Adorable Lamb Cake

1. Bake White Cake in 8- or 9-inch round pans; cool as directed. Fill and frost cake layers with Creamy White Frosting, spreading frosting as smoothly as possible over the top and sides of cake.

2. For the snout, use brown or ivory food coloring to tint a little of the fondant beige. Roll beige fondant according to package directions until about 1/4 inch thick: using a knife, cut out a 3- to 4-inch oval. Carefully press oval into place on top of the cake, placing it at the bottom edge as shown. (If necessary, use frosting to secure the snout.)

3. Spoon Royal Icing into a decorating bag fitted with a #2 round decorating tip. Starting and ending at the edges of the cake top and keeping the piping bag perpendicular to the cake surface, pipe icing in a continuous pattern of curly, squiggly strings (see photo). Do not pipe icing onto the snout, and avoid crossing the icing strings. (This pattern is called cornelli lace.)

4. While the icing is still wet, sprinkle with tiny sugar pearls.

5. For ears, roll white fondant according to package directions until about 1/4 inch thick. Using a knife, cut out two ear-shape pieces. Pipe the cornelli lace pattern onto ears; sprinkle with tiny sugar pearls. Set aside to dry.

6. For nose, use pink food coloring to tint a little of the white fondant pink. Roll pink fondant according to package directions until a scant 1/4 inch thick. Using a mini heart cutter, cut out a nose. Gently and evenly stretch out the round sides of the heart. Place nose on snout, securing with a dot of Royal Icing.

7. Draw on a small mouth with a black food writing pen.

8. For eyes, use blue food coloring to tint a little of the white fondant blue. Roll blue fondant according to package directions until a scant 1/4 inch thick. Using a large round decorating tip, cut out two circles. Use black food coloring to tint a little of the white fondant black. Roll black fondant according to package directions until a scant 1/4 inch thick. Using a medium round piping tip, cut out two circles. Using a clean craft's knife or paring knife, cut six thin strips from the black fondant; trim and curve the strips into eyebrow and eyelash shapes. Roll two tiny pieces of white fondant between your fingers into balls; press balls to flatten into circles. Layer the blue, black, and white circles to create the eyes. Position the eyes, eyelashes, and eyebrows on the cake, securing each with a tiny dot of Royal Icing.

9. Position the ears at an angle on the sides of the cake, securing with dots of Royal Icing.

Royal Icing

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and cream of tartar. Add the warm water and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined; beat on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until icing reaches a stiff piping consistency. If not using right away, cover bowl with a damp paper towel and cover paper towel with plastic wrap; chill for up to 48 hours.

2. *Tip: Look for meringue powder in the cake decorating aisle of a hobby or crafts store.

White Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Allow butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 9x1-1/2-inch or 8x1-1/2-inch round cake pans; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans, spreading evenly.

3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for 9-inch pans, 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch pans, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Creamy White Frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening, vanilla, and almond extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add about half of the powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the milk. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar and enough of the remaining milk to reach spreading consistency.

Equipment:

8- or 9-inch round baking pans Clean craft knife or sharp paring knife Decorating bag #2 round decorating tip Mini heart cutter Various round decorating tips

*Tip:

Look for meringue powder in the cake-decorating aisle of a hobby or crafts store.

*Tip:

Look for meringue powder in the cake decorating aisle of a hobby or crafts store.