Tepee Birthday Cakes
Serves: 5
Catharine Rutherford
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
48
Spice
46
Sweetness
48
Sourness
42
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.1
Difficulty
Ingredients:
Directions:
1
Cut cake into 8 wedges
2
Trim rounded end of each wedge to form a straight edge and on a paper plate stand each wedge on end, point up
3
Spread most of reserved frosting on all 4 sides of each wedge, reserving remaining frosting for glue for breadsticks
4
Cake wedges may be assembled up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely after frosting firms up
5
If made ahead, remaining frosting should be chilled and brought to room temperature before proceeding with recipe
6
Cut cake into 8 wedges
7
Trim rounded end of each wedge to form a straight edge and on a paper plate stand each wedge on end, point up
8
Spread most of reserved frosting on all 4 sides of each wedge, reserving remaining frosting for glue for breadsticks
9
Cake wedges may be assembled up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely after frosting firms up
10
If made ahead, remaining frosting should be chilled and brought to room temperature before proceeding with recipe
11
Make tepee frames: Spread cocoa powder on a sheet of wax paper
12
Working with 1 breadstick at a time, on another sheet of wax paper brush breadsticks with honey and roll in cocoa powder, tapping off excess
13
On paper plates arrange 4 breadstick around each wedge of cake, intersecting above the top of the wedge to form a frame for white chocolate leather and using reserved frosting to glue sticks to cake
14
Spread cocoa powder on a sheet of wax paper
15
Working with 1 breadstick at a time, on another sheet of wax paper brush breadsticks with honey and roll in cocoa powder, tapping off excess
16
On paper plates arrange 4 breadstick around each wedge of cake, intersecting above the top of the wedge to form a frame for white chocolate leather and using reserved frosting to glue sticks to cake
17
Make tepee tents and decorations: Into a small bowl sift together sugar and cocoa powder and whisk in 3 teaspoons water until smooth, adding remaining teaspoon water if necessary to form an icing that will pipe
18
Transfer icing to a resealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air
19
Squeeze icing to one corner and snip off corner as close to edge as possible to make a small hole for piping icing
20
Into a small bowl sift together sugar and cocoa powder and whisk in 3 teaspoons water until smooth, adding remaining teaspoon water if necessary to form an icing that will pipe
21
Transfer icing to a resealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air
22
Squeeze icing to one corner and snip off corner as close to edge as possible to make a small hole for piping icing
23
Make a template for tents: Out of wax paper cut a trapezoid with 2 parallel sides measuring 12 inches and 10 inches, respectively, connected by two 6-inch-long sides
24
Working with 1 piece at a time, dust white chocolate leather with sugar and on a surface dusted with additional sugar roll out into a 12- by 16-inch rectangle
25
Using trapezoid template cut out tent pattern, preferably with a fluted pastry wheel
26
Working quickly, pipe icing in decorative Native American designs on tent and wrap tent around tepee frame, crimping leather where breadsticks intersect
27
(If leather becomes too soft to pick up, chill on a baking sheet until just firm enough to handle
28
) Trim excess leather from tepee with pastry wheel and open flaps to expose cake
29
Chill each tepee cake as it is made
30
Tepee cakes may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered
31
With a wooden pick or skewer make 2 holes in the top of each chilled tent for licorice lace
32
Run a piece of licorice lace through holes and tie once
33
Arrange red hot candies along base of tent, gluing them with some of remaining frosting
34
Out of wax paper cut a trapezoid with 2 parallel sides measuring 12 inches and 10 inches, respectively, connected by two 6-inch-long sides
35
Working with 1 piece at a time, dust white chocolate leather with sugar and on a surface dusted with additional sugar roll out into a 12- by 16-inch rectangle
36
Using trapezoid template cut out tent pattern, preferably with a fluted pastry wheel
37
Working quickly, pipe icing in decorative Native American designs on tent and wrap tent around tepee frame, crimping leather where breadsticks intersect
38
(If leather becomes too soft to pick up, chill on a baking sheet until just firm enough to handle
39
) Trim excess leather from tepee with pastry wheel and open flaps to expose cake
40
Chill each tepee cake as it is made
41
Tepee cakes may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered
42
With a wooden pick or skewer make 2 holes in the top of each chilled tent for licorice lace
43
Run a piece of licorice lace through holes and tie once
44
Arrange red hot candies along base of tent, gluing them with some of remaining frosting
45
Make grass: In a bowl toss coconut with food coloring until colored evenly
46
In a bowl toss coconut with food coloring until colored evenly
47
Spread coconut grass on a large serving tray
48
With a metal spatula carefully transfer each tepee to tray
49
Spread coconut grass on a large serving tray
50
With a metal spatula carefully transfer each tepee to tray