Play Ball Cake Recipe

Play Ball Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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You won't need any fancy pans for this sporting dessert. The kids always want the pieces that have the red licorice "lacing!" I have found that fresh, pliable licorice works the best for forming the laces on the curved ball cake. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

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Play Ball Cake Recipe

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 40 min. + cooling

Yield: 8-10 Servings

30 40 70

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
FROSTING:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons milk, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Dash salt
1/4 cup baking cocoa
Shoestring red licorice

Directions

In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add alternately with milk to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour 1-1/2 cups batter into a greased and floured 3-cup ovenproof bowl.
Pour remaining batter into a greased and floured 9-in. round baking pan. Bake both cakes at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the shortening, butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in 3 tablespoons milk, extracts and salt until smooth. Set aside 1 cup.
To remaining frosting, beat in cocoa and remaining milk. Cut a 3-in. x 1-in. oval for the thumb opening from an edge of the 9-in. cake. Place cake on a 11-in. covered board. Frost with chocolate frosting.
With four pieces of licorice, form two crosses over thumb opening for laces in mitt. Frost the rounded cake with white frosting. Use licorice pieces to form laces of ball. Place on mitt cake opposite the thumb opening. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (1 piece) equals 678 calories, 31 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 71 mg cholesterol, 334 mg sodium, 95 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 6 g protein.

Originally published as Play Ball Cake in Taste of Home April/May 1998, p37