Diploma Cake Recipes

THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and mix until combined.
• In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into two 8-inch round prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350°F, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean (not wet).
• Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

DIPLOMA CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with parchment. Grease and flour the paper and sides of the pan. Set the pan aside., In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Set aside., In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and milk on low speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat for 5 minutes or until mixture is light and lemon-colored. Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar and mix well., In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold into the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold in the flour mixture. Pour into the prepared pan. , Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Invert the cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off the paper. Roll up the cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack., Filling/frosting: In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar. Fold in the whipped cream., Unroll the cake. Spread 1-1/4 cups of filling evenly over the top of the cake to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top., Roll up the cake and place on a serving platter or 13x8-in. covered board. Frost cake with the remaining filling., Marzipan: crumble the almond paste into a large bowl. Knead in the corn syrup. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar until thoroughly blended, kneading well after each addition. Add the food coloring until combined., With rolling pin, roll almond paste mixture to a 1/4 inch thickness between two sheets of waxed paper., To form ribbon, cut a 9x1-in. strip of marzipan. Referring to the photo for position, place the strip across the center of the cake roll., Cut a 6-1/2x1-in. strip and a 3-1/4x1-in. strip. Join the ends of the longer strip and pinch to seal, creating a loop. Wrap the shorter strip around the center of the loop to form the middle of the bow. Referring to the photo for position, place the bow on the cake., Cut two 4x1-in. strips. Cut a "V" in one end of each strip. Referring to the photo for position, tuck the straight end of each strip underneath the bow to create the ribbon ends., Using the numeral cookie cutters, cut out two "2's" and two "0's". Referring to the photo for position, place the cutouts on the cake to form "2002"., If desired, arrange whole fresh strawberries on the platter around the cake.

MOST AMAZING CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use butter to grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan well. Dust with a little flour or cocoa powder and tap out the excess.
• Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl until combined.
• Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla. Use a hand mixer to beat on a medium speed until smooth. This should take just a couple of minutes.
• Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Tap the pan on the countertop a few times to allow any air bubbles to escape.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes in a 350 degree oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then turn out onto the racks and allow to cool completely.
• Place roughly chopped chocolate into a mixing bowl. Pour heavy cream into a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.
• Once cream comes to a simmer, remove it from the heat immediately and pour over chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes, until chocolate is completely melted.
• Stir until smooth. Once smooth, stir in corn syrup. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake.

GRADUATION CAKE

Steps:

• Measure sifted flour, add baking powder and 2 teaspoons salt, and sift together three times. Beat egg whites until foamy, add 1 cup white sugar gradually, and continue beating only until mixture will stand in soft peaks. Cream shortening, add 2 1/2 cups white sugar gradually, and cream together until light and fluffy. Add flour, alternately with milk, a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla and egg whites and beat thoroughly into batter.
• Turn batter into one round 10 inch pan and one round 8 inch pan, 3 inches deep, each lined on bottom with paper, filling each pan about half full of batter. Bake in moderate oven 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), placing the smaller layer towards front of oven for quicker and easier removal when done. Bake the 8 inch cake 1 hour, or until done; bake the 10 inch cake about 10 minutes longer.
• Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Then loosen from sides of pans with spatula, turn out, remove paper, and turn right side up on racks to cool. When thoroughly cooled, at least 2 hours, brush cakes to remove any loose crumbs. Prepare Creamy Butter Frosting and set aside about 2 cups of frosting for decorating. Spread with frosting. You can tint the frosting the color or colors you want and be able to write on top of cake.
• To Make Creamy Butter Frosting: Cream 1 cup butter or margarine; add part of the confectioners' sugar gradually, blending after each addition. Mix in 4 teaspoons vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Then add remaining sugar alternately with milk, until of right consistency to spread. Beat after each addition until smooth. Makes about 5 cups. (While frosting cake, keep bowl of frosting covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying.)