Pink Almond Party Cake

Submitted by senseicheryl

"Featured in an email from Betty Crocker this morning: "Party time! Make a pretty pink cake with a kiss of almond flavor.""

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) box Betty Crocker super moist white cake mix
• 1 1⁄4 cups water
• 1⁄3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 6 drops red food coloring

• FOR THE GARNISH

• 4 ounces white almond bark, chopped
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 -2 drop red food coloring

• FOR THE FROSTING

• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened or 1/2 cup margarine
• 1⁄4 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 4 -5 tablespoons milk

directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom and sides of 2 (9- or 8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour. In large bowl, beat cake ingredients, including 2 teaspoons almond extract and 6 drops food color, as directed on box. Pour into pans.
2. Bake as directed on box for 9- or 8-inch rounds pans or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating uncovered on High 1 minute, stirring twice, until melted and smooth. Stir in 2 teaspoons oil. Spoon about half the melted coating into another bowl; stir in 2 or 3 drops food color to tint it light pink.
4. Line 6-ounce custard cup or other small bowl with foil. Pour half of the untinted coating into foil-lined bowl. Drop half of the pink coating on top; pull a knife through coatings to make marbled design. Repeat with remaining untinted and tinted coatings, adding on top of marbled coatings. Refrigerate about 20 minutes or until set; remove from refrigerator. (If refrigerated longer, let stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften.).
5. In large bowl, beat butter, shortening, 1 teaspoon almond extract, the powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons of the milk with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Beat on medium speed, adding enough of the remaining 1 tablespoon milk until fluffy and spreadable.
6. Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on serving plate; frost top. Top with second layer, rounded side up. Frost side and top of cake.
7. Remove coating from bowl; peel off foil. With vegetable peeler, make urls by pulling peeler around the outside edge of block of coating. Place curls on top of cake.