Peppermint Cake Recipe

How to make it

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• Cake directions:
• Preheat oven to 375F..
• Grease and flour 2 9 inch round cake pans
• Cream the sugar,salt, and shortening.
• Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
• Mix in the vanilla.
• In another bowl mix the flour and baking powder together.
• Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix briefly.
• Add 1/3 of the milk and mix.
• Continue twice more with the remaining milk and flour.
• Do not overmix.
• Pour batter into cake pans.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean after inserrted.
• Let the cakes cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Fondant icing:
• Dissolve the sugar in the water in a large, heavy-based pan over a low heat.
• Wipe down the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water to prevent crystals forming.
• Dissolve the cream of tartar in a little water, then stir into the pan. Bring to the boil and boil steadily to 115°C/242°F.
• When a drop of icing forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water, slowly pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and leave until a skin forms.
• Beat the icing with a wooden spoon until it becomes opaque and firm.
• Grease your hands with shortening and knead until smooth.
• Warm in a heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water to soften, if necessary, before use.
• To assemble cake:
• Place one cake on cake plate (a red one is great!).
• Spread the top with a 1/4 inch layer of strawberry jam.
• Place the other cake on top.
• Spread the top with a 1/8 inch layer of strawbberry jam.
• Roll out frosting on a surface that has been dusted with 1/2 powdered sugar and 1/2 corn flour.
• Roll into a 15 inch circle.
• Carefully roll the icing into a tube/cylinder that is easy to pick up (see photo).
• Standing over the cake, unroll the tube and place on the cake so the sides drop down evenly around the cake.
• Smooth by gently pressing the top so the icing will stick to the jam.
• Smooth down the sides genlly until everything looks smooth all around the top and sides.
• Use a pin to pop any air bubbles that may arise.
• Use a pizza cutter or sharp kniife to trim icing at the base.
• Paint candy stripes using the red gel frosting (see photo of cake), starting from the center and working to the sides and bottom.
• Decorate the base with peppermint candies (attach them with jam or icing gel - use it like glue).
• *Optional: Place a peppermint or a red hard candy in the center of the top where the stripes start.

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