Twinkling Star Cake

(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)

Source: Southern Living

Categories: Cake

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 (3oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
  • 1 (6oz.) pkg. frozen coconut, thawed
  • 1/2 tsp. coconut extract
  • Nutty Cranberry Filling
  • White Chocolate Frosting
  • White sparkling sugar
  • Edible white glitter
  • Edible gold luster dust
  • White Chocolate Stars
  • Crushed Rock candy (optional)
  • Nutty Cranberry Filling:
  • 1 (12 oz.) pkg. white chocolate morsels
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 (14 oz.) pkg. flaked coconut
  • 2/3 cup coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
  • 1 (3.5 oz.) jar macadamia nuts, chopped
  • 2 (6oz.) pkg. sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
  • White Chocolate Frosting:
  • 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 2 (12oz.) pkg. white chocolate morsels
  • 4 (2oz.) vanilla candy coating squares, chopped
  • White Chocolate Stars:
  • 8 (2oz.) vanilla candy coating squares
  • Clear vanilla extract
  • Edible gold luster dust or pearl luster dust
  • White sparking sugar
  • Edible white glitter

Directions

  1. Beat butter and ream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with coconut milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in coconut and coconut extract. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8 × 1 3/4 inch round cake pans.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze 2 hours. (Freezing makes layers easier to cut.)
  4. Cut domed top off each cake layer, using a serrated knife.
  5. Cut each cake layer evenly into eight wedges. Arrange 5 wedges, point side out, in a star shape on a cake plate. Place about 1 1/2 cups Nutty Cranberry Filling inside center opening of cake wedges. Spread a thin layer of filling over top of cake wedges. Adjust wedges to maintain star shape, pressing them into filling.
  6. Repeat procedure to form a second layer of wedges and filling.
  7. Top each section with another cake wedge to form a third layer. (One cake wedge o form a third layer. (One cake wedge will remain; enjoy while completing cake.) Fill center with about 1 1/2 cups filling. Filling should be level with cake wedges. Adjust wedges to maintain star shape, pressing them into filling.
  8. Spread a thin layer of White Chocolate Frosting over top and sides of cake, smoothing with a wet metal spatula. Chill 30 minutes. Set aside 1/2 cup frosting. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake, smoothing with a wet metal spatula. Sprinkle frosting evenly with white sparkling sugar and edible white glitter.
  9. Spoon reserved 1/2 cup frosting in a small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag and seal. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag and outline top edge of cake.
  10. Brush gold luster dust onto piped edge, using a paintbrush. Garnish with White Chocolate Stars and, if desired, rock candy. Store cake in refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. to serve, cut each point in half vertically.
  11. Nutty Cranberry Filling:

  12. Microwave morsels in a glass bowl at high 1 minute, stirring once; cool.
  13. Bet butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; add melted white chocolate, beating until blended.
  14. Stir together coconut and coconut milk; add nuts and cranberries. Stir in chocolate mixture until fluffy; add melted white chocolate, beating until blended.
  15. Stir together coconut and coconut milk; add nuts and cranberries. Stir in chocolate mixture until blended.
  16. makes 5 cups

  17. White Chocolate Frosting:

  18. cook cream in a saucepan over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes. (Do not boil.) Remove from heat; stir in morsels and candy coating until melted. Cool 1 1/2 hours. (Mixture should reach room temperature.)
  19. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 4 to 5 minutes or until spreading consistency. (Do not overheat.)
  20. makes 4 1/2 cups.

  21. White Chocolate Stars:

  22. Microwave candy coating in a glass bowl on high 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring twice. Pour candy into a wax paper-lined 8-inch square pan, spreading evenly. Cool at room temperature until firm to the touch (25 to 30 minutes).
  23. Cut into star shapes with lightly greased graduated star-shaped cutters. (Gently press each point of star, working around the star until it can be removed from the cutter.) Brush tops of stars with clear vanilla etract. using a small, dry paintbrush, brush luster dust over stars. Sprinkle stars with sparking sugar ad glitter.
  24. makes 1 5-inch, 1 3/12-inch, 5 2-inch, and 15 1-inch stars

  25. Everyone’s a Star Party Cake:

  26. Double the cake layer recipe. Pour half of the batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 9x 1 3/4-inch round cake pans. Pour remaining half of batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 6 × 1 3/4-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  27. Halve the Nutty Cranberry Filling recipe, and spread between 9-inch layers and 6 inch layer. Place 6-inch stack on top of 9-inch stack. Frost with White Chocolate Frosting, and garnish, if desired, with sparkling sugar, glitter and White Chocolate Stars.

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