Snickerdoodle Rum Igloo Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar together until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Then beat in the eggs and scrape the bowl. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture until well combined.
• Mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Use a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out the dough balls. Roll each ball in your hands to even out, then roll in the cinnamon sugar to thoroughly coat.
• Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake until just golden around the edges, 8 to 9 minutes. Cool for several minutes on the baking sheets before moving.

Steps:

• Make the Igloo:
• Butter and flour an 8-inch-round cake pan and a 1.5-quart ovenproof bowl. Make the cake batter; divide between the pan and the bowl. Bake at 350 degrees F until a toothpick comes out clean, about 35 minutes for the pan, 40 to 45 minutes for the bowl. Let cool, then unmold the cakes onto a rack.
• Microwave the white chocolate at 50% power in 15-second intervals, stirring, until melted, about 2 minutes. Pour onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread to 1/4 inch thick with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar. Chill until set, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the chocolate from the refrigerator. Break most of it into rough 1/2-to-1-inch pieces to form the ice that covers the igloo.
• Use a paring knife to cut a few even 1/2-inch tiles from the remaining chocolate (these are for the tunnel entrance).
• Assemble the igloo: Mix 2 1/2 cups frosting with the blue food coloring. Spread some blue frosting on the flat cake, then cover with the bowl-shaped cake.
• Spread some frosting on the cake where you want the tunnel to go, then attach a doughnut half, cut-side down. Attach the other half with frosting to extend the tunnel.
• Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of blue frosting (this is called a "crumb coat," which is like a primer; it doesn't have to be perfect). Chill, uncovered, until the frosting sets, about 15 minutes.
• Spread the remaining blue frosting evenly over the cake and doughnuts. Arrange the white-chocolate pieces on the igloo in a mosaic pattern. Place the even white- chocolate tiles around the tunnel entrance.
• For the trees, mix 3/4 cup vanilla frosting with the green food coloring. Spread on the cones, flicking the frosting with the tip of an offset spatula to form branches. Arrange the trees around the igloo and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each with parchment.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg white, milk and vanilla together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium-low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium-low until incorporated, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour. Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
• Make the buttercream: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
• Add the 3/4 cup sugar, cream of tartar, salt and egg whites, to the mixing bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue whisking on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue whisking until the buttercream comes back together to form a smooth and spreadable consistency. Beat in 1 teaspoon cinnamon and vanilla.
• Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon together in a small bowl.
• To assemble: Slice each cake in half horizontally for a total of 4 cake rounds (set aside one of the bottom pieces for the top layer). Put 1 round on a cake stand or serving platter, and spread about 1 cup of the buttercream on top, all the way to the edge. Sprinkle with some of the cinnamon-sugar. Repeat with 2 more layers of cake, buttercream and cinnamon-sugar. Place the reserved cake round on top (browned-side up). Frost with the remaining buttercream and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon-sugar. Let sit for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.