Another Shoutout to my Peeps- Guest Blogger Recipe!

I mentioned last week sometime that I would have a guest blogger before Easter.  My Aunt Jan typically makes fun Easter treats every year, and I saw a particularly fun one on her facebook not long ago.  When she mentioned she would be making it with her grandchildren and my cousin Jaime, I asked if they would mind documenting it.  This cake is a particularly fun one to do with little ones for Easter, or just for a fun cake for a family gathering.  The concept is so adorable, and can by adjusted to any cake mix, boxed or from scratch.  I was also delighted to see that the one doing the writing was an unexpected one, Jaimes’ daughter Jenna Kate .  One of the most adorable little red-heads you will ever meet!  I also love Jamies’ blog, which I have no idea how she finds the time to update it with her two little ones and busy job.  Her rants, raves and general thoughts always keep me well entertained.  So a BIG thanks to Aunt Jan, Jaime and especially Jenna Kate for this contrabution.  And thanks to YOU for reading!  Feel free to leave some comment love!
So without further adeau, I present to you “Gaga’s Sunflower Peep Cake” by Jenna Kate Rowland:

Gaga’s Sunflower Peep Cake

Guest Blogger: Jenna Kate Rowland, aka: “Red”

My Gaga makes a yummy cake every Spring that looks like a big sunflower…but the petals are PEEPS! 

(If you’re not 2 yet and you don’t know what Peeps are, they are marshmallows covered in sugar. Score, right? I know.)

I’ll tell you how to make it so you can make your own!  First you need to bake some cakes.  Yellow cakes are my favorite and so we make “1-2-3-4 Cake”!

Here’s what you have to get at the store:

Cream butter. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with milk and flavorings, beating after each addition until smooth.

Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch layer pans, using about 2 ½ cups batter in each pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes.

Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooling on racks.

Let your Gaga or your grown-up do all of that, it takes forever and the Peeps are still not even open!    When the cakes are cool and you can touch them, the FUN part begins!

You may need a ladder for this…

Frost the cakes and stack them up (I like chocolate frosting straight from a can) and then put little chocolate chips in the middle of the cake.  This looks like the seeds in a sunflower!

Next, you get to open the Peeps!  You put them all around the cake in a cirlce.  They look like the petals of the flower!  Sometimes you put them on wrong.

But a grown up can help you straighten them out.

You shouldn’t let your baby brother have a Peep.  But sometimes you just might…

It’s finsihed!  It’s even easy for ME to make, and I’m only TWO!  Happy Springtime!  Eat lots of cake…

Gaga’s Sunflower Peeps Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup of butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 cups sifted Cake Flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond extract
Favorite Icing recipe, or container of icing
½ to 1 cup chocolate chips
16 Marshmallow Peeps (varies)

Directions:
Cream butter. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
Sift flour with baking powder and salt.

Add flour mixture alternately with milk and flavorings, beating after each addition until smooth.

Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch layer pans, using about 2 ½ cups batter in each pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes.

Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooling on racks.

Frost the cakes and stack them up (I like chocolate frosting straight from a can) and then put little chocolate chips in the middle of the cake. This looks like the seeds in a sunflower!

Next, you get to open the Peeps! You put them all around the cake in a circle. They look like the petals of the flower! Enjoy!