Sunflower Potluck Cake Recipes

SUNFLOWER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray. Make cake batter as directed on box--except stir chocolate chips into batter. Reserve 1 cup batter. Pour remaining batter into pans. Stir cocoa into reserved 1 cup batter. Drop chocolate batter by tablespoonfuls randomly onto batter in pans. Cut through batter with knife for marbled design.
• Bake 27 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around edges to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place 1 cake round on large serving plate. Cut remaining cake into 8 triangles; place around cake pointed sides out to look like sunflower petals.
• In medium bowl, stir white frosting and tube of yellow gel food color until well blended. Frost sides and top of cake with yellow frosting. Sprinkle petals with yellow sugar. For sunflower seeds, pipe black decorating icing in center round of cake, using star tip. Make small bee using decorating icing. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

SUNFLOWER CAKE

Steps:

• Using a palette knife, frost 1 of the 9-inch cakes with the chocolate frosting. Frost the sides first, building extra frosting at the top of the sides. Then, frost the top. Since this part of the cake is supposed to look like the center of a sunflower, the frosting should not be smooth, but should swirl into peaks. To create this swirled, peaked effect, lightly run the palette knife through the frosting and gently pull up. Using a spatula place the cake in the center of a platter that is at least 20-inches by 20-inches or you can use a piece of cardboard that is covered with foil.
• To create the petals: Using a serrated knife, cut the second 9-inch cake in half. Then, cut each of the halves in half again. You should have 4 triangles. Cut each of these 4 triangles in half again to create 8 triangular pieces. Using a paring knife, trim each of the eight petals to curve slightly inward so they hug the outside of the center of the cake. Be careful not to trim off too much. Start at the corner of the curved edge, and trim a slightly rounded arc that ends at the opposite corner of the rounded edge. Using the yellow frosting and a small spatula or palette knife, frost the top and 2 sides. There is no need to frost the curved edge. Once the pieces are frosted, place them around the cake. Looking at the cake as though it was a clock, place the petals at 12, 3, 6 and 9. Place the remaining four petals in between 12 and 3, in between 3 and 6, in between 6 and 9 and in between 9 and 12.

PEEPS SUNFLOWER CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased and waxed paper-lined 9-inch round baking pans.
• Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely; carefully remove waxed paper.
• Level tops of cake.
• Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.
• Without separating peeps, and curving slightly to fit, arrange chicks around edge of cake for sunflower petals.
• For sunflower seeds arrange chocolate chips in center of cake.
• Yield 12 servings.

PEEPS SUNFLOWER CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using two parchment-lined and greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., If cake layers have rounded tops, trim with a long serrated knife to make level. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. , For petals, arrange Peeps around edge of cake, curving slightly and being careful not to separate chicks. For sunflower seeds, arrange chocolate chips in center of cake.