Merry Christmas everyone!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you a very important announcement –
I just wanted to let everyone know that as I wrote that first sentence, my Aunt’s kitchen basically caught on fire. I was sitting at the table writing this post and all the sudden I see thick black smoke coming from the oven. And then I screamed.

The good news is we got the fire out with minimal damage and everyone (including the dogs) is alive and well. The bad news is, we did not get to have garlic bread at dinner last night.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programing.

So let’s try this again…

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all are having a great day with your friends and family! And most importantly, I hope you are eating inappropriate amounts of cookies. Because calories don’t count on Christmas…even for the people who don’t celebrate that holiday. It’s amazing.

The other amazing things about Christmas is that it gives you a lot of time to do some serious binge watching. This just so happens to be one of my greatest skills (behind sleeping and baking). So I figured, what better time to bring out a Stranger Things inspired cake?!

If you are one of those crazy people who have not started Stranger Things yet, I suggest getting a large plate of cookies and making yourself at home in front of the TV IMMEDIATELY, if not sooner. It really is amazing and addictive, and I promise you…it is NOT scary. And once you watch the show, you can come back and see how amazing this cake actually is!

Ok I will stop talking about TV now and let you go back to your holiday celebrations. But don’t forget to watch!

Cake recipe taken from HERE.

STRANGER THINGS CAKE

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Author: Lindsay Nathanson

Servings

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup warm coffee
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

2 cups room temperature butter
5 egg whites
1 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Water
Candy thermometer

STRANGER THINGS DECORATIONS

2oz of white fondant
2oz of green fondant
Piping tip
Edible pen
M&M's
Shredded Coconut
Card stock
Two Lollipop sticks
Tape

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Instructions

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line three 8" cake pans with parchment.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined.
On low speed add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla.
Once everything is combined beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
Divide batter evenly between the three pans.
Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until wooden toothpick comes out clean.
Place on a cooling rack to cool.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

In a small sauce pan put 3/4 cup of sugar and cover the sugar with a little bit of water until the sugar looks like wet sand. Cook on a stove top over high heat until it reaches 248 degrees (you will need a candy thermometer).
While the sugar is cooking, whip eggs whites in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at a high speed until they reach soft peaks.
Once the egg whites reach soft peaks add the other 1/4 cup of sugar and mix on a high speed until the egg whites reach stiff peaks. You can keep mixing the egg whites at a high speed until the sugar is done cooking.
Once the sugar reaches 248 degrees immediately take it off the stove. While the mixer is still running on high speed, add the sugar syrup to the egg white mixture. Mix on a high speed for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add the room temperature butter and mix on a high speed for 5-10 minutes until the butter is fully combined and the mixture resembles buttercream.
Add vanilla and mix until just combined.

STRANGER THINGS DECORATIONS

Roll out white fondant. Use the bottom of a pip to create 26 circle. Set aside to dry. (For best results, make the day before you make the cake so they are firm. This makes it easier to handle)
Using a wiring pen, write one letter in the alphabet on each circle.
Divide the green fondant into three pieces. Roll one piece out into rope and place on the cake.
Place the first row of letters under the rope, but make sure there is enough room between the rope and the letter for an M&M.
Repeat with the second and third piece of green fondant and second and third row of letters.
Add M&M's above each letter.
Place coconut on top of the cake.
Cut out a piece of card stock and write whatever your heart desires on it.
Tape it to two lollipop sticks and stick it in the cake!