Happy Holly-Day Cake
Additional Information
Step 1
Several days in advance, make 50 holly leaves and 36 berries. Mix 6 oz. of fondant with 1/4 teaspoon of gum-tex. Tint 4 oz. green and 2 oz. red. Cut holly leaves from green fondant with cutter from set. Place leaves on thin foam and vein with small veining tool. Place on cornstarch-dusted flower former to dry. Dust leaves with green pearl dust. Roll 1/2 in. red fondant balls for berries. Let dry.
Step 2
Bake and cool checkerboard cake.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 4
Prepare 3 boxes white cake mix following package instructions; divide in thirds
Step 5
In one portion of batter, gently stir in Kelly Green Icing Color to desired shade (use clean toothpicks to transfer color from jar to batter). Repeat with Red-Red Icing Color to color second portion. Reserve 1 portion batter white.
Step 6
Place Batter Dividing Ring in the first prepared 9 x 1 1/2 in. pan. Pour green-colored batter in outer section and red-colored batter in the middle section and white in center section. Fill sections halfway.
Step 7
Remove ring from pan by carefully lifting straight up on handles. Rinse and completely dry ring.
Step 8
Place ring in 2nd prepared pan and in the first prepared 9 x 1 1/2 in. pan. Pour white batter in outer section and green-colored batter in the middle section and red-colored batter in center section. Fill sections halfway.
Step 9
Place clean and dry ring in 3rd prepared pan. Pour red-colored batter in outer and white colored batter in the middle section and green-colored batter in the center section. Fill sections halfway.
Step 10
Remove ring from pan as before. Bake and cool cakes following recipe directions. Remove and stack cakes.
Step 11
DO NOT PUT DIVIDING RING IN OVEN.
Step 12
Spatula ice cake with buttercream. Divide cake into 8ths. Attach leaves and berries in garlands formation around cake with dots of icing. Place leaves and berries on top of cake center.