M&M Gravity Defying Cake

This cake is an absolute show-stopper! At a first glance nobody would be able to notice the hack for the falling effect, but it is actually quite simple. The frosting is smeared onto a straw/skewer and M&Ms are stuck on to it. It’s as easy as that! If you don’t want to take this chocolate cake to a “gravity defying” level, the chocolate cake tastes just as well with the perfectly sweet chocolate buttercream frosting. I find using a good quality cocoa powder is the key to enhancing that pure chocolate flavour throughout the cake. This really is the ultimate chocolate cake recipe and there will definitely be a fight over who gets the M&M part!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1⁄2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream
• 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1⁄4 cup dutch cocoa powder
• Lots of M&M’s!

Cake

1. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and espresso together in a stand mixer (you will be adding all your ingredients to this)
2. Combine oil, sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs in separate bowl
3. Add to flour mixture
4. Slowly pour in boiling water to the batter on low speed
5. Butter and line with parchment paper 2 nine inch cake pans. Fill till both equal
6. Bake for 33-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean

Buttercream Assembly

1. Place one cake layer on stand and pipe thick layer of buttercream, place second layer
2. Pipe the buttercream around and on top the cake, then smooth with bench scraper
3. Using a small size star tip, pipe tiny stars closely together around the cake

Gravity Defying Effect

1. Hold the straw next to the cake and mark the straw where it is at the top of the cakes
2. Smear a thin layer of frosting from where the mark is to a little less than the top
3. Open your M&Ms packet and stick them on the straw very closely together
4. Put the straw in the freezer immediately for 5 minutes so it will hold its place
5. Cut one of the M&M packets with a scissor diagonally from one of the edges
6. Stick the straw right in the middle of the cake till only the M&M’s are seen
7. Place more M&M’s right below on the cake in an irregular pattern
   Should be a wider span of M&M’s as you go down the cake
8. When ready to serve hang the wrapper you cut on top of the straw. Enjoy!