Star Sparkle Cake Recipes

STAR FRUIT UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.
• For the topping: Melt the butter, brown sugar and lemon juice together in a microwave-safe small bowl in the microwave. Spread the mixture over the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover it with the starfruit slices by nestling them next to one another and overlapping (it will look crowded). Set aside.
• For the cake: Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet, and bake until nicely toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground. Whisk together the ground pecans, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and allspice. Set aside.
• Beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Scrape down the side of the bowl as needed. Adjust the mixer speed to low, and add half the flour mixture, then the yogurt, then the remaining flour.
• Pour the batter into the pan, spread it out into an even layer and give it a few taps on the counter. Bake until golden brown, a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean in the center and the cake pulls away from the edges, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack until the pan is cool enough to handle, then run a knife along the edge and invert the cake onto a serving platter. Let cool completely before serving.

STAR-INSIDE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a half sheet pan or jelly roll pan with cooking spray.
• For the red-and-blue cake: Combine the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in the milk until the batter is smooth.
• Divide the batter between two medium bowls. Use food coloring to tint one bowl red and the other blue. Transfer each of the colored batters to plastic piping bags or resealable plastic bags. Snip the end of each bag, and pipe your batter into the half sheet pan or jelly roll pan in 1/2-inch-thick rows, alternating colors.
• Bake the sheet cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cake cool to room temperature. Once cool, use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the striped cake.
• For the white cake: Combine the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in the milk until the batter is smooth. Transfer the batter to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag. Coat an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Pipe a thin layer of the white batter, about 1 inch deep, into the bottom of the pan.
• In the loaf pan, stand the star cakes upright and press them into the batter, creating two rows, side by side. Pipe the remaining white batter into the pan, covering the stars.
• Bake the loaf for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then unmold it and cool to room temperature.
• For the buttercream frosting: Beat the butter until it is light and fluffy, preferably in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, 1 to 2 cups at a time, allowing each batch to incorporate with the butter. (Use less confectioners' sugar for a slightly more buttery, looser frosting; use more confectioners' sugar for a slightly sweeter, stiffer frosting.) Increase the speed to medium, and add the salt, vanilla extract and cream. Beat until smooth, an additional 3 minutes.
• Use a serrated knife to level the cake and to carve off any dark brown spots. Place the cake on a serving plate.
• Frost the cake with an initial thin layer of buttercream. Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to allow the frosting to harden. (Note: This first layer doesn't need to look perfect, as the next layer of buttercream will cover it up.)
• Using an offset spatula, and working in an upward direction around the cake, add a second layer of frosting, approximately 1/2 inch thick. Add the remaining buttercream to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag fitted with a star tip (such as a Wilton #32 tip). Working in rows, pipe small dollops of frosting onto the top of your cake.
• Sprinkle with the red, white and blue sprinkles.

STAR SPANGLED CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter,flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan. Or, I like to use parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.
• Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.
• For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.
• Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and strawberries for the red stripes, and icing for the white stripes, until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.
• You can serve this cake right in the pan, or, if you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.