Butterfly Birthday Cake Recipes

BUTTERFLY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray bottoms and sides of two 8- or 9-inch round pans. Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch rounds. Wrap and freeze 1 layer for later use. Freeze remaining layer 45 minutes before cutting to reduce crumbs.
• Cut off rounded top of cake to make flat surface; place cake cut side down. Cut cake in half crosswise; cut each half into 1/3 and 2/3 pieces (as shown in diagram). Place cake pieces on platter to form butterfly. Gently separate cake pieces to form wings.
• Reserve 1/2 cup frosting; set aside. Spread top and sides of cake with thin layer of frosting to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze 30 to 60 minutes to set frosting. Frost cake with remaining frosting. Place candy stick between cake pieces for butterfly body.
• Stir food color into reserved frosting until well blended. Spread over cake in desired pattern on wings. Outline wing patterns with gel. Sprinkle with sugar crystals. Place jelly beans on corners of wings. Decorate butterfly with candy decorations. Store loosely covered.

BUTTERFLY BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter and bake in two 9-inch round baking pans as directed on package. Cool 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
• Cut cakes crosswise in half. Spread two of the cake halves with jam; top with remaining two cake halves to form two stacks. To assemble, arrange cookies in center of large board or tray with edges slightly overlapping to form the "butterfly's body," securing cookies to each other with small amount of the whipped topping. Arrange cake stacks around body to resemble the butterfly's wings.
• Tint remaining whipped topping with food coloring as desired. Spread onto cakes. Decorate with whipped topping, cereal, candies and cookies. Store in refrigerator.

FROSTED BUTTERFLY CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter according to package directions, using two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , Cut one cake in half widthwise. (Save the second cake for another use.) Cut a notch from the center of each cut side to define outer edges of wings. Cut corners of wings so they are slightly rounded. Let cake stand for 2 hours. , On a serving platter, position cake halves on each side of sponge cake. Frost top and sides of butterfly with chocolate frosting. Cut licorice into two small pieces; push ends into top of sponge cake for antennae. Decorate with candies.

BUTTERFLY CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 13x9-in. baking pan with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside., In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack., For frosting, beat shortening and butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in 2 cups confectioners' sugar, then the salt, extracts and 3 tablespoons milk. Beat in remaining confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve a spreading consistency. Tint frosting with food coloring, setting aside a small amount of pale purple frosting for the face. Tint remaining frosting a darker purple as desired., Remove cake from pan and discard waxed paper. For butterfly body, cut a 9x1-in. strip from the cake's short side. Round the edges if desired. For wings, cut remaining cake into four triangles. Frost top and sides of each piece. Decorate sides of body with purple jimmies; decorate wing pieces with pink jimmies and purple sugar., Place butterfly body on a serving platter. Pipe reserved frosting onto head; form a smile and antennae with shoestring licorice. Add Skittle eyes. Cut licorice twists into short lengths; arrange in stripes over butterfly's body. Arrange wing pieces on platter, forming a butterfly.

BUTTERFLY CAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a cupcake tin with 10 cases. To make the sponge, tip the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder and milk into a large mixing bowl and beat with either a hand whisk or electric mixer until smooth, pale and combined. Divide the batter between the cases and bake for 15 mins until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle of a cake comes out clean. Leave on a wire rack to cool.
• While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream by beating together the icing sugar, butter and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Mix in the extra milk if the icing feels too stiff.
• Once the cakes are cool, use a sharp knife to slice off the tops, then cut the tops in half. Pipe or spread the buttercream on top of the cakes, then gently push two semi-circular halves into the buttercream on each cake, doing this at an angle to look like butterfly wings. You can serve the cupcakes at this stage, or decorate them with a little blob of jam in the centre and a scattering of sprinkles, if you like.