Giant Creamsicle Cake Recipes

CREAMSICLE CREPE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the filling: Whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until the mixture comes to a simmer and is thick like pudding, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted. Strain the filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pushing it through with a rubber spatula. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the filling and refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the crepe batter: Combine the flour, eggs, milk, melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla and salt in a blender; blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Set aside, covered, 1 hour. (This prevents the crepes from turning out rubbery.)
• Finish the filling: Beat the heavy cream in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until it starts thickening, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, about 1 more minute. Beat in the vanilla. Stir one-quarter of the whipped cream into the orange filling, then gently fold in the rest. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
• Make the crepes: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly brush with butter, then pour 1/4 cup batter into the center of the pan. Quickly tilt and swirl the pan to coat and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the top is firm, about 1 minute. Loosen the edges of the crepe with a spatula, then flip with your fingers; cook until lightly browned on the other side, 30 more seconds. Invert onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the crepes as you go; lightly brush the pan with more butter as needed. You will have about 16 crepes. (Don't worry if a few tear-layer them in the middle of your cake.)
• Put 1 crepe on a platter and top with a scant 1/4 cup filling, spreading it to the edge. Repeat, stacking the remaining crepes and filling, and ending with a crepe. Refrigerate overnight (this will make slicing easier). Top with whipped cream and orange zest before serving.

GIANT CREAMSICLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Prepare the cake mix as directed for a 9-by-13-inch cake; bake as directed. Let cool slightly in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Transfer the cake to a baking sheet lined with parchment and carefully cut into 2 layers. Keeping the cakes stacked, trim a 3/4-inch strip from each long side. Reserve the trimmings (you'll have 4 strips).
• Cut off the carton from the sherbet and slice the block of sherbet lengthwise into thirds. Arrange on the bottom layer of the cake. Let soften slightly, then smooth with an offset spatula.
• Use the 4 trimmed strips of cake to create a border all the way around the sherbet, breaking the pieces as needed. Cover with the top cake layer and freeze 1 hour.
• Cut a large chunk out of one of the top corners of the cake to look like a bite. Trim the other top corner to make it rounded. Press a few of the cake trimmings against the exposed sherbet in the bite.
• Using a paring knife, carve out 2 shallow channels in the cake as shown. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the frosting, making sure to cover the bite. Return the cake to the freezer.
• Make the fondant: Put the marshmallows and water in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Tint orange with red and yellow food coloring. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer.
• Slowly beat all but 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar into the melted marshmallows (it will be stiff). Beat in the butter. Knead in some of the remaining sugar until rollable. Roll out on a confectioners' sugar-dusted surface until large enough to cover the entire cake.
• Carefully drape the fondant over the cake and smooth with your hands. Trim the excess, cutting around the bite. Press a thin strip of fondant along the bottom of the bite. Insert a wooden spatula for the stick.

GIANT S'MORE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the large graham crackers: Discard 3/4 cup of the cookie mix. Prepare the remaining mix as directed for cut-out cookies, adding the ground graham crackers.
• Divide the dough in half. Roll out each piece of dough into a 9 1/2-inch square on separate sheets of parchment paper; transfer the dough and parchment to 2 baking sheets.
• Bake the graham-cracker cookies until golden and set, 12 to 15 minutes. While still warm, trim the edges with a paring knife to make even 9-inch squares.
• Use a butter knife to score a perforated line across the middle of each cookie, then use a chopstick or skewer to make small holes as shown. Let cool completely.
• Using an offset spatula, spread the fudge sauce into a wavy pool on 1 cookie. Transfer to the freezer.
• Let the ice cream soften slightly, then cut off the carton and place the block of ice cream on its side on a piece of plastic wrap. Cover with more plastic and press the ice cream to flatten slightly. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the meringue: Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer on medium-high speed until foamy, then gradually beat in the sugar on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form.
• Remove the plastic and set the ice cream on top of the fudge-covered cookie. Using an offset spatula, cover the ice cream with a smooth layer of meringue, building out the sides slightly.
• Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue, then gently press the other graham-cracker cookie on top. Freeze until ready to serve, then let soften slightly and slice.

GRILLED CREAMSICLE CAKE

Steps:

• For the creamsicle cake: Preheat a grill to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape down the bowl.
• One at a time, add the eggs and egg yolk, beating after each addition until incorporated and scraping down the bowl occasionally. Once all the eggs are incorporated, alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk, mixing slowly. Fold the batter a few times with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is evenly distributed and the batter is smooth.
• Spoon the batter into the hollowed out orange shells, filling them halfway.
• Loosely wrap each orange in foil and set upright on the grill. Cover the grill and bake for about 40 minutes, until the cakes spring back when poked. Remove from the grill, unwrap and let cool completely.
• For the cream cheese frosting: In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time; beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla.
• Spread the cooled cakes with a generous dollop of cream cheese frosting.