Light Up Reindeer Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE REINDEER CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat two 8-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk the cocoa powder and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and tap the pans against the counter to help the batter settle. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level.
• For the ganache: Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand 5 minutes, then stir until completely smooth. Let the ganache sit until it has cooled and thickened to a spreadable consistency, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cardboard cake circle on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch any drips. Spread about 1/2 cup of the ganache on top and place the second cake layer cut-side down over the ganache. Dollop half of the remaining ganache on top and spread with a large offset spatula so the ganache covers the top of the cake and slowly runs down the sides. Repeat with the remaining ganache, using the offset spatula to make a smooth, even layer over the surface and around the sides of the cake. Refrigerate until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• To decorate: Melt the white chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave in 15 second intervals on 50 percent power until melted, stirring after each interval. Let sit 5 minutes, then transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip. (Alternatively, transfer to a resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner.) Pipe a straight line through the center of the cake from top to bottom, then another line through the center from left to right, dividing the cake into quarters. Pipe 2 more lines to divide the cake into eighths. Pipe a circle of white chocolate around the edge of the cake. Pipe a small circle where the points intersect in the center of the cake. Place a candy-coated chocolate near the tip of each point for reindeer noses (one of them will be red). Add 2 reindeer eyes above each nose. Stick 2 pretzel twist pieces above each pair of eyes.

REINDEER CAKE

Steps:

• Separate the buttercream into 4 separate bowls (2 larger bowls and 2 smaller bowls). In one of the smaller bowls, use leaf green, chocolate brown, yellow and black gel colors to make a dark, evergreen color. In one of the larger bowls, use a few drops of yellow and chocolate brown gel colors to make a mocha color (lighter than the shade of brown fondant you have). In the other larger bowl, use chocolate brown and black gel colors to make a dark brown (darker than the shade of brown fondant you have). In the other smaller bowl, use red gel color to make a Christmas red color.
• Sprinkle your clean table with cornstarch. Knead your light brown/mocha fondant (similar to bread dough) until it is smooth. Using a rolling pin, roll the fondant so that it is approximately a 14-inch circle that's 1/4-to-1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with cornstarch and roll onto the rolling pin. Unroll onto the top of the cake and smooth out the top and sides with a fondant smoother so that there are no air bubbles.
• Roll a thin snake of light brown/mocha fondant for the border of the cake.
• Make antlers: Roll modeling chocolate out to about 1 1/2 inches thick. Freehand cut 2 antler shapes. Slide a wooden skewer into each antler as far as it will go. Paint with edible gold paint.
• Make ears: Roll the leftover light brown/mocha fondant into 2 teardrop shapes. Use your thumb to indent the centers of each to create the ear shape. Place a toothpick or wooden skewer in the bottom of each one. Paint the center of each ear with edible gold paint.
• Take a small amount of black fondant and roll out a snake for each eye. Use smaller pieces to create the eyelashes. Accent eyelashes with edible gold paint.
• Create the mane by piping alternating rosettes down the center of the cake with the mocha and dark brown buttercream. Add smaller green shells and top each of those with a red holly berry bunch.
• Pipe a red nose below the eyes using a large plain tip.
• Add the antlers and the ears to the top of the cake.

REINDEER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of three 6-in. round baking pans with parchment paper; grease and flour parchment and sides of pans., In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat in butter until crumbly. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup milk and extracts; beat on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining milk. Gently fold in jimmies., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For buttercream, in a microwave, melt chocolate with cream until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Set aside to cool slightly. In a heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt until blended. Place over simmering water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until a thermometer reads 160°, 8-10 minutes., Remove from heat. With whisk attachment of stand mixer, beat on high speed until cooled to 90°, about 7 minutes. Gradually beat in butter, a few tablespoons at a time, on medium speed until smooth; beat in melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in cocoa through a sifter., Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Reserve remaining buttercream for decorating. Decorate as desired. Store in refrigerator.