Speckled Egg Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray 4 (8-inch) round pans with cooking spray. Make cake mixes as directed on box using water, oil and eggs. Reserve 1 1/3 cups of the batter in small bowl. Divide remaining batter among the pans. Add 1/2 teaspoon yellow food color to reserved batter until well blended. Spoon 2/3 cup of the yellow batter into the center of each of two of the cakes.
• Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy. Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla and milk, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until well combined. If frosting is too thick, beat in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the frosting in small bowl. Add blue food color to remaining frosting; stir until blended. Add 1/2 teaspoon yellow food color to reserved frosting; stir until blended.
• Using serrated knife, cut rounded top off cakes to make a level surface. Place 1 cake layer without the yellow center, cut side up, on cake plate; spread top with 1/2 cup yellow frosting. Top with yellow-centered cakes, cut side up; spread top with 1/2 cup yellow frosting. Top with remaining yellow-centered cake, cut side down; spread top with remaining 1/2 cup yellow frosting and then top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Thinly frost side and top of cake with 1 cup of the blue frosting to seal the crumbs. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Frost cake with remaining blue frosting.
• In small bowl, stir together cocoa and vanilla. Using a small food-safe brush and your finger, flick the mixture onto the cake to give cake a speckled look. Place candy eggs on top of cake.

Steps:

• Microwave marshmallows and water in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until marshmallows are puffed; stir until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended. Add 5 Tbsp. shortening and 1 Tbsp. vanilla; stir until shortening is completely melted and mixture is well blended.
• Add 3 to 4 cups sugar gradually to marshmallow mixture, using just enough sugar to form ball and mixing well after each addition. Brush remaining shortening into 15-inch round on work surface; spoon marshmallow mixture onto center of prepared work surface.
• Knead in remaining sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until blended. Knead in enough of the food coloring until fondant is evenly tinted to desired shade of blue.
• Roll out fondant to 1/8-inch-thick round, turning and lifting fondant as it is rolled out to prevent it from sticking to work surface. Gently lift fondant and place over rolling pin to position fondant over center of cake. Lightly brush excess sugar off fondant.
• Beginning at center of cake top, lightly press fondant with your hands onto top and down side of cake to completely cover cake. Use sharp knife to trim excess fondant at base of cake.
• Mix cocoa powder and remaining vanilla until blended. Dip tip of new paint brush (or toothbrush) into cocoa powder mixture, then use fingers to flick brush toward cake to create a splattered design. Repeat until cake is evenly coated with speckles. Refrigerate cake 30 min. before garnishing with malted milk eggs and coconut.