Volcano Cakes Recipes

Steps:

• For the volcano cakes: Coat 12 mini bundt pans with cooking spray. (If working with fewer than 12 pans, coat the pans with spray between batches.)
• Prepare the chocolate cake batter according to the package directions. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool. Using a 1/4 teaspoon measure, scoop small chunks from the center of each cake to create a "crater."
• For the chocolate lava: Put the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in 15-second increments, stirring after each, until the chocolate has completely melted. Add a few drops of food coloring and stir to combine. Continue adding food coloring until desired color is achieved.
• Transfer the cakes to serving plates and pour chocolate lava over each volcano cake. Sprinkle with the rock candy.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 (8-inch) cake pans, 2 (10-inch) cake pans and 1 (6-inch) Bundt pan with cooking spray and set aside.
• Beat cake mix, water, oil, and egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Divide batter equally between prepared cake pans.
• Bake 8-inch cakes and 6-inch Bundt cakes in oven for 35 to 40 minutes and 10-inch cakes for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Remove and cool completely.
• To assemble, use a serrated knife to slice off the tops of the 8 and 10-inch cake so the surface of each cake is flat. Place the cut tops into a large bowl and break up to from large crumbs. The crumbs will be used a "lava rocks" at the base of the volcano. Slice the bottom off the 6-inch bunt cake so it sits flat.
• Spread a thin layer of chocolate frosting between the 10-inch cake layers and stack. Spread a thin layer of chocolate frosting between 8-inch cake layers and stack. Place another thin layer of frosting on top of the 8-inch layer cake and place the bunt cake cut side down on top. Place a dollop of frosting on top of the 10-inch cake and carefully, place 8-inch cake on top and center of 10-inch cake.
• Use a serrated knife to trim edges around the tops of both cakes to create a cone shaped cake. (Make angled cuts downward and leave a round base on top for icing to "flow" from.)
• To decorate, frost outside of entire cake with remaining chocolate frosting. Place the cake crumbs around the base of the cake. Pipe green icing around the entire bottom of the cake for "grass". To create "flowing lava" pipe red icing a quarter from the top of cake in downward strokes to the middle of the cake with ribbon tip. Repeat technique with orange icing, starting almost at top of cake and ending where red icing begins with slight overlap. Repeat technique with yellow icing starting at the very top of cake and overlap orange icing. Drizzle yellow and red gel coloring around the very top of cake.
• For the smoke effect place a few pieces of dry ice into glass candle votive. Place the votive into the hole of the bunt cake. Pour a small amount of warm water into the votive and watch it smoke.

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Stir in pineapple and walnuts. Pour 2 cups into a greased and floured 9-in. round baking pan and 2 cups into a greased and floured 8-in. round baking pan. Pour remaining batter into a greased and floured 1-1/2-qt. ovenproof bowl., Bake the layer cakes at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake the bowl cake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar alternately with enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Beat in vanilla. Set aside 3/4 cup frosting. Add cocoa to the remaining frosting; beat until smooth. , Place the 9-in. layer on a serving plate; frost with chocolate frosting. Top with 8-in. layer and bowl cake, frosting between layers. Spread remaining chocolate frosting over top and sides of cake., Divide reserved white frosting in half; tint half orange and half red. Drop by spoonfuls over the top and down the sides of cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 1 angel food cake pan for the base cake layer and 1 fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®) for the top cake layer.
• Combine 1 cake mix, 1 1/3 cup water, 3 eggs, and 1/2 cup melted butter in a large bowl to make base cake layer. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue to beat, scraping bowl occasionally, until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour into prepared angel food cake pan.
• Combine 1 cake mix, 1 1/3 cup water, 3 eggs, and 1/2 cup melted butter in a large bowl to make top cake layer. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue to beat, scraping bowl occasionally, until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour into prepared fluted tube pan.
• Bake cakes in the preheated oven until toothpicks inserted into the centers come out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pans, about 5 minutes. Invert onto wire racks.
• Sift confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder together in a large bowl.
• Combine 1 cup softened butter and vanilla extract together in another large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy. Gradually beat in sifted sugar mixture until well-blended. Add heavy cream; beat until frosting is well-blended and spreading consistency.
• Place base cake layer on a large serving platter. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top. Position top cake layer over the base so that holes are aligned. Trim hole at the center of the cakes with a knife so that it is large enough to fit a tall glass or mason jar. Cut off the top with a serrated knife to create a volcano "rim".
• Spread frosting all over stacked cake. Arrange cake trimmings as "lava rocks" around the base. Refrigerate until frosting sets.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Combine white sugar, light corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until syrup reaches 310 degrees F (155 degrees C) or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. Remove from heat and stir in 2 drops red food coloring and cinnamon flavoring.
• Pour streams of red syrup carefully onto the lined baking sheet to create candy "lava". Cool until set, about 5 minutes. Peel off the baking sheet and place around the sides and top of the frosted cake.
• Place marshmallow cream, 1/4 cup water, 1 drop red food coloring, and yellow food coloring in a small saucepan over low heat; cook and stir until marshmallow lava is melted and even in color, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Place glass or mason jar inside the frosted cake. Add a small amount of dry ice, marshmallow lava, and remaining 1/4 cup water. Dry ice will create a "smoke" effect and cause marshmallow lava to bubble over cake rim.

