Turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy and peas… doesn’t sound much like dessert, does it? But it is! This adorable cake looks just like a roast turkey, and it comes complete with cupcake side dishes. It’s just the thing to lighten the mood around the holiday table, and it would make the funniest birthday cake for those celebrating in November. Here’s how to make it!
Step 1:
To get started, you’ll need a 2-quart stainless steel bowl in which to bake the cake. It needs to be greased and floured well to prevent sticking. (I suggest using a flour-based cooking spray, if you have it.)
Step 2:
For the batter, place the cake mix and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon in a large bowl.
Step 3:
Whisk together until the cinnamon is evenly dispersed.
Step 4:
Add eggs, oil and water as directed on the cake mix box and mix with a hand mixer on low speed. Pour batter into the prepared bowl.
Step 5:
Bake cake for about 55 minutes and then turn out onto a serving plate. Refrigerate for about two hours.
Step 6:
While you wait for the cake to chill, prepare the cupcakes. Line two cupcake tins with papers.
Step 7:
Prepare batter as before with the bowl cake using the remaining box of cake mix and ground cinnamon. Fill cupcake papers ¾-full.
Step 8:
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until cakes spring back. Let cool completely.
Step 9:
When the round cake is thoroughly chilled, carve away two thick rounded edges leaving a turkey breast-shaped center. Reserve the two side pieces for later use.
Step 10:
Cut an inward notch away from one tapered end, creating the neck area.
Step 11:
Cut another notch slightly larger inward notch at the opposite end. Refrigerate while you carve the drumsticks.
Step 12:
Use the reserved cake pieces to carve two drumsticks.
Step 13:
This doesn’t have to be perfect, just do the best you can! (The rest will be perfected with frosting!)
Step 14:
To make the frosting, add cocoa powder a little at a time until a light brown color is achieved.
Step 15:
Frost the cake and drumstick pieces with a thin coat of icing and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 16:
Lay drumstick pieces on either side of the cake and cover with a final coat of frosting.
Step 17:
Turkey frills (the drumstick decorations) can be made from a piece of plain copy paper. Cut an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of white paper in half and then fold each of those pieces in half.
Step 18:
Hold both pieces of folded paper together and cut equally spaced fringe at the folded edge with scissors. Leave about 1/2-inch of uncut space at the top edge. Open each fringed paper and fold the opposite direction.
Step 19:
Wrap paper around two fingers and fasten with a piece of cellophane tape. Place a frill on the end of each drumstick just before serving.
Step 20:
Cut 3 or 4 cupcakes into cubes to make the turkey “stuffing.”
Step 21:
Place the cake cubes around the bottom of the cake between the turkey drumsticks. You may also use these pieces to slightly prop ends of the turkey legs upward.
Step 22:
To make the “peas” cupcakes, cover 10 cupcakes in 1-2 tablespoons of frosting.
Step 23:
Dip the frosted cupcake tops in the green candies.
Step 24:
For the “mashed potatoes” cupcakes, use a thick covering of frosting and use a spoon to create a divot in the top. Pour maple syrup into the divot.
Step 25:
Add a yellow fruit chew “butter pat” in the center of the divot.
Step 26:
Serve cupcakes alongside the roast turkey cake.
Ingredients
-
-
2boxes Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ White Cake Mix
-
Water, oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
-
4tablespoons ground cinnamon
-
2 1/2tubs (12 oz) Betty Crocker™ Whipped Whipped Cream Frosting
-
4to 6 teaspoons unsweetened baking cocoa
-
Orange slices and lettuce or basil leaves, if desired
-
Paper turkey frills
-
16oz green candy-coated fruit-flavored chewy candies
-
2/3cup real maple or maple-flavored syrup
-
10yellow square chewy fruit-flavored candies
Directions
-
1Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease with shortening or spray with cooking spray 2-quart stainless steel bowl; lightly flour. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
-
2Make cake batter using 1 box cake mix, water, oil and eggs called for on box. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon. Pour batter into bowl. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in bowl 5 minutes. Turn out cake onto serving platter; cool completely. Refrigerate cake 2 hours.
-
3Make second box of cake mix as above, stirring in remaining 2 tablespoons cinnamon. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
-
4When round cake is thoroughly chilled, carefully carve away 2 long tapered pieces from each side of cake using serrated knife. This will leave a roughly turkey breast-shaped center. Reserve the 2 side pieces for later use; these will become the turkey drumsticks. Cut an inward notch at one pointed end of cake to create turkey neck area. Cut a slightly wider inward notch at opposite end. Refrigerate cake while carving drumsticks.
-
5Carve turkey drumstick shapes from 2 reserved side pieces of cake using a serrated knife. Refrigerate pieces while preparing frosting.
-
6Place three-fourths of container of frosting in large bowl. Beat in cocoa 1 teaspoon at a time until a light brown caramel color is achieved. Frost chilled cake and drumstick pieces with a thin coat of frosting. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
-
7Apply a final smooth coat of frosting to turkey breast cake; place drumstick pieces on either side. Frost drumstick pieces with a final smooth coat of frosting. Add turkey frills.
-
8For “stuffing,” cut 4 of the cupcakes into even cubes. Place cubes at back of cake between turkey drumsticks. Just before serving, garnish plate with orange slices and lettuce or leaves.
-
9For “side dish” cupcakes, frost each of 10 cupcakes with 1 to 2 tablespoons of remaining frosting; dip into green candies. Cover remaining 10 cupcakes with a thick layer of frosting; use spoon to create divot in center of frosting. Drizzle a little maple syrup into each divot; top each with 1 yellow candy. Store cakes loosely covered with plastic wrap.
View Recipe Page