This adorable cake idea came straight for a German cooking magazine. Underneath an edible candy mole figure is chocolate cake layered with whipped cream and fresh bananas.
The cake is fairly easy to make, however, a heads up, it needs to stand in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving so take that into account.
The mole can be sculpted out of marzipan or fondant. Recipes for homemade versions of both are included below. Of course, you can also use store-bought marzipan or fondant which would be a time saver.
As an alternative to sculpting a candy mole, another decorating option would be to scatter store bought royal icing flowers over the top of the finished cake.
What a tasty and adorable way to celebrate Spring!
Chocolate Banana Whipped Cream Mole Cake
Ingredients
- 1+ 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter 1/2 cup room temperature
- 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2+1/8 cup whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3/4 cup shaved chocolate pieces
- 3 bananas
- Marzipan or fondant
- Brown and pink food coloring
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch springform pan.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and pinch of salt.
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Beat the unsalted butter and white granulated sugar with the whisk attachment of the mixer until fluffy (about 3 minutes)
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Add the eggs one at a time and combine thoroughly.
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Mix in half the dry ingredients, mix in the milk and then the other half of the dry ingredients.
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Transfer the batter to the greased springform pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
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Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely.
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Transfer the cooled cake to a serving plate. Use a spoon to create a hole in the middle of the cake, digging about two inches deep. Be sure to leave an untouched 3/4 inch frame around the sides.
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Collect the discarded cake pieces in a bowl and crumble them into a fine texture.
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In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and powdered sugar.
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Beat the cream with a whisk attachment. Add the teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and slowly add the cornstarch, powdered sugar mixture. Stop beating the cream when stiff peaks form.
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Fold in the mini chocolate chips or shaved chocolate pieces.
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Peel and slice the bananas into disks. Lay them down forming a layer inside the hollowed out cake frame.
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Spread the whipped cream onto the cake forming a dome. Sprinkle the reserved cake crumbs over the cream dome to cover it completely. Make sure no white is showing.
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Place the cake in the refrigerator and let it stand for 2 hours.
In the meantime, make the candy mole:
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Depending on how big you want your mole decoration to be, Take a hand full of marzipan or fondant and knead a few drops of brown food coloring into the mass (skip this step if you are using chocolate fondant.)
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Pinch off a piece and roll into a ball, then form a pear shape. Use a toothpick to poke holes in for the eyes and run a line around the pointed part of the pear shape for the mouth.
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Roll the rest of the brown colored marzipan between your hands to form a U shape. Place the head on top of the U shape with the nose pointing between the two sides of the U.
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Color small handful of marzipan pink. Roll a small ball and attach to the pointed part of the head to create a nose.
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Form the hands and attach to the ends of each arm of the U shape. If you have a very small flower cutter, you can use this to cut out the hands.
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Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Place the mole on top of the cake and gently push it into the cream to secure it.
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Cut the cake and serve.
Homemade Marshmallow Fondant
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of marshmallows for chocolate fondant, use chocolate marshmallows
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 1 pound of powdered sugar
- Crisco or vegetable shortening
- plastic wrap or cling film
- Paste food coloring
Instructions
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Fit your mixer with the dough hook attachment, Cover the inside of your mixer bowl and the dough hook with Crisco or shortening. Then grease a heat safe bowl and a wooden spoon.
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Place marshmallows and water in the bowl.
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Microwave the marshmallows for 30 seconds at a time stirring the mixture in between with the wooden spoon.
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When the mixture is the consistency of Marshmallow Fluff, transfer it to the mixer and add 2 cups of powdered sugar.
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Continue adding powdered sugar as the mixer works, one cup at a time until fondant forms.
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Cover your work surface with your hands with Crisco or shortening.
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Dump the fondant on the greased surface and knead the fondant until all the sugar disappears.
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Wrap it in plastic wrap until you use it.
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Wrap leftover fondant tightly in plastic cling film and store in a zip lock bag until ready to use.
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Divide into sections and knead in paste food coloring.
Homemade Marzipan
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup blanched ground almonds**
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon rosewater
- 1 tablespoon egg white
- Light corn syrup and extra powdered sugar to adjust consistency if needed
- Brown and pink food coloring
- ** Blanching almonds Instructions below
Instructions
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If you are using almond flour, skip the next two steps.
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**To blanch raw almonds, boil them in water for one minute, rinse immediately in a colander with cold water and squeeze the skins off with your fingers. They will slip off easily.
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Pulse the blanched almonds and a tablespoon of powdered sugar in a food processor until they are completely pulverized. The powdered sugar will prevent the almonds from becoming paste.
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Add the powdered sugar to the food processor and pulse until the almond meal and powdered sugar are combined. I like to take out the blade and use a whisk to break up any lumps that have formed and then replace the blade and pulse a few more times.
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Add the pure almond extract and the rosewater and pulse until combined.
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Add the egg white and pulse until the mixture becomes smooth.
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Remove the mixture from the processor and knead in the food color. If the mixture is too wet and sticky, sprinkle powdered sugar over the mixture a bit at a time to knead it in and make the marzipan stiffer. If the mixture is too dry, knead in a few drops of the light corn syrup.
Some other whipped cream cakes to try:
