Step-by-step cake recipe: Teapot Cake

Look for the Wilton sports-ball cake pan wherever cake-decorating products are sold. If you can't find it, use two 3-1/2-cup (875 mL) metal bowls instead and don't cut off the piece of cake for the lid.

Teapot Cake recipe
Ingredients:
Half tube (200 g tube) marzipan
Granulated sugar
Sugar-coated gumdrops
Cake:
2/3 cup (150 mL) butter, softened
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) vanilla
1-2/3 cups (400 mL) all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp (4 mL) baking powder
3/4 tsp (4 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) milk
Creamy Butter Icing:
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) icing sugar
1/3 cup (75 mL) whipping cream
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

Preparation:
Tint marzipan same colour as desired icing. Shape half into 6-1/2-inch (16 cm) long rope; form into teapot handle. Shape remaining marzipan into spout. Let dry at room temperature for 24 hours.

Cake: Grease and flour both pans of sports-ball cake pan set. Place metal stands on small rimmed baking sheet; place pans on stands. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and egg yolk until combined. Beat in vanilla.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and sa< stir into butter mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of milk. Scrape into prepared pans, smoothing tops.

Bake in centre of 325°F (160°C) oven for about 50 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Wrap separately in plastic wrap; store for up to 24 hours. Or overwrap in heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

Creamy Butter Icing: In large bowl, beat butter until light. Alternately beat in sugar and cream, making 3 additions of sugar and 2 of cream. Beat in vanilla. Tint same colour as handle and spout.

Click to next page for icing instructions.

Variation
Teapot Cupcakes: Bake in 12 paper-lined muffin cups in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 22 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool. Ice and decorate each with gumdrop flower and leaves.

Makes 12 cupcakes.