Steps:

• Place a sheet pan in the middle of the oven for at least 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
• Combine the butter and chocolate in a mixing bowl on top of a pot of simmering water. If you don't have experience melting chocolate then be very careful not to burn the mixture. Never melt chocolate directly over the cooking element. Heat the chocolate mixture until melted and set aside to cool slightly.
• In a mixer on medium-high speed, beat the eggs, the egg yolks and the sugar for about 5 minutes, or until they are thick and a light yellow color. On low speed gradually add the flour and then the chocolate-butter mixture.
• Butter 6 (6 to 8-ounce) ramekins and dust with the cocoa powder. Tap out the excess but make sure they are well coated. Pour the batter into the ramekins, filling them about 7/8 of the way to the top. Place on the preheated sheet tray and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. The consistency when done should be where the edges of the cake are firm and the top is still soft to the touch. This dessert has very thin line between being under and overdone!
• Remove from the oven and let sit on a cool surface for 3 to 5 minutes. Run a paring knife between the cake and ramekin to loosen the sides. Invert your dessert plate over the ramekin (be careful, they're hot) and flip over. Tap the plate lightly and lift off the ramekin. Serve with vanilla ice cream and garnish with raspberries and strawberries, if desired.
• If the cake runs all over the plate you need to increase the cooking time. If the cake is hard and does not ooze chocolate, lessen the cooking time. If the cake does not come out then make sure the ramekins are well buttered and covered in the cocoa.

Steps:

