Ladybug Cake

Name: Ladybug Cake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 2 candy coated chocolate pieces (for the eyes); 1 recipe Chocolate ganache; 2 round 9-inch cakes, cooled; 18 inches cardboard cake rounds; 10 black licorice rounds, coin size (for the spots); 2 white wafer candies (for the eyes); 1 red licorice whip (for the mouth and antennae); 1 recipe Vanilla Buttercream, colored red

Ladybug Cake requires roughly 45 minutes from start to finish. This recipe covers 1% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. One portion of this dish contains around 1g of protein, 2g of fat, and a total of 63 calories. This recipe serves 12. If you have licorice rounds, recipe chocolate ganache, recipe vanilla buttercream, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it.

Instructions

Place the first cake on 1 of the cardboard rounds on a rack over a sheetpan. While the ganache is still warm, pour over the cake. Using a palette knife sparingly, gently swipe 1 or 2 times to spread the ganache evenly over the top and so that it runs down the sides and covers them.

Ingredients you will need

Spread

Equipment you will use

Palette Knife

Let the cake sit until the ganache sets up, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

While the ganache is setting up begin making the wings.

Ingredients you will need

Chicken Wings

Cut the remaining cake in half, lengthwise.

Cut the remaining cardboard round in half as well and place each cake half on one of the cardboard halves. Using the red buttercream and a palette knife, frost both halves completely. Try to make the frosting appear to be as smooth as possible.

Ingredients you will need

Frosting

Equipment you will use

Palette Knife

Place the black licorice rounds on the wings to make ladybug spots.

Ingredients you will need

Black Licorice

Chicken Wings

Once the ganache is set up, assemble the ladybug. Allow 2 inches in the front of the ganache cake for the ladybug's face.

Place the 2 halves behind the 2-inch face with 2 corners touching right behind the head and at an angle to each other. The wings should be in position for the ladybug to fly away.

Ingredients you will need

Chicken Wings

Place the candy wafers on the ganache cake to create eyes. Using a small dab of leftover frosting, secure the candy coated chocolates to the wafers to make pupils.

Ingredients you will need

Frosting

Wafer Cookies

Candy

Cut the licorice whip to the desired length and lightly press into the ganache to create a mouth. Use the remainder of the licorice whip to create antennae. ***To cut this cake for serving, remove the wings and cut separately.

Ingredients you will need

Licorice

Chicken Wings