Description
This stunning Grinch Cake features a meticulous surprise-inside heart design and a professional-grade vanilla crumb. Layered with smooth Swiss-style buttercream and hand-sculpted fondant details, it is a festive masterpiece for any holiday baker.
Ingredients
- 3 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
- 27 oz granulated sugar, divided
- 27 oz cake flour, divided
- Baking powder
- Salt
- 8 fl oz egg whites, plus additional for red cake
- 2 cups milk, plus additional for red cake
- Red gel food coloring
- 15 oz unsalted butter, room temperature (for green cake and frosting)
- Vanilla extract
- Green gel food coloring (Leaf Green, Avocado, and Lemon Yellow)
- Pasteurized liquid egg whites
- Powdered sugar
- Green, yellow, and red fondant
Instructions
- Prepare the red heart cake by creaming 3 oz butter with 6 oz sugar until fluffy, then alternating dry ingredients with egg whites and milk before tinting deep red and baking.
- Slice the cooled red cake into layers, punch out hearts with a cutter, and freeze them on a tray for 20-30 minutes.
- Make the green batter by creaming 12 oz butter with 21 oz sugar for five minutes, then incorporating 8 oz egg whites, vanilla, 21 oz cake flour, and 2 cups of milk.
- Tint the batter with green gel colors, spread a thin layer in prepared pans, and stand the frozen hearts upright in a continuous line or circle.
- Pipe the remaining green batter carefully around the hearts to fill all gaps and bake at 350°F (175°C) until set.
- Prepare the Swiss-style buttercream by whisking pasteurized whites and powdered sugar, then whipping in room temperature butter piece by piece until a silky emulsion forms.
- Apply a crumb coat to the cooled cakes, finish with a final layer of buttercream, and decorate with hand-sculpted fondant elements like the Grinch’s hat and eyes.
Notes
To achieve the cleanest surprise-inside effect, ensure your heart motifs are frozen solid before placing them in the green batter; this prevents them from shifting or softening during the second bake. Using room-temperature ingredients for both the sponge and the buttercream is non-negotiable for achieving a professional, silky texture and a stable crumb.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American