paper over so that the side with the drawn emojis is touching the pan. You should be able to see the images through the paper. Pipe a line of yellow paste around the face (oval part) of the avocado, then use the brown paste to fill in the round shape in the center (the avocado pit). Fill in the yellow outline using the light green paste. Finally, use the dark green to pipe the avocado shell-shape. Transfer the pan with the piped images to the freezer while you prepare the cake batter.
• For the cake roll: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on high speed using the whip attachment until they lighten in color considerably and have the appearance of yellow cake batter, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running, slowly add the granulated sugar and oil to the whipped eggs. Next, add the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients. Mix until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and over the inlay paste emojis. Smooth the batter using a rubber spatula to distribute it evenly.
• Lay a large cotton tea towel on a work surface. Sprinkle the towel with confectioners' sugar and rub the sugar into the towel with your hands. Set aside.
• Bake until the cake springs back when pressed with fingers, 10 to 12 minutes (check at 10 minutes). Immediately turn the cake out onto the tea towel--do this without delay! Peel off the parchment to reveal the avocado design. Gently flip the cake over so that the avocados are against the tea towel. Immediately roll the cake into the tea towel, beginning at the narrow end. Roll as evenly as possible. Place the cake in the towel on a refrigerator shelf and chill for 1 hour.
• For the avocado frosting: Halve and pit the avocados. Using a spoon, scoop the avocado from the skins and place in the bowl of an electric mixer. Squeeze the juice from the lemon half into the bowl over the avocados. Mix on high speed until the avocados are creamed with just a few pea-sized solid pieces of avocado in the mixture. Add the confectioners' sugar a little at a time until thick, spreadable frosting forms.
• For the cake assembly: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and gently unroll; allow the most tightly rolled end to remain slightly curled. Apply the avocado frosting to the cake in a smooth even layer using an offset spatula. Re-roll the cake and then roll it up in the tea towel. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Combine the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Heat, stirring, until the sugar is melted. Transfer to a small bowl and allow to cool to just warm.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Brush the outside of the cake with the simple syrup using a pastry brush. Apply the syrup in an even layer to remove the dusty confectioners' sugar appearance. Serve the cake immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

SWISS ROLL PUMPKINS

Steps:

• For the cake decorating paste: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and confectioners' sugar. Add the egg white and beat again until it incorporates into the butter and sugar, about 2 minutes. Sift the flour into the mixing bowl and beat on low speed until just combined. Add the 2 food colors and mix until a consistent orange-red is achieved. Transfer the paste to a disposable piping bag and snip a tiny hole in the end using scissors.
• Cut a sheet of parchment paper to fit inside a 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan. Draw horizontal lines onto the paper using a pencil or pen in 1-inch increments. Flip the paper over so that the side with the drawn lines is touching the pan. You should be able to see the lines through the paper. Pipe lines of the cake decorating paste over the lines. Place the pan in the freezer while the sponge cake batter is prepared.
• For the whipped egg whites: In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites and granulated sugar together to stiff peaks. Set aside.
• For the sponge batter: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the almond flour, confectioners' sugar, all-purpose flour, whole eggs and egg yolk until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the orange gel food color and mix until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the whipped egg whites, being careful to not deflate the batter.
• Remove the jelly roll pan from the freezer and pour the sponge batter on top. Smooth the batter gently using an offset spatula.
• Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed in the center. Remove from the oven and loosen the edges with a small knife. Turn the cake out onto a parchment sheet and peel away the lined parchment paper on top of the cake.
• Sprinkle a tea towel with about 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Turn the sponge cake onto the tea towel striped-side down. Roll the cake into the tea towel from a short end. Fold the ends of the towel under and let the cake rest at room temperature while the pumpkin spice ganache is prepared.
• For the pumpkin spice ganache: Combine the heavy cream, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and orange food color in a large microwave-safe bowl. Whisk together until the ingredients are incorporated. Heat in the microwave at 30-second intervals until the mixture is hot and steaming but not boiling (about 1 minute).
• Immediately add the white chocolate to the steaming mixture and let stand 1 minute. Stir using a whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until set, about 1 1/2 hours. The mixture can also be poured into a shallow 13-by-9-inch baking dish to speed setting.
• For the buttercream: In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and food color. Beat again until a consistent green color is achieved. Transfer half of the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a leaf decorator piping tip (leaf tip #70). Transfer the other half to a piping bag with a tiny hole snipped in the end.
• For the assembly: Carefully unroll the cake and remove it from the tea towel. Allow the tightly curled end of the cake to remain curled. Spread the inside of the cake evenly with the chilled pumpkin spice ganache. Roll the cake up jelly roll style.
• Combine the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 30-second intervals until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool slightly. Gently coat the outside of the cake roll with the sugar syrup using a pastry brush. Use just enough to remove the confectioners' sugar appearance on the cake's exterior. You may not have to use all of the syrup.
• Cut the cake evenly into 4 pieces using a serrated knife. Stand each piece upright on a large serving platter (or 4 small plates) so that the stripes are vertical. Break each wafer cookie in half and insert them upright into the centers of the cakes to create pumpkin stems.
• Use the piping bag of green buttercream fitted with the leaf tip to pipe leaves next to the wafer stems. Use the other piping bag of buttercream to draw curling pumpkin vines next to the stems and leaves.
• Serve immediately to delighted guests.