Next time you bake a cake, consider an alternative to frosting by making a jello cake. Not only is it colorful, it is delicious. Add your favorite jello, such as grape, lemon, or cherry, when you use a white cake mix, or be bold and use two or three different flavors to create a design or theme.

If a topping is a must, create a special one using whipped topping and fruit, such as sliced pineapple or cherries. Fresh fruit is good anytime, and especially as a garnish for jello cake. Slivered almonds or walnut halves polish the stylish presentation of this dessert. Family and friends will love it. If you take it to a meeting or potluck, expect several requests for a return performance.

Groovy Grape Jello Cake

This recipe is easy because it uses a cake mix. Most food companies agree on what you need to add to the mix to prepare the batter, and those are the quantities listed in the recipe. Read the cake box, though, to be sure the amounts needed for oil, water, and eggs are the same. Things like elevation and humidity can sometimes call for a lesser amount on the cake box instructions.

What You Need:

1 box white cake mix (18 ounces)

1 cup water

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1 box grape jello (3 ounces)

Frozen whipped topping, thawed

Sliced strawberries or kiwis for decoration

How To Make It:

Prepare the cake batter in a large mixing bowl, according to instructions. Be certain to completely mix the eggs, oil, and water with the mixture. Pour batter into a glass baking dish.

Bake cake, remove from oven, and let cool thoroughly.

Poke holes in the top of the cake using a toothpick, hitting the bottom of the baking dish. The holes let the jello to travel down through the cake.

Prepare the grape jello according to the package instructions, except do not let it to set. Pour it all over the top of the cake. Do not panic when it turns purple and looks soggy. The gelatin in the mix will firm up as it is chilled and the cake will be fine.

Put the cake in the refrigerator for at least five hours. Overnight is even better. The grape jello will become more solid during that time.

To remove the cake after the jello has set, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and place it in a larger dish of hot (not boiling) water. Be sure the water is not near the top of the dish, since you do not want to get the cake wet. Remove the baking dish after 1 minute. Dry any water off the dish. Hold the serving platter firmly against the dish and turn the dish over, placing the platter on a table or counter. The cake should slip out of the baking dish, which can now be lifted off.

Using a rubber spatula or table knife spread the thawed whipped topping over the cake. Be as creative with the texture as you want to be. Smooth, swirly, or wavy, the topping is going to look good. Arrange the strawberry or kiwi pieces on the top and sides of your Groovy Grape Jello Cake.

Cover and refrigerate any remaining cake.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

READ MORE - Next time you bake a cake, consider an alternative to frosting by making a jello cake. Not only is it colorful, it is delicious. Add your favorite jello, such as grape, lemon, or cherry, when you use a white cake mix, or be bold and use two or three different flavors to create a design or theme.

When I asked soon-to-be 12 year old Ryann what kind of birthday cake she wanted she said, "Either a cookie cake or a chocolate cake". After deliberating which to make, I settled on both! I topped a chocolate-chip cookie cake with a rich chocolate cake, topped it all with chocolate butter cream frosting and, of course, birthday candles!

Unlike my friend Marianne Getz (Wolfgang Puck's pastry chef), I am NOT a good baker. However, I believe that Birthday Cakes should be made at home, with love, rather than store bought so...I made it myself...using mixes! Plus, rather than wasting $3.99 on the pre-made decorative colored frosting, I spent $.99 on white frosting and improvised. Unless you are really getting fancy, you can do it my way by using the vanilla frosting, food coloring, convection sugar...and a baggie!

Here's what to buy:

1 Krusteaz Chocolate Chunk cookie mix

1 Betty Crocker Devils Food Cake Mix

2 large tubs Betty Crocker Rich and Chocolate Buttercream-Style Icing

1 regular tub Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Vanilla Frosting

All ingredients to make the cookie and the cake mix; eggs, oil, etc.

1/4 Cup confectioners sugar

food coloring for decorative writing and edging.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees and grease the bottom of two 11 x 13 non-stick pans.

Make the cookie dough according to the box directions and spoon into the pan. Wetting your hands with tap water, flatten the dough evenly across the bottom of the pan. Put into the preheated oven.

Make the cake mix according to the package directions and pour into the other prepared pan.

