Christmas Polka-Dot Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour the top and bottom cups of a 12-cup cake-pop pan. Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions. Beat in food coloring. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the batter into each bottom cup (without hole), filling each full. Place top half of pan on top and secure. Bake about 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into holes comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove top pan. Remove cake balls from pans; cool completely on wire rack. Wash, grease, and flour pan; repeat baking twice to make 36 cake balls total. Cover and chill the remaining German chocolate batter to use for cupcakes.*

2. Meanwhile, place egg whites in a small bowl; cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a very large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat about 3 minutes or until light. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.

3. Arrange half of the cake balls in the bottom of the prepared tube pan; to give the baked cake a polka-dot effect, stagger the balls in the pan. Spoon about 4 cups of the white batter over the balls. Add the remaining cake balls, staggering the balls. Spoon the remaining white batter into pan over cake balls. Place tube pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a long wooden skewer inserted into cake comes out clean. Remove and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, loosen cake from sides of pan and from tube. Remove sides of pan. Run the knife along the bottom of the cake to loosen from bottom of pan. Invert cake; remove tube and pan bottom. Cool on a wire rack about 2 hours or until completely cooled. If desired, use a long serrated knife to level the bottom of the cake.

4. Prepare desired Marshmallow Frosting. Place cake on a serving platter. Spread frosting over cooled cake and over cupcakes. Coat top of cake and cupcakes with coconut.

Saucepan Marshmallow Frosting

1. Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a small saucepan combine egg whites, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon water, and 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar. Heat and stir constantly over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F.*

2. Immediately add egg white mixture to a very large bowl.** Add 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar. Beat for 7 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat for 6 to 8 minutes more or until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

Double-Boiler Marshmallow Frosting

1. In the top of a double boiler combine sugar, cold water, egg white, and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.

2. Place over boiling water (upper pan should not touch water). Cook, beating constantly with the electric mixer on high speed, about 10 minutes or until frosting forms stiff peaks (tips stand straight) and mixture reaches 145°F for 3 minutes or 160°F for 15 seconds when tested with an instant read thermometer. Scrape pan occasionally. Remove from the heat; add vanilla. Beat 2 to 3 minutes more or until frosting reaches spreading consistency.

*Note:

To make cupcakes from the remaining chocolate batter, line twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. Spoon the chilled chocolate batter into muffin cups, filling each about half full. Bake in the 350°F oven about 15 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups; cool completely on wire rack. Makes 12 cupcakes. Nutrition analysis per cupcake: 105 calories, 2 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 5 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 24 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 7 g total sugar, 0% Vitamin A, 0% Vitamin C, 143 mg sodium, 3% calcium, 2% iron

*Tip:

Instant-read thermometers have a small indentation on one side of the metal probe. This indentation must be submerged in the egg white mixture when checking the temperature.

**Tip:

Once the egg white mixture reaches 160°F, immediately pour it into the bowl so the egg doesn't continue to cook. If it remains in the pan, the temperature will continue to increase and the mixture will begin to curdle and clump into pieces of cooked egg white.