Join Me in My Addiction!

Thank you for visiting my blog...and for allowing me to share with you my addiction. I love to collect recipes. I love to read cookbooks. I have been collecting recipes for as long as I can remember, and on any given day there are one or two (or more!) cookbooks residing on my nightstand!

This blog is chronicling my adventure as I fulfill my resolution of trying (at least) one new recipe each week. I hope that you enjoy!

I invite you to join me in my journey, simply by clicking the "Join this Site" link below. And please feel free to comment on any of the recipes, and pin away. Thanks, I look forward to sharing with you!

Monday, August 13, 2012

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!

28 comments:

  1. That must be delicious :D I followed you and I just started a blog, it's dutch. But you could use translate of course. Following would mean alot to me! (I have a blog hop atm)
    http://likearolemodel.blogspot.com

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    1. Nice to meet you! And welcome :-) I know you will love blogging! I will come over and visit your blog too.

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  2. I think it's a GREAT idea
    I really like what you did :)
    When you ate the cake - the balls weren't over-baked? Or this was the reason you put them in the fridge for several hours?

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    1. Hi Winnie! No - surprisingly the cake balls were not overbaked at all. They were exactly the same as when I put them in the cake to bake. The batter just seemed to bake all around them. I think you are onto something about leaving them in the fridge for so long, it may have helped.

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    2. Thank you for you reply :)
      I'm planning to use this wonderful idea of yours as I really like this cake :)
      BTW - I also like the colors you chose

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    3. Hi :)
      As you already know I took your idea and made this cake
      http://www.winnish.net/2012/10/blog-post.html

      I'd like to THANK YOU again !:)
      I gave you credit in my post (as you well deserve it!) with a link to this post

      Hope you're having a wonderful weekend :)

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  3. Replies
    1. Thanks Carrie! I think I might try cupcakes next, with smaller cake balls...

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  4. Whaaat polka dots! What a wonderful idea! Found your wonderful blog on the shesconnected.com blog community! So glad to have found you there and looking forward to your posts!

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    1. Hello Jenna, thank you so much for coming to visit me! Welcome!

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  5. i Love this!!! I have a friend who would absolutely adore a cake made like this! Thanks for the idea!

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    1. You're welcome Amy, have fun with it! I'm looking forward to trying it again :-)

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  6. This is adorable! Perfect for a bridal or baby shower! Thanks for sharing at Church Supper. Have a blessed week & Happy Labor Day ~EMM

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  7. That's a fun cake. I can see why it is popular even tho it is fiddly the end result is brilliant.

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  8. Very cute and fun! Thanks for sharing at Must Try Monday.

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  9. This is such a neat idea! I love the polka dots inside the cake! Thanks for sharing this at Mom's Test Meal Mondays!

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  10. Nifty idea - love it! I can think of lots of fun party applications for this one! Hmmm.... must try!

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  11. Soooo cute!! Never saw a polka-dot cake before!!

    Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!

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  12. now this is creative. Super cute. Thanks for linking up to Friday Food Frenzy. hope to see you next week.

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  13. What I great idea, I will have to try this recipe very soon. Hope you have a great weekend and thanks for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  14. I have never seen this before! It is a great idea. I bet people would be suprised to find these little orbs in their cake!

    Thank you so much for linking up to Foodie Friends Friday! Hope you will come back on Sunday to vote!

    I am now a new follower and will be pinning this great recipe!

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  15. This looks really neat! I hope to try this out one day. I am a follower of your blog and would love if you could hop over to my new blog (http://sarahsaturdiy.blogspot.com/) and share the blog love. Have a great weekend!

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  16. I love this! What a cute idea!!!
    Thanks for sharing with my Super Link Party! :-)

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  17. Cute idea! I am lousy at cake decorating, so this looks like something I could handle.

    Just wanted to invite you to come link up with Frugal Food Thursday at Frugal Follies! Hope to see you there!

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  18. What a great fun treat!! Thanks so much for linking up to Tasty Thursdays on The Mandatory Mooch!! I hope you will link up again. The party will be live tonight. http://www.mandatorymooch.blogspot.com

    Thanks, Nichi

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  19. This looks super fun and yummy. I can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks so much for linking up last week to Creative Thursday. Can’t wait to see what you have for this week’s party! Have a great week.
    Michelle

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  20. This is a cute idea! I would be interested in if the smaller dot balls would mean there are more colors in each slice? I think more dots would be fun :)
    Thanks for linking up to Friday Fascinations! Don't forget to come back this week and join the party!

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