Bake the cookies for 18 minutes or until it is lightly golden. Take the cookies out and put the cake in. Let the cookies cool in the pan for 15 minutes before carefully flipping onto a cake platter.

Bake cake for the length of time directed on the box or until the sides are just beginning to pull away from the walls of the pan. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan until just barely warm. Use a long bakers spatula, or other long flat tool, to loosen the cake from the pan so as not to break it when removing.

When the cookie cake is cool, but before you place the chocolate cake on top, frost it with 1/2 of one tub of the Chocolate Butter Cream Icing. Carefully place the almost-cool chocolate cake on top and let cool completely. Use the remaining icing to cover the top and sides of the cake; I actually had about 1/3 of a container leftover but use as much as you desire.

To decorate the cake, first decide how many colors you will use and them divide the tubs of frosting into separate bowls to accomodate each color. Blend the frosting with the confectioners sugar; I used 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar to 1/2 of the tub of frosting but adjust as need to make the frosting thick but still moist and spreadable. Add a few drops of food coloring, if desired, and mix well.

Using a pint-size freezer bag, spoon the frosting into one corner and then barely snip off the tip of the bag. The bigger the opening, the more frosting comes out so I recommend starting small, practice on a plate or napkin and trim as needed to get the correct amount of frosting to write smoothly. Later, cut the opening bigger to do the sides, edges or accents.

Again...I'm no Marianne Getz but hey, it's a 12-year-old's birthday! My cake was yummy and brought big smiles and full mouths saying... Best. Birthday Cake. Ever. That's all I need!

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

READ MORE - When I asked soon-to-be 12 year old Ryann what kind of birthday cake she wanted she said, "Either a cookie cake or a chocolate cake". After deliberating which to make, I settled on both! I topped a chocolate-chip cookie cake with a rich chocolate cake, topped it all with chocolate butter cream frosting and, of course, birthday candles!

Kids of all ages love chocolate cakes. If you bake one for the first birthday of your child, you will definitely get the reward for being star mom in the form of lots of hugs and kisses from the children at the birthday party. Here is a simple first birthday cake recipes with delicious chocolate frosting.

Items needed for the chocolate cake recipe and frosting:

Cake:

Cocoa powder - 1 cup

Boiling hot water - 2 cups

Soft and unsalted butter at room temperature - 1 cup

Sugar - 2 cups

Eggs - 4

All-purpose flour - 2 cups

Baking soda - 2 teaspoons

A pinch of salt

Vanilla extract or essence - 1 teaspoons

Frosting:

1 packet of semi sweet chocolate chips

cup of half and half cream (you can use full cream too, but add some milk to it)

cup of unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups of icing sugar

For decoration:

Mixed fruit jam - 1 cup

Edible silver balls - 1 packet

Colorful chocolate gems - 1 packet

Preparing the cake:

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a deep bowl.

Add the butter and whisk some more to get a fluffy texture.

Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

Dissolve the cocoa powder in boiling hot water and let the mix cool.

Add this mix to the butter-egg mix and whisk some more to get a smooth batter.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Now add the dry ingredients to the prepared mix, spoon by spoon, and whisk some more to get the cake batter to dropping consistency.

Grease a 9 inch baking pan and pour the batter in the pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 35-40 minutes.

After the baking time, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.

Preparing the frosting:

On a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter.

Remove from heat and stir in the cream and icing sugar.

Whisk to combine well and your chocolate frosting is ready.

Assembling the cake:

Let the cake cool completely before assembling.

Cut the cake in the middle horizontally.

Place the bottom layer on a serving plate.

Spread a generous amount of frosting over the layer and cover with the top layer.

Spread the rest of the frosting on the cake and cover all the sides.

Put the mixed fruit jam in a piping bag and decorate the top and sides of the cake in any design you like.

Use the silver balls and chocolate gems to cover the top and sides of the cake.

Put the prepared cake in the fridge for 2 hours to let everything set before serving.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

READ MORE - Kids of all ages love chocolate cakes. If you bake one for the first birthday of your child, you will definitely get the reward for being star mom in the form of lots of hugs and kisses from the children at the birthday party. Here is a simple first birthday cake recipes with delicious chocolate frosting.