Ornament Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 (9-inch) square cake pans with shortening and lightly flour, or spray with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour batter into pans. Bake 23 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely. Cut each cake horizontally to make 2 layers.
• Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on serving plate; spread one-fourth of 1 container of frosting on cake to within 1/2 inch of edge. Top with second cake layer, cut side down; spread with another one-fourth of the container of frosting. Repeat layers with remaining 2 cake layers and remaining first container of frosting. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting from second container. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Spoon reserved 1/2 cup frosting into decorating bag fitted with large round tip; pipe frosting around top and bottom edge of cake. Refrigerate until ready to decorate.
• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, butter and whole egg until soft dough forms. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with floured 4-inch ornament-shaped cookie cutters. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 1 inch apart.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely. Decorate cookies as desired with cookie icing and yellow sugar. Attach cookies to sides of cake using icing. Insert 3 cookies on top of cake.

Steps:

• For the cake pops: Prepare and bake the cake according to the package directions for a 9-by-13-inch pan. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, put the white chocolate and heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring halfway through, about 1 minute. (You can also use a double boiler.) Carefully remove from the microwave and add the orange extract; stir to combine.
• When cool, crumble the cake finely into a large bowl and add the dried cranberries and orange-white chocolate ganache. Mix with a rubber spatula or your hands until the mixture is very well combined, completely moistened and holds together when pinched.
• Using a 3/4-ounce scoop, scoop rounded mounds of the mixture and shape into balls and place on a baking sheet. You should have about 36 balls. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• For the white chocolate shell: Put the white chocolate chips and vegetable shortening in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring halfway through, about 1 minute. (You can also use a double boiler.) Carefully remove from the microwave and stir once more to make sure no lumps remain.
• Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the chocolate shell and stick halfway into a cake ball. Dip the entire cake ball in the chocolate shell, letting any excess drip off, then press the stick into the Styrofoam block to stand upright. Repeat with the remaining balls and sticks. Refrigerate the cake pops until completely chilled and set, about 1 hour.
• For the mirror glaze: Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small bowl; stir and set aside 5 minutes. Combine the remaining 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan with the granulated sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve.
• Put the white chocolate chips in a large bowl and set a fine-mesh strainer on top. Pour the gelatin mixture through the strainer to catch any small lumps; remove the strainer. Let stand 5 minutes for the chocolate to soften, then stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Tint with food coloring (divide the glaze in half if you are using more than 1 color), then let sit, stirring occasionally, until thickened and a thermometer registers 90 degrees F. Transfer to a tall, wide glass container (such as a wide-mouth mason jar) for easy dipping.
• Working one at a time, dip the cake pops into the mirror glaze to completely coat letting any excess drip off. Return to the foam board (it may continue to drip for a minute or two). Transfer to the refrigerator to set completely, about 1 hour. (Even after setting, mirror glaze stays sticky, so make sure to space the pops apart).
• Using a small, clean art brush, dust the peanut butter cups with edible gold pearl dust, then place one on top of each cake pop "ornament" (see Cook's Note). Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups or spray with cooking spray.
• Make and bake cake as directed on box for cupcakes, using water, oil and egg whites. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In large bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk. Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. Frost cupcakes generously.
• Create ornament designs using assorted candies. Use top of candy cane to create a "hook" on each cupcake.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray.
• Make cake batter as directed on box. Divide batter in half. Stir 4 drops green food color into one half; stir 4 drops red food color into other half. Pour into pans. Bake as directed on box for 8-inch rounds. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place each cake layer on serving plate. Frost cake rounds completely with white frosting. To decorate like ornaments, place 1 candy at top of each cake; bend licorice pieces to look like hooks. Insert licorice into top of each candy. Decorate each ornament as desired using red and green decorating gels. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, cocoa and food color with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. 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 15 minutes. Transfer to refrigerator.
• Dip half of balls in melted green candy and other half in melted red candy; tap off excess. Return to cookie sheet; let stand until set.
• Spoon melted white candy into resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut off tiny corner of bag. Pipe designs on cake balls; let stand until set. Gently press 1 cereal piece on top of each cake ball, attaching with white candy. Pipe dot of candy on cereal piece; attach another cereal piece upright in center for ornament hook.