Mother's Day Cake

Step 1: How I Made a Cake for Mother's Day

This will be a three layer cake when one is completed with the process. For the cake portion one will need to
gather three large mixing bowls, an electric hand mixer or wisk, a liquid measuring cup, water, oil, eggs and three cake mixes of your choice. I chose chocolate, strawberry and vanilla as I wanted to make a banana split flavored cake when all steps are completed. 

Step 2:

In addition to the needed supplies to make the cake one will need a checkerboard cake pan set.

Step 3:

Before first use, wash and dry all pans as well as the divided insert.
With a paper towel grease each pan and follow with a light dusting of flour.

Step 4:

Set the dividing insert into the first pan and set aside. Turn on oven according to cake package instructions.

Step 5:

Mix each cake package according to the directions on the back of the box. 

Step 6:

Spoon a different flavor into each divided section filling half full. After each section is filled carefully and slowly lift out the divider. Wash and dry the divider and set into the next pan and repeat the process alternating the location of the flavors.

Step 7:

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Step 8:

When cakes are done baking, cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks and let finish cooling  until completely cooled.

Step 9:

While cakes are cooling gather supplies to make banana butter cream frosting.

Step 10:

For the frosting one will need:
1 cup solid white vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon flavoring ( I used banana extract, but any will do)
7 - 8 teaspoons water
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder
pinch of salt

Cream shortening, flavoring and water. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been mixed thoroughly. Continue to blend until creamy in texture. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

One will need to repeat this step to have one batch to frost the cake white and the next batch to divide and tint to make the flowers.

Step 11:

Divide the second batch of frosting into four small bowls and choose three different colors for the flowers and one for the green to pipe on leaves. Use a tooth pick to dip color out of the tint and swipe through the frosting and mix well with a wisk. Repeat the step until one has the desired color but use a clean tooth pick each time.

Step 12:

Using a decorating bag place a coupler base down inside the bag and place a drop flower tip over the base extending from the bag followed by the ring and twist on. Repeat this step for each color.

Step 13:

To make swirl drop flowers hold the bag straight up and squeeze and pull away twisting your wrist. Repeat with each color for a total of 36 drop flowers, 12 in each color.  place a small drop of white frosting in the center of each drop flower to add contrast. Place on wax paper to dry.

Step 14:

To make the roses I used tips 12 and 104 and a decorating nail. Start by making a mound of frosting on the center of the nail to resemble a chocolate kiss with tip 12. From the top using tip 104 make a ribbon around the kiss. repeat this ribbon tilting the tip outward each time until a rose is born. Repeat with different colors for a total of 21 roses, 7 of each color. Place on wax paper to dry.

Step 15:

While flowers dry, level each layer of cake with a cake leveler.

Step 16:

Place the first layer of cake on a waxed cake board and begin to frost with 1/2 cup of white icing being sure to keep the icing level. Repeat this step until all three layers have been added.

Step 17:

Continue to cover the cake layer from the bottum up and finish with the top. Once the cake has dried to the touch smooth out any rough areas by placeing a piece of wax paper on the cake and gently rubbing with your finger tips.

Step 18:

Starting at the base of the iced cake pipe a ring of stars all the way around as this is what the drop flowers will adhear to. Place the first color of drop flower on and repeat by alternating the colors until you have gone all the way around the cake.

Step 19:

For the top, one will pipe a small amount of white icing about the size of a pea about a 1/2 inch from the side and place a rose on top being carful not to break the petal and repeat until the top is circled and alternating in color of roses.

Step 20:

For the center piece, one can add any flowers of choice by placing a dab of white icing and positioning flowers at a tilt.

Step 21:

To complete the look of petal leaves use tip # 352and fill bag with green tinted icing. To make a ruffled leaf slowly squeeze the bag to build a base and pull out as it forms releasing the pressure on the bag.

Step 22:

My completed cake.....Happy Mother's Day Mom, I love you!!