Ladybug Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Place the first cake on 1 of the cardboard rounds on a rack over a sheetpan. While the ganache is still warm, pour over the cake. Using a palette knife sparingly, gently swipe 1 or 2 times to spread the ganache evenly over the top and so that it runs down the sides and covers them. Let the cake sit until the ganache sets up, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• While the ganache is setting up begin making the wings. Cut the remaining cake in half, lengthwise. Cut the remaining cardboard round in half as well and place each cake half on one of the cardboard halves. Using the red buttercream and a palette knife, frost both halves completely. Try to make the frosting appear to be as smooth as possible. Place the black licorice rounds on the wings to make ladybug spots.
• Once the ganache is set up, assemble the ladybug. Allow 2 inches in the front of the ganache cake for the ladybug's face. Place the 2 halves behind the 2-inch face with 2 corners touching right behind the head and at an angle to each other. The wings should be in position for the ladybug to fly away. Place the candy wafers on the ganache cake to create eyes. Using a small dab of leftover frosting, secure the candy coated chocolates to the wafers to make pupils. Cut the licorice whip to the desired length and lightly press into the ganache to create a mouth. Use the remainder of the licorice whip to create antennae. ***To cut this cake for serving, remove the wings and cut separately.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, water, oil, eggs and mayonnaise on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured 2-qt. ovenproof bowl., Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from bowl to a wire rack to cool completely. Place on a serving plate., In a small bowl, combine frosting and food coloring. Spread over cake. For eyes, flatten white gumdrops and shape into ovals; place on ladybug. Cut black gumdrops horizontally into three slices; discard tops. Slightly flatten slices; place two on white gumdrops for pupils, securing with a toothpick if necessary. Arrange remaining slices on body for spots, pressing down gently., Cut rope licorice into six pieces; insert into cake for legs. Cut a small piece from the shoestring licorice; add for mouth.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms and sides of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• Make cake mixes as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Divide half of the batter between cake pans. Divide remaining batter evenly among muffin cups, filling about two-thirds full. Bake as directed on box for 8-inch rounds and cupcakes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Reserve 5 cupcakes; save remaining cupcakes for later use. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cake 30 minutes to 1 hour or until firm.
• On serving plate or foil-covered tray, place 1 cake layer, rounded side down. Remove paper liners from 3 of the reserved cupcakes; position cupcakes against front of cake, slightly angled, for ladybug's head. Spread thin layer of chocolate frosting over bottom cake layer and cupcakes to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• In another medium bowl, mix vanilla frosting and red food color. Spread second cake layer with red frosting. Cut second layer in half crosswise; frost rounded top and cut sides. Refrigerate or freeze 30 minutes to 1 hour. Frost bottom cake layer and 3 cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Position red cake halves, rounded side up and slightly angled, on bottom layer to look like ladybug's wings. Place peppermint patties on red cake for spots.
• Cut marshmallow crosswise in half; push 1 blue candy into each. Attach marshmallows to ladybug's head for eyes. Insert licorice twist pieces for antennae.
• For baby ladybugs, cut off and reserve rounded tops of remaining 2 cupcakes. Spread flat cupcake tops with chocolate frosting. Spread cutoff tops with red frosting; cut each crosswise in half. Position red halves, rounded side up and slightly angled, on cupcakes to look like wings. Add brown candies to wings for spots. Flatten gumdrops; attach 1 gumdrop to front of each cupcake for head. Use frosting to attach blue miniature candies for eyes. Insert string licorice for antennae.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease 2-quart round heatproof bowl with shortening; lightly flour. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs or egg whites. Pour batter into bowl.
• Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around side of bowl to loosen cake; remove from bowl to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• On serving plate, place cake, rounded side up, trimming bottom if needed. In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the frosting and the black food color until blended. Mix remaining frosting and red food color until blended. Spread red frosting on two-thirds of cake; sprinkle with red sugar.
• Spread black frosting on remaining one-third of cake for head. Place remaining black frosting in decorating bag fitted with small round tip. Pipe wings and dots on sugared portion of cake.
• Add marshmallow pieces for eyes; pipe pupils with black frosting. Pipe red frosting for mouth. Insert licorice pieces into cake for antennae. Store loosely covered.

Steps:

• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting; mix well. Shape into 1 1/4-inch balls; place on cookie sheet. Freeze until firm; keep refrigerated.
• In microwavable bowl, microwave red candy melts and shortening uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 minute, then in 15-second intervals, until melted; stir until smooth. Dip each lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into melted candy and insert into cake ball no more than halfway. Return to cookie sheet. Refrigerate 5 minutes. Remove from refrigerator a few at a time. Dip each cake ball into melted red candy; tap off excess. Poke opposite end of stick into foam block. Immediately attach mint for ladybug face. Let stand until set. Use melted black candy to attach candy eyes and licorice for antennae. Pipe melted black candy on cake pops for wings and dots. Let stand until set.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for cupcakes, using water, oil and eggs. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In medium bowl, mix frosting and food color. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Attach small round tip to tube of black decorating icing. On each cupcake, pipe wings and dots on wings. Attach cookie for head. Use black icing to attach candy eyes to cookie. Use red icing for mouth. Insert 2 licorice pieces into each cupcake for antennae.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Generously grease bottom only of 1-1/2 round casserole or heatproof bowl and bottom of loaf pan, 8-1/2" x 4-1/2" x 2-1/2".
• Beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl constantly.
• Pour half the batter into casserole; pour remaining batter into loaf pan.
• Bake about 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes.
• Run knife around side of casserole and loaf pan to loosen cakes; remove from casserole and pan to wire rack.
• Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Wrap and freeze loaf cake for another use.
• Place cake, rounded side up, on serving plate.
• Frost cake with frosting.
• Make face on side of cake, ussing cookies for eyes, red gumdrop slice for nose, red shoestring licorice for mouth and black shoestring licorice for eyebrows and antennae.
• Sprinkle red sugar over cake to within 2 inches from curved side of face.
• Place black gumdrop slices on cake for spots.
• Serve when ready.