• Place sheet pan in the middle of the oven for at least 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Combine the butter and chocolate in a mixing bowl on top of a pot of simmering water. If you don't have experience melting chocolate then be very careful not to burn the mixture. Never melt chocolate directly over the cooking element.
• Heat chocolate mixture until melted and set aside to cool slightly.
• Beat the eggs, the egg yolks and the sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until they are thick and a light yellow color.
• On low speed gradually add the flour and then the chocolate/butter mixture.
• Butter the six ramekins (6-8 ounce) and dust with the cocoa. Tap out the excess cocoa but make sure they are well coated.
• Pour the Volcano batter into the ramekins filling them about 7/8 of the way to the top.
• Place on the pre-heated sheet tray and bake for 15-18 minutes. The consistency when done should be where the edges of the cake are firm and the top is still soft to the touch. Unfortunately, this dessert has very thin line between being under and over done.
• Remove from the oven and let sit on a cool surface for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Run a paring knife between the cake and ramekin to loosen. Invert your dessert plate over the ramekin (be careful, they're hot) and flip over. Tap the plate lightly and lift off the ramekin. Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream. Garnish with Raspberries and Strawberries.
• If the cake runs all over the plate you need to increase the cooking time. If the cake is hard and does not ooze chocolate, lessen the cooking time. If the cake does not come out then make sure it is well buttered and covered in the cocoa.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Grease and line 4 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper. Note: If you only have 2 8-inch (20 cm) pans, bake the cakes in batches.
• Add 4 teaspoons of red food coloring to one bowl of batter, the remaining teaspoon of red food coloring and 1 teaspoon of yellow food coloring to the next bowl of batter, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of yellow food coloring to the last bowl of batter. Whisk until fully incorporated.
• Pour ½ cup (85 G) of each color batter into each of the 4 cake pans. Repeat, alternating colors, until all of the batter is used. Gently swirl a toothpick through the batter to blend the colors in each pan.
• Bake the cakes according to the box instructions, 25-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Let cool completely. Keep the oven on.
• Make the hard candy flames, lava and water puddles, and lava drips: Grease 3 baking sheets with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
• For the flames, on the left side of a prepared baking sheet, arrange 12 red hard candies, about 1 inch (2 ½ cm) apart, in 4 rows of 3. On the right side of the same baking sheet, place the butterscotch candies in 3 rows of 3, about 1 inch (2 ½ cm) apart. Bake for 4-6 minutes, until the candies are entirely melted together, but not bubbling too much. Let cool completely, then break into large shards. Set aside.
• For the lava and water puddles, arrange 4 evenly spaced clusters of 3 blue and 1 green hard candies on a baking sheet. Place 4 red hard candies at least 1 inch (2 ½ cm) from the clusters and the edges of the pan. Place the remaining 4 butterscotch candies directly next to each red candy. Bake for 4-6 minutes, until melted into pools. Let cool completely.
• For the lava drips, position the remaining 8 red hard candies at least 1 inch (2 ½ cm) apart along a long side of the baking sheet, at least 1 inch (2 ½ cm) from the edge. Bake for 4-6 minutes, until melted. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and very carefully tip the pan so the melted candy slides down, creating a drip effect. Let cool completely.
• Trim the domed tops off the cakes. Use a 3-inch (7 cm) round cookie cutter to punch out holes in the centers of 2 of the cakes. Reserve the cake scraps.
• Assemble the cake: Place a 9-inch (22 cm) cardboard round on a cake turntable.
• Spread a dab of chocolate frosting in the center of the cardboard. Place a whole cake on the round. Using an offset spatula, spread about ½ cup (85 G) of frosting evenly over the top of the cake. Place the other whole cake on top and repeat frosting. Repeat with the remaining 2 cakes with the holes in the center. Place an 8-ounce mason jar in the hole in the center. Use your hand to lightly push the mason jar in until the top is level with the cake. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes, up to 1 hour.
• Carve the volcano: Using a sharp serrated knife, carefully trim down the sides of the cake at an angle so that the base is wider than the top. Make sure to leave a layer of cake at least 1-inch (2 ½ cm) thick around the jar. Reserve the cake scraps.
• Frost the outside of the cake with 4 cups (460 G) of frosting. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, up to overnight.
• Make the volcanic crumbles: Add 2 cups (230 G) of frosting to the bowl of cake scraps and mix with an electric hand mixer until coarsely crumbled.
• Assemble the volcano cake: Carefully transfer the cake to a platter at least 12 inches (30 cm) wide, positioning it near one corner. Place the melted blue-green candy puddles around the edges of the platter.
• Add the volcanic crumble around the base of the cake, and partially covering the candy puddles. You may not need to use all of the crumble. Sprinkle the chocolate peanut butter candies, mini chocolate peanut butter cups, and chocolate-coated caramel bites evenly over the crumble.
• Place the red hard candy drips around the sides of the cake, positioning them near the top. Place the red candy puddles on top of the crumble under the drips.
• Place the red and yellow candy shards along the top rim of the cake, surrounding the mason jar.
• Position the dinosaur figurines around the volcano, if using.
• When ready to present the cake, carefully use tongs to place a piece of dry ice in the mason jar. Pour room temperature water over the dry ice to create a smoke effect.
• Use tongs to carefully remove the mason jar before slicing and serving.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and base line an 18cm round cake tin, a 800-900ml oven proof (Pyrex) bowl and a 1.2 litre oven proof bowl.
• Put the butter, 300g of the sugar, eggs, flour and milk into a large bowl and beat well until light and creamy. Spread just under half the mixture in the cake tin.
• Take just under half of the remaining mixture and put into a bowl and colour deep red with food colouring. Put 3-4 small spoonfuls of red cake mix onto the mixture in the cake tin. Using the handle of a teaspoon pull the red mix through to give a marbled effect.
• Using the remaining plain and red cake mix place spoonfuls in a random fashion in the two prepared bowls. Again use the teaspoon handle to give a marbled effect.
• Bake in the oven for about 30 mins for the small bowl, about 35 mins for the medium and 50-60 mins for the cake tin. The mixture is cooked when firm to the touch and when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• When the cakes are cold trim off any peaks that have formed. Place the round cake on a large cake board. Cut three small 'v' shapes on the edge of the cake, to make an uneven shape for the volcano base. Spread a little apricot glaze all over the cake and place the larger bowl cake, rounded side up, on top. Brush with apricot glaze and place the remaining cake, rounded side up, on top. Cut a small hollow in the top of this cake (to represent the 'mouth' of the volcano) and then brush the cake with apricot glaze.
• Roll out the marzipan to a large circle to cover the cake. It can be quite a rough shape. Lift it onto the cake and drape in a random fashion in the nooks and crannies to make a volcano shape.
• Melt the chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Using a pastry brush, paint the volcano with chocolate. Attach chunks of chocolate, popcorn etc with melted chocolate. Add the dinosaurs. Drizzle any remaining chocolate over the volcano in a random fashion.
• To make the lava put the remaining 50g sugar into a small non-stick frying pan. Heat gently without stirring until the sugar has melted but is still clear. Lightly oil a metal baking sheet. When the sugar is just turning light brown at the edge, remove from the heat and carefully stir in a little red paste food colouring. Using a teaspoon, drizzle lava shapes onto the prepared tray. Leave to cool completely.
• When cold, carefully lift the lava shapes and place in the top of the volcano. For extra effect use birthday candles, cake sparklers, or cake fountains.

