Festive Holly Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix
• 1-1/3 cups water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 4 egg whites
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• FROSTING:
• 1 package (2 pounds) confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons meringue powder
• 2 cups shortening
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon clear butter flavoring
• 7-3/4 teaspoons water, divided
• 2/3 cup raspberry cake and pastry filling
• 1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup
• Leaf green, forest green and red paste food coloring

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans.
• Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• For frosting, in a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and meringue powder. In a large bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer, combine the shortening, milk, extracts and flavoring. Beat in sugar mixture (mixture will be stiff).
• Using a serrated knife, level tops of cakes if necessary. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup frosting and 2 teaspoons water; spread over cake. Spread with raspberry filling. Top with remaining cake layer.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 cups frosting and 4 teaspoons water; frost cake top and sides.
• For shell border: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup frosting and 1/2 teaspoon water. Using shell tip #21, pipe shell border along bottom edge of cake.
• For holly leaves: Combine 1/2 cup frosting, corn syrup and 1/2 teaspoon water; tint desired color of green with leaf and forest green food coloring. Gently press a 1-1/2-in. holly leaf cookie cutter into frosting. Using round tip #2 with green frosting and working one leaf at a time, outline leaf indentation. Using a dampened clean paintbrush, immediately brush leaf outlines toward center. Moisten brush as needed. Repeat.
• For pine branches: Combine 1/4 cup frosting and 1/4 teaspoon water; tint forest green. Using round tip #2, pipe branches.
• For holly berries and trim: Combine 1/2 cup frosting and 1/2 teaspoon water; tint red. Using round tip #2, pipe holly berries. Add a red scalloped line above shell border; pipe dots of green frosting if desired. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 10-12 servings.
  
  Editor's Note: Meringue powder is available from Wilton Industries. Call 1-800/794-5866 or visit www.wilton.com. This recipe was tested with Solo brand cake and pastry filling. Look for it in the baking aisle.

Festive Holly Cake published in Taste of Home December/January 2008, p13