"carrot Patch" Chocolate Cake

PSU Lioness's Note:

I found this on Pinterest and decided to make it for Carnival Night at my son's school and it got rave reviews. It's just a simple chocolate cake with some very creative toppings that make it look adorable and it's a great cake to use for celebrating Spring or Easter! (Total time does not include cooling time on the cake)

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) box chocolate cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Supermoist Milk Chocolate but any chocolate cake mix would work. Instructions a)
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• cooking spray
• 1 (16 ounce) can chocolate frosting (I used Duncan Hines Milk Chocolate Frosting)
• 1/2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs (more or less depending on the size of your cake)
• 12 marshmallows
• 12 ounces white chocolate candy melts (Wilton makes them)
• 3 -4 drops orange gel food coloring (must be gel)
• candy, grass (It is called "Edible Easter Grass." Get the green stuff. I found mine at Walmart in the seasonal Eas)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, water and oil. Blend with hand mixer until batter is smooth.
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Spray a 9x13" cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan.
5. Bake according to package directions (usually 30-35 minutes for a 9x13 cake).
6. While cake is baking, place the white baking chips into a small saucepan and begin stirring them over Medium-Low heat on the stove (or follow the instructions on the bag).
7. When they are almost melted, add a few drops of orange gel food coloring to the mixture. Continue stirring until all candy is melted and it is all orange.
8. NOTE: I tried this before with liquid food coloring and the candy coating hardened immediately. I did not have this problem with gel coloring. If you can find orange candy melts, you can use them and skip this step.
9. Skewer the marshmallows with toothpicks and roll them around in the melted candy until they are covered. You only need to do the top and sides.
10. Allow excess chocolate to drip off and poke the toothpicks into a piece of thick styrofoam (or through the top of a shoe box like I did). You can also remove the toothpicks and place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
11. Place in fridge until the candy is set (about 10 minutes).
12. By this point, the cake should be about done baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you finish the marshmallow carrots.
13. Remove the marshmallows from the fridge and use a tooth pick to poke 3 small holes very close to each other in the middle of the top of each marshmallow.
14. Using the toothpick, push 1 piece of edible Easter grass into each hole to create the carrot tops. Set aside until cake is cool enough to add the icing.
15. When cake is cool, icing it with the can of frosting (or your favorite recipe).
16. Remove the marshmallows from toothpicks and gently press them down into the frosting until you feel the cake "give" a little. I made 3 rows with 4 "carrots" in each row.
17. Sprinkle the Oreo crumbs over the chocolate frosting to create the look of dirt. Dust crumbs off of the carrot tops if any land there while sprinkling.
18. You are finished!