Sand Castle Cakes
This classic yellow cake recipe is a crowd-pleaser with kids of all ages and works well with a number of different flavored frostings. The individual castle bundt pans can be purchased at specialty stores or at online cake decorating sites.
“For a creative party activity, lay out different flavors of frosting, assorted candies and cake decorations and watch the kids having fun creating their own individual “castles.”
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Ingredients
- Butter for greasing
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease castle molds lightly with butter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs together. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until pale, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs in two batches, beating well on medium speed after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk in two parts; start and end with the flour mixture. After each addition, beat just until blended.
Divide the batter evenly between cake pans and gently smooth the tops. Bake until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centers of a cake comes out clean, about 45–50 minutes. Place the cake pans on wire cooling racks for 20 minutes. Run a table knife around the inside edge of each cake pan. One at a time, place a cooling rack over each cake and invert. Lift away the pans and let the cakes cool completely, upside down, on the racks, about 2 hours before frosting and decorating.