Baseball Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour one 7- to 8-inch ovenproof glass bowl; set aside. Prepare cake batter as directed. Pour 4 cups of the batter into the prepared bowl, spreading evenly. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in bowl on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from bowl; cool completely on wire rack.

2. Tint 1/2 cup of the Creamy White Frosting using black paste food coloring. Tint 1/2 cup of the frosting using red paste food coloring. Set aside.

3. Place cake, rounded side up, on a serving plate. Frost cake with white frosting. Sprinkle with flaked coconut. Place black and red frostings in separate decorating bags fitted with small to medium round tips. Pipe black frosting onto cake to resemble baseball seams. Pipe red frosting on top of seams to resemble baseball stitching.

Classic Chocolate Cake

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease the bottoms of two 8×8×2-inch square baking pans or 9×1 1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease and lightly flour pans. Or grease and lightly flour one 13×9×2-inch baking pan or 10-inch fluted tube pan. Set pan(s) aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs, 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. Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more. Spoon batter into the prepared pan(s), spreading evenly.

3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes for 8-inch pans or 13×9-inch pan, 30 to 35 minutes for 9-inch pans, 45 to 50 minutes for 10-inch tube pan, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center(s) comes out clean. Cool cake layers or tube cake in pan(s) on wire rack(s) for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers or tube cake from pan(s); peel off waxed paper if present. Cool completely on wire rack(s). Or place 13×9-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool completely. Frost with desired frosting

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.

Yellow Cake

1. Allow butter and eggs 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 or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan(s) aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs 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. Spread batter in the prepared pan(s).

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes for 9-inch pans, 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch pans, 25 to 30 minutes for 13x9x2-inch pan, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center(s) comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans; cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or place the 13x9x2-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired frosting.

If desired, tint any leftover frosting using green paste food coloring. Place green frosting in a decorating bag fitted with a multiopening tip; pipe to form grass around the base of the cake.