Page 181 - Chocolate Cake Doctor

S H E E T C A K E S 163

Fast Decorations

ress up that simple cake with these • Cocoa powder. Sift it over a white
Dgoodies: chocolate frosting.

• Chocolate shavings. Run a sharp • Confectioners’ sugar. Dust dark
knife down the side of a bar of chocolate chocolate cakes at the last minute, or
(white or semisweet) and scatter the the sugar will be absorbed into the
shavings evenly across the top of the cake. Buy stencils in cookware shops
cake, or pile them in the center. and sift on polka dot and other
patterns. Or to create a filigree pattern,
• Candied almonds. Buy these in the
sift the sugar over a paper doily placed
candy store; they come in bright colors.
on top of the cake.
Scatter them around a simple white
chocolate cake. • Melon ball chocolate curls. Warm a
semisweet block of chocolate and run a
• Candied violets. Buy these at a
melon baller against it. The colder the
gourmet shop or where cake-decorating
chocolate, the smaller and flakier the
supplies are sold.
curls.

2. Place the confectioners’ sugar, melted with a rub ber spatula. Increase the

margarine, and cream cheese in a large mixer speed to medium and beat 2 min-
mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer utes more, scraping the sides down
on low speed for 30 seconds, then in - again if needed. The batter should look
crease the mixer speed to medium and well combined. Pour the batter over the
beat 30 seconds more, or until smooth. coconut and pecans in the prepared
Set the bowl aside. pan, smoothing it out with the rubber
3. Place the cake mix, water, oil, and spatula. Spoon the cream cheese mix-
eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with ture on top of the batter, leaving a 1-
an electric mixer (using the same beat- inch border of cake mix on all sides.
ers—no need to wash them) on low Spread out the cream cheese mixture
speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine with the rubber spatula until smooth.
and scrape down the sides of the bowl Place the pan in the oven.