 |
Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 14 |
|
Flowering Cactus cake, a bit of the west at your next party. Prickly as it might appear, this dessert is one your guests will get their hands on in a hurry. Ingredients:
ingredients |
cake |
3/4 cup shortening, such as crisco solid in can |
2 1/4 cups sugar |
5 eggs |
3-oz semisweet chocolate, melted |
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract |
3 cups all-purpose flour |
1 1/2 tsp. salt |
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda |
1 1/2 cups cold brewed coffee |
frosting |
6 tbs. margarine or butter, softened |
2 tbs. shortening |
3 cups confectioners' sugar |
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract |
green paste food coloring |
3 to 4 tbs. milk |
sugar |
22 to 25 red gumdrops |
black shoestring licorice |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee. Pour into two greased 5 3/4 -inch x 3-inch x 2-inch loaf pans and one 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes ( small loaves ) and 65 minutes ( large loaf ) or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
3. For frosting, cream margarine or butter and shortening in a bowl. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, vanilla, food coloring and enough milk to achieve desired consistency.
4. Using a serrated knife, level the top of each cake. Round corners of small cakes; set aside. Place large cake, cut side down, on a 13-inch x 12-inch covered board. Round top corners. Frost top and sides of large cake. Frost small cakes; position at a slight angle on each side of large cake with one higher than the other.
5. Sprinkle sugar on a working surface. For each large flower, place four gumdrops on sugared surface. With a rolling pin, roll each gumdrop into an oval; cut in half lengthwise. With cut side down, roll up one piece to form a bud shape. Wrap remaining pieces around it so rounded edges form petals. For smaller flowers, use two or three gumdrops.
6. For cactus spines, cut licorice into 1/2 -inch strips. Cut each strip in half lengthwise, but not all the way through, leaving strips attached at the bottom. Arrange randomly over cake. Yield: 14 servings.
|
|