Red and gold lanterns are thought to bring good fortune during the Chinese New Year. We bet these easy-to-bake lantern cakes will bring good luck to your next party!
1 box (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix
1 cup buttermilk
4 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 can (16 oz.) plus 1 cup vanilla frosting
Red and black paste food coloring
6 pieces yellow fruit chews, (Laffy Taffy, Starburst, or Airheads)
Red licorice laces, (Peel-n-Pull)
Spice drops, small fruit slices, and small candies to garnish serving
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 1 1/2-quart heat-resistant glass bowl, and a 6-inch-round cake pan; set them aside.
Step 2
Prepare the cake mix according to package directions, only use the buttermilk in place of the water, add an extra egg (go up to four), and
leave the oil the same. Spoon 2 cups of the cake batter into the 6-inch pan and spoon the remaining cake batter into the bowl; smooth the
top. Bake until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; 20-25 minutes for the 6-inch cake and 40-45 minutes for the bowl cake. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Invert and cool completely.
Step 3
Tint 1/2 cup of the vanilla frosting gray with the black food coloring and spoon into a small resealable bag. Tint the remaining
frosting bright red with the food coloring and place the frosting in a large microwave-safe measuring cup. Trim the top of the bowl cake to
make it level. Cut the 6-inch cake. Place the cakes, bowl cake cut-side down, on a wire rack placed over a sheet pan. Heat the red frosting in the
microwave, stirring every 10 seconds, until it is the consistency of slightly whipped cream and is pourable. Pour the frosting over the
cakes to cover completely. Reuse the excess frosting and reheat and repour if necessary. Refrigerate the cakes until the frosting is set,
about 20 minutes.
Step 4
Meanwhile roll out the yellow fruit chews on a clean work surface, softening in the microwave for several seconds, if needed. Cut out a
variety of star-shape sizes using small cookie cutters. Make two tassels with about nine 2 1/2-inch pieces of the red licorice laces.
Step 5
Transfer the cakes to a serving platter. Snip a very small corner from the bag with the gray frosting. Pipe lines, about 1 1/2 inches
apart, crosswise over the bowl cake. Pipe the outline and inner lines on the smaller cake (see photo). Add the stars on top of the cakes using
a small dot of the gray frosting to adhere. Place a tassel of red licorice at the base of each cake, adding one length to the bowl cake. Add some spice drops and fruit slices to the tassels. Scatter other candies around the serving platter.
