3-D Dog Cake

Serves: 4

Felicia King

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

53

Spice

50

Sweetness

53

Sourness

42

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.9

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1

Chocolate (recipe)

1

Fondant (small piece white)

1

Cooking Spray (nonstick)

2.5 tsps

Baking Powder

2 tsps

Salt

1 cup

Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)

4 cups

Granulated Sugar

1 cup

Vegetable Oil

6

Eggs (extra-large)

2 tsps

Pure Vanilla Extract

2 cups

Milk

2 cup

Cocoa Powder

2 tsps

Baking Soda

2 cups

Butter (softened)

1 cup

Sour Cream

1 tbsp

Vanilla

2 cups

Water (hot)

1 tbsp

Instant Espresso Powder

6 cups

Powdered Sugar

1 pinch

Kosher Salt

1 cup

Whole Milk

Directions:

1

Special equipment: a pastry bag fitted with the No

2

234 grass or hair tip Cut and assemble the cake on a 13-by-9-inch cake board according to the diagram, using American Buttercream frosting to adhere the cake pieces together

3

Frost the entire cake with a thin and even coating of American Buttercream

4

Refrigerate so the frosting can set, about 1 hour

5

Dye the remaining American Buttercream using gel food coloring in the color you would like your dog to be

6

Place into a pastry bag fitted with a large grass tip and pipe "fur" all over the cake

7

Roll the white fondant into two 2-inch discs

8

Roll the black fondant into two small balls, then flatten each slightly and place 1 into the center of each white disc (adhere with a dab of water)

9

Stick to the cake where you want to place the eyes

10

Make a teardrop with a 2-inch round of the black fondant, pinching to create nostrils; stick to the cake

11

Finish with an oval shape with the pink fondant, using the back of a paring knife to create a center line in the tongue' stick to the cake board coming from the dog's mouth

12

For the vanilla cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

13

Spray the bottom and sides of four 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; dust with flour, and tap out the excess

14

Line 3 regular muffin cups and 1 mini muffin cup with paper liners

15

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside

16

Beat the butter, sugar and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes

17

Beat in the eggs, one at a time

18

Beat in the vanilla until combined

19

Transfer the creamed mixture to a very large mixing bowl, then alternate folding in the flour mixture and the milk with a spatula, adding the flour in 3 additions and the milk in 2, starting and ending with the flour, just until smooth

20

Fill the 3 muffin cups and 1 mini muffin cup halfway with batter

21

Divide the remaining batter evenly among the prepared cake pans

22

Bake, rotating the cake pans halfway through, until a toothpick comes out clean, 8 minutes for the mini cupcake, 11 minutes for the regular, and 30 to 35 minutes for the cakes

23

Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes to the rack to cool completely

24

For the chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

25

Spray four 8-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour, then line the bottoms with parchment

26

Line 3 regular muffin cups and 1 mini muffin cup with paper liners

27

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl

28

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes

29

Add the eggs, one at time, and beat until incorporated

30

Add the sour cream and continue to beat until fully incorporated

31

Add the vanilla

32

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl

33

Stir together the hot water and instant espresso powder in a spouted measuring cup

34

Whisk the dry ingredients by hand into the wet ingredients in 2 additions, alternating with the espresso and mixing just until fully incorporated

35

Fill the 3 muffin cups and 1 mini muffin cup halfway with batter

36

Divide the remaining batter evenly among the 4 prepared cake pans

37

Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 8 minutes for the mini cupcake, 11 minutes for the regular cupcakes and 30 to 35 minutes for the cakes (rotate the pans halfway through)

38

Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes to the rack to cool completely

39

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and milk

40

Whip the mixture on low speed for a while

41

When the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer speed up and whip until the buttercream is smooth

42

Add milk until desired consistency is reached