Lolliop cake

Sweet and swirly, our playful lolliop cake makes a statement on a party table. To make the bright topping, twist 2-foot strips of multicolor fondant into one long rope—it's easier than you think!

Lollipop Cake

Ingredients

1 recipe Yellow Cake or Classic Chocolate Cake or 1 package 2-layer-size cake mix (any flavor)
1 recipe Creamy White Frosting or Butter Frosting or two 16-ounce cans creamy white frosting
16 ounce package fondant
Pink, blue, green, yellow, and purple paste food colorings
Powdered sugar
Coarse decorating sugar
1/4 cup white candy coating disks
1 pretzel rod
Nonpareils
Ribbon (optional)

Directions

Prepare, bake, and cool Yellow Cake as directed for two 8-inch round layers. Spread top of one cake layer with Creamy White Frosting; top with second cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with frosting.
For fondant lollipop, divide fondant into five portions. Using gloved hands, knead a different color of paste food coloring into each portion of fondant (if necessary, microwave fondant, one portion at a time, on 100 percent power (high) for 5 to 10 seconds or until soft enough to handle). On a surface dusted lightly with powdered sugar, roll each tinted portion into a 2-foot-long rope. Brush ropes with a little water and press together to make one rope. Roll the combined rope until sides are smooth. Twist the rope to mix colors and continue rolling into a 6-foot rope (rope will be about 3/4 inch thick). On a baking sheet, coil rope to make an 8-inch circle, trimming excess if necessary. Place circle on top of cake. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Place candy coating in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 30 seconds. Stir; microwave for 20 to 30 seconds more or until melted. Holding the pretzel rod over bowl, spoon melted candy coating over pretzel to cover, allowing excess to drip off. While coating is still wet, sprinkle with nonpareils. Place on waxed paper and let stand until set. If desired, tie a ribbon around the coated pretzel. Insert pretzel into cake for lollipop stick. Cover cake with plastic wrap and serve within 24 hours to prevent fondant from hardening. If desired, remove fondant coil before serving.

Butter Frosting

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
2 pounds (about 8 cups) powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Milk
Food coloring, optional

Directions

In an extra-large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in enough additional milk to reach spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring. This frosts tops and sides of two 8- or 9-inch cake layers. (Halve the recipe to frost a 13x9-inch cake or 10-inch fluted tube cake.)

Creamy White Frosting

Ingredients

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 16 ounce package powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
3 tablespoons milk

Directions

In a large mixing bowl beat shortening, vanilla, and almond extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add about half of the powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the milk. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar and enough of the remaining milk to reach spreading consistency.

Yellow Cake

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk

Directions

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 9x1-1/2-inch or 8x1-1/2-inch round cake pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan(s) aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter in the prepared pan(s).
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes for 9-inch pans, 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch pans, 25 to 30 minutes for 13x9x2-inch pan, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center(s) comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans; cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or place the 13x9x2-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired frosting.

Classic Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk

Directions

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease the bottoms of two 882-inch square baking pans or 91 1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease and lightly flour pans. Or grease and lightly flour one 1392-inch baking pan or 10-inch fluted tube pan. Set pan(s) aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more. Spoon batter into the prepared pan(s), spreading evenly.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes for 8-inch pans or 139-inch pan, 30 to 35 minutes for 9-inch pans, 45 to 50 minutes for 10-inch tube pan, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center(s) comes out clean. Cool cake layers or tube cake in pan(s) on wire rack(s) for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers or tube cake from pan(s); peel off waxed paper if present. Cool completely on wire rack(s). Or place 139-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool completely. Frost with desired frosting