Christmas Stocking Cake

Cake Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cups C&H® Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)
• Red candies

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 1-lb. pkg. (approx. 3 3/4 cups)
• C&H® Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 tablespoons milk or half & half
• Green food coloring
  

Directions:

Cake Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease 13x9-inch baking pan. Line bottom with waxed or parchment paper. Grease and flour paper; set aside.
2. In small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. In large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Add flour and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour, mixing on low speed. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto cooling rack and cool completely. Remove waxed paper.
4. Cut cake into Christmas stocking shape using picture as a guide. Frost the upper top of cake with a thin layer of white Buttercream Frosting to form white top of stocking. Using 3/4 cup of frosting, fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe stars over the white stocking top. Frost remaining stocking with green buttercream. Use remaining white buttercream to outline stocking toe and heel. Decorate with red candies.

Buttercream Frosting Instructions

1. Combine in large bowl with mixer at low speed, sugar, butter or margarine, vanilla and milk or half & half. Beat at medium speed 1 to 2 minutes until creamy. If desired, add more milk to reach spreading consistency. Remove 1 cup of white frosting; set aside.
2. Tint remaining frosting with green food coloring.