Best Planet Earth Cake Recipes

PLANET EARTH CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F/160 degrees C. Grease two 16-centimeter-by-8 centimeter (6 1/4-inch-by-3-inch) hemisphere cake pans.
• Cream the butter and superfine sugar together with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. With the machine running, slowly add the eggs. Add the lemon zest. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the lemon juice. Mix well.
• Evenly divide the cake batter between 2 bowls. Color one with red and one with yellow food coloring. Scoop the batter in alternating colors into the prepared cake pans. Swirl the batter to create a marble effect. Sit the cakes on top of 2 large round pastry cutters on top of a baking sheet. This will keep the pans stable as they bake. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cover with foil if the cakes begin to brown too much.
• Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, and then turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the buttercream icing: Beat the butter with an electric mixer. On low speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy. Beat in the milk. Evenly divide the icing among three bowls. Tint one bowl with blue food coloring and another with green food coloring. Leave one bowl white. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round tip with the blue icing. Fill a second pastry bag fitted with a multi-opening #233 tip with the green icing. Fill a third pastry bag fitted with a round tip with the white icing.
• Carve a small crater out of the middle of each cake. Spread some blue icing on a cake board or serving plate. Using a serrated knife, cut a small slice off the round side of one cake and place the cake round-side down on the cake board. Fill the crater with sprinkles. Spread more blue icing along the edges of the cakes and stick the two together to create a globe. Spread blue icing on the outside of the cake. Pipe on green icing for the land. Create the poles with white icing. Pipe a little white icing to create ripples and waves in the ocean. Add edible sliver leaf for some sparkle, if using.
• Cut the cake to find the surprise inside!

SOLAR SYSTEM BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans and 1 (9x5-inch) loaf pan with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
• Separately make cake batters as directed on cake mix box. Tint 1 batter with blue food color and other with violet food color. Divide violet cake batter between 2 round pans; divide blue batter between remaining 9-inch pan and loaf pan. Bake cakes 2 pans at a time as directed on box for 2 (9-inch) round pans. Cool cakes completely.
• Place 1 violet cake layer on serving plate; frost with half of the chocolate fudge chip frosting. Add round blue layer; frost with remaining half of chocolate frosting. Top with second violet cake layer. Place contents of second container of chocolate frosting in medium bowl. Add black gel food color; beat with electric mixer on low speed until well combined. Frost outside of cake with black frosting.
• Using a drinking tumbler that is 3 1/2 inches in diameter, make a circular impression in frosting, letting part of glass overhang edge of cake, so that only 3/4 of circle is impressed onto cake. Place string licorice into impression; cut off excess licorice with kitchen scissors. Use remaining string licorice to create lines that radiate away from first circle; cut off excess licorice.
• Crumble baked loaf cake into bowl. Add vanilla frosting; stir well. Scoop out generous tablespoon portion of mixture; roll into ball with hands. Make 7 more balls in descending sizes; set aside.
• Sprinkle galaxy nonpareils over frosted cake. Place each of the 4-color nonpareils in separate shallow bowls, as well as the chocolate decors and remaining sugar sprinkles. Roll largest cake ball in yellow nonpareils; place in center of first circle on cake to create the Sun.
• For planet Mercury, roll small cake ball in chocolate decors; place on green licorice lace that encircles the Sun. For Venus, roll small cake ball in orange nonpareils; place on the green licorice lace below Mercury. For Earth, lightly dip one side of medium cake ball into green nonpareils but do not coat. Place on third licorice lace. For Mars, roll small cake ball in red sugar; place on fourth licorice lace. For Jupiter, roll large cake ball in gold sugar sprinkles; place on fifth licorice lace. For Saturn, roll large cake ball in blue sugar; place on sixth licorice lace. Cut small half circle from purple fruit chew; place around "Saturn" to create ring. For Uranus, dip small cake ball into white sugar sprinkles; place on seventh licorice lace. For Neptune, place medium cake ball (without sprinkles) on eighth and final licorice lace.
• Cut yellow fruit chew into triangles with kitchen scissors; place around yellow "Sun".
• Roll remaining cake and frosting mixture into balls; dip into remaining nonpareils. Serve extra "planets"on side of cake or add lollipop sticks to make planet cake pops. Store cake loosely covered with plastic wrap.