{Guest Blogger} Mardi Gras Cake

I am very happy to introduce you to today’s guest blogger, Carmen.  I’ve  known Carmen for many years and am happy to call her a long-time friend.  Among many other talents, she has started baking and decorating cakes (and cupcakes and cookies and…. well, I suppose anyting sweet that can be decorated!).  She has been very generous in accepting my request to do up something special for all my dear readers.  What a treat you’re in for!  Please welcome Carmen……

“Hi everyone!  I am so excited to be doing this guest blog!  It’s my first time to ever write a blog post.  My name is Carmen and I love to bake.  My wonderful and talented neighbor got me started and it’s been bake, bake, bake ever since.  I am far from an expert, but I have fun trying new recipes and my husband loves it too.

With Mardi Gras just a week away and the birthday of my sister-in-law who is obessessed with all things Mardi Gras, I decided to make her a Mardi Gras birthday cake.  It was super easy and I was so excited with the way that it turned out.

 

This is what you need:

A basic white or yellow box cake. I used Pillsbury Funfetti, so you see a few of the sprinkles in the yellow part of the cake, but any brand will work.

Ingredients needed to prepare the cake.  Usually eggs, water & oil

Wilton Icing Color in Violet, Leaf Green & Lemon

 

Buttercream icing – Recipe found here.

Prepare pans using non-stick spray or butter and flour.

Prepare cake batter as directed on the box.

Next separate batter into three equal parts.

 

Using a clean butter knife each time, add small amounts of the Wilton Icing Color, mixing well until you reach the color desired.  Always start with small amounts.  You can always make darker, but cannot make lighter.  Repeat for each color.

 

After you are satified with your colors, using a 1/4 cup at a time, alternate the colored batters randomly in the pans.  Make sure that you do not mix the colors just tap the pan to make it smooth once finished.  Try to make sure that both pans are evenly filled.

Bake according to the box instructions.

And when you pull them out of the oven, they will look like this!!  Beautiful!!

 

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a cooling rack, then remove them from the pans directly to the cooling racks until completely cooled.

Apply your icing and voila! you have a beautiful Mardi Gras cake.

 

If you want to do the tri-colored details on the icing, see here for instructions.

 

I hope you have as much fun as I did making this cake!!”

 

*                    *                      *                       *                       *                         *                          *                          *

Beautiful 

We are in the home stretch of Mardi Gras, so if you are celebrating:  Laissez les bons temps roullez!

Now I’m off to New Orleans to enjoy a little Mardi Gras celebrations myself!