Rudolph’s Delight Cake 🦌🎉

Rudolph’s Delight Cake 🦌🎉

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 🍞
• 1 cup granulated sugar 🍚
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed 🍬
• ¾ cup cocoa powder 🍫
• 1 tsp baking powder 🍞
• 1 tsp baking soda 🥄
• 1 tsp salt 🧂
• 3 large eggs 🥚
• 1 cup buttermilk 🥛
• ½ cup vegetable oil 🌾
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 🍦
• 1 cup boiling water 💧

For the Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 🧈
• 3 ½ cups powdered sugar 🍚
• ½ cup cocoa powder 🍫
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 🍦
• 3 tbsp milk 🥛 (more if needed)

For Decoration:

• Red candy (such as a red jellybean or M&M for Rudolph’s nose 🍒)
• Mini pretzels (for antlers 🥨)
• Black icing or chocolate chips (for the eyes 👀)
• White fondant (for eyes, optional 🌟)

Instructions:

1. Make the Cake 🍰:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
Gradually add the boiling water to the batter and stir until smooth (the batter will be thin).
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
2. Make the Frosting 🧁:
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.
Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
3. Assemble the Cake 🍰:
Place one of the cakes on a serving platter. Spread a layer of frosting on top.
Place the second cake on top and apply a crumb coat (a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake). Chill the cake in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to set the crumb coat.
Once chilled, apply a thick layer of frosting all over the cake, smoothing it with a spatula.
4. Decorate the Cake 🎨:
To create Rudolph’s face, carefully place the red candy (like a jellybean or M&M) in the center of the cake to form the nose.
Use mini pretzels to create antlers by gently pressing them into the top of the cake.
For the eyes, you can either use black icing to draw them on or place two chocolate chips on the cake. If desired, use small discs of white fondant to create the whites of the eyes.
5. Final Touches ✨:
Optional: Add any additional festive touches like edible glitter or sprinkles around Rudolph’s face.