Monday, April 5, 2010

Peeps Sunflower Cake



This bright and cheery cake is so easy, that anyone could make it! In fact, my 7 year old helped me with mine and I didn't even have to go all control-freak on him and redo his areas!

Ingredients:
1 two-layer baked and frosted cake (recipe for chocolate cake below)
17-20 yellow Peeps chicks
chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips as well as mini chips for the center)

Directions:
Prepare and bake cake.

1. Level and frost cake when it has completely cooled.

2. Without separating Peeps and curving slightly to fit, arrange chicks around edge of cake for sunflower petals.

3. For sunflower seeds, arrange chocolate chips in center of cake.



**"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake recipe:**

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions
:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.


"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING


1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.