April Fools Lasagna Banana Pudding Cake Recipes

APRIL FOOLS' LASAGNA: BANANA-PUDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Looks like: Lasagna
• Make a box of instant vanilla pudding. Cut a loaf of pound cake into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange half of the slices in a 7-by-11-inch baking dish, then press 20 vanilla wafers into the cake. Make fake tomato sauce: Mix 3/4 cup strawberry jam with 5 crushed Oreo cookies and dollop half of the mixture over the wafers. Sweeten 3/4 cup ricotta cheese with 2 teaspoons sugar; dollop half over the jam. Top with 1 sliced banana and half of the pudding. Repeat with the remaining cake, 20 more wafers, the remaining jam and ricotta mixtures, another sliced banana and the remaining pudding. Top with shaved white chocolate, crushed vanilla wafers and mint; chill.

LASAGNA CAKE

Steps:

• Turn the pound cakes on their sides and thinly slice with a long serrated knife. You should get 4 or 5 lasagna noodle-size pieces from each cake.
• Make the sauce: Combine the berries and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a bowl and puree with an immersion blender until mostly smooth. Stir in the yellow food coloring.
• Whisk the heavy cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in the ricotta.
• Arrange a layer of cake in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, trimming the pieces to fit. Spread one-third of the berry mixture on top.
• Dollop some of the ricotta mixture on top.
• Gently spread the ricotta mixture, then continue to cover the whole cake (you should use about half of the mixture).
• Top with another layer of pound cake, then a layer each of berry sauce and ricotta and a final layer of pound cake. Spread with the remaining berry sauce.
• Microwave the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Spoon over the cake and gently spread.
• Broil until the white chocolate is golden in spots, or lightly brown the top with a kitchen torch. Top with mint.

BANANA PUDDING CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and lightly dust with flour. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, mash the bananas and then stir in the lemon juice. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla wafers in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the wafers. Beat until combined, then add the mashed bananas and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto racks to cool completely.
• For the filling: Separate the yolk from the white of 1 of the eggs. Discard the white. In a saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt until completely combined. Stir in the egg yolk and remaining whole egg, and then stir in the milk. Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring often, until the pudding thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap, laying the wrap directly on the surface so a skin doesn't form. Chill in the fridge until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
• Spread the pudding between the cake layers. Chill the cake until the pudding filling is set, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Sprinkle the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar just before serving.