Butterfly Cake

Submitted by SweetDivaMJ

"Emerging from a 13- x 9-inch pan, this bright idea comes from Taste of Home. I made this beautiful cake for my DD's 6th birthday. I admit that I did not make the recipe for the cake as she requested carrot cake, but I am posting for the design..... The work time is a guess - it depends on how creative you get and how fast you decorate."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 35mins
• Ingredients: 21
• Serves: 16-20

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup shortening
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1⁄2 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• FROSTING or DECORATING

• 1 cup shortening
• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 4 1⁄2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 -5 tablespoons milk
• your desired color of paste food coloring
• colored sprinkles
• decorating bag
• ziploc bag
• pastry dough, tip- # 98 shell and # 5 round
• black licorice

directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Beat in vanilla.
4. Pour into a waxed paper-lined 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan.
5. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cake tests done.
6. Cool completely.
7. For frosting, cream shortening and butter until light and fluffy.
8. Gradually beat in 2 cups confectioners' sugar; add salt,extracts and 3 tablespoons milk.
9. Beat in remaining sugar.
10. If necessary,add additional milk, a tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency.
11. Remove 2 cups; set aside.
12. Tint remaining frosting with desired color of food coloring.
13. To make butterfly, cut a 1-in. wide strip of cake from the 9-in. side.
14. Place a toothpick in the center of remaining cake.
15. Using string, divide cake into four triangles, holding string at opposite corners.
16. Depress string slightly into cake to mark cutting line; repeat for remaining corners.
17. Cut cake along cutting lines.
18. Place the 1-in. strip of cake in the center of a 20-in. x 15-in. serving board to be the butterfly body.
19. Frost top and sides of body with desired color of frosting. (I frosted the whole cake white and used coconut that I tinted black for the body and colored glittery sprinkles for the wings.).
20. Place two small triangles next to the body for bottom wings.
21. Place two larger triangles for top wings. Frost sides and tops of wings with desired color of frosting.
22. Smooth frosting with a warm spatula.
23. Decorate edges of cake with white frosting, using a pastry bag and shell tip.
24. Mark circles on wings with the top of a 2-in. plastic cup. (I drew mine -free form - in frosting with a toothpick).
25. Sprinkle jimmies or sprinkles in circles; outline with frosting, using round tip.
26. Cut licorice into four small pieces; push ends into top of body for antennae. (We can't stand black licorice - I used pipe cleaners.).
27. Place candles on the body.
28. Yield: 16-20 servings.