Polka Dot Cake

I'm always looking to learn fun new tricks when baking.  I know that I've got a long way to go to become good at decorating cakes (I think I need to take some classes!) but I figure I can still find other little ways to dress up cakes...on the inside!  I saw some pictures for "polka dot cakes" and did some reading on how to make them, and I came up with this way for my first go at making one!  Here is what I did:

2 white cake mixes, plus all the ingredients needed to make the cakes
Food colouring (your choice of colours)
Icing

Preheat oven according to box instruction.

Take your first cake mix and prepare the batter according to directions. 

Divide the batter evenly into the number of bowls that you are wanting colours for your polka dots.  I decided to make pink and purple polka dots, so I needed two bowls.  Add the food colouring to the batter until you reach your desired colour.  Pour batter into cake pans.

Bake the cakes according to the box directions.  Note - I always bake for less time than the box states, it may be due to elevation, but I just find they bake faster than the box guidelines.

Cool the cakes completely, then break each cake apart to make your cake balls.  I added a little bit of icing into each cake to help stick the cake balls together.  Form your cake balls, place them on a plate, cover and put them in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.  I left mine in the fridge overnight as I started the project around 9 pm!

Once the cake balls have chilled, prepare the second cake mix according to the box instructions.  Pour the batter into the cake pans (I used 9x9) and then place the cake balls in the batter.  Bake the cakes according to direction (again, I bake for less time than the box recommends).

Once the cakes are baked, cool completely, and ice them.  I made my own buttercream icing for this project.

Now...when you cut into that cake...what a nice surprise to find pops of colour!

VERDICT:
While cake balls a re a bit of work (one of those cake pop baking machines are tempting to try to speed up the baking process), it was fun to have the different dots of colour in the cake.  I made this cake as a little belated birthday cake for my Mom (they were away for her actual birthday), and it went over well, especially with our 5 year old, who usually only eats icing! (He ate the cake too, because of the polka dots). I will experiment again in the future with smaller cake balls, just to see the difference, and maybe use different baking pans, all for fun!

Carrot Pineapple Raisin Bran Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

My son's preschool held their Easter party this week and each family contributed a little something to the "Easter Buffet".  Originally I wrote down that I would bring "something sweet" with good intentions to make some fun Easter treat, but time got away from me (we re-did our oldest son's room this past weekend...and our house is still a mess!) so I opted to go for something a bit healthier but still with a little sweet.  I decided on an old favourite of ours, and one that is always popular with the kids, Carrot Pineapple Raisin Bran Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing.  Hey...it's Easter, we needed a little bit of carrot!  And it turned out that one of his classmates (and teacher) were both celebrating their birthdays this week, so a cake was brought to the Easter party - I'm glad I changed my "something sweet" choice...imagine all those 4 and 5 year olds after a tonne of sweet?!

And, since it is Easter I did feel the need to dress the muffins just a little.  Off to the Dollar Store and I found the cutest little chicks that were the perfect size for mini-muffins.  Here is the recipe, slightly adapted from Company's Coming - Muffins & More:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup natural bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup crushed pineapple and juice
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts (I didn't add the walnuts this time as my son's classroom is a nut-free zone)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Combine flour, brown sugar, bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Stir together well, and make a well in the centre.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs until frothy.  Add in oil, carrots, pineapple, juice, raisins and walnuts.  Add to dry ingredients, into the well.  Mix, but only to moisten.  The batter will be lumpy.  Fill lined or greased muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes (regular sized muffins) or 10-11 minutes (mini muffins).  Cool on wire rack.  Frost if desired.

Make 12-14 large or 24-30 mini muffins.

Cream Cheese Frosting (from Company's Coming - Desserts)

4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups icing sugar

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Beat well.  Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy.  Spread over muffins.

VERDICT:
These are delicious muffins.  Nice and moist, and a nice blend of "stuff" inside.  Not overwhelming with too much carrot, pineapple ot raisins.  And the cream cheese icing, which is optional but a nice a way to dress them up a bit, is always so so so good!  My son and I enjoyed cleaning off the spatula and mixing bowl when we were done icing the muffins    :-)