Steps:

• Mix cake mix according to package directions, blending with eggs, oil & water. Spoon the cherries from the pie filling into the chocolate cake mix. Set the remaining cherry pie filling sauce aside for later. Bake in a greased 2 quart glass bowl according to temperature on box-- additional baking time may be necessary. Be sure cake is firmly set.
• Remove cake from oven and cool completely. When cool, invert cake onto a 9x13 pan. Crush graham crakers well and sprinkle around the cake (volcano) as beach sand -- leaving an area off to the side for the blue ocean water.
• In the water area, spoon the partially set prepared blue jello into place. It should be solid enough not to run everywhere.
• Using a glass candle votive holder (or a shot glass), press down into the top of the volcano to create an area for the dry ice to sit. Leave in place.
• Spoon remaining cherry pie filling sauce onto the top of the volcano (around the edges of the votive holder but not into it) and let drip down the sides, for a lava-looking effect. Store cake in fridge until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, prepare the lava for eruption. Scrub the egg shell of the egg until it is clean and towel dry. Separate the egg white and discard yolk. Beat the white with the powdered sugar and red food coloring until peaks form.
• Place a couple small chunks of dry ice (handle dry ice using gloves at all times!) into votive holder on top of cake. Pour 2 oz. of boiling hot water into egg mixture. Pour that hot liquid (the watery part -- not the chunks of whipped egg) onto the dry ice, but don't overflow the votive. The dry ice will cause the egg frosting to bubble out and over the cake. Your eruption will last about 5 minutes and you can repeat if desired!