Monday, October 12, 2009

Orange Candy Corn Bars


Halloween is just a few weeks away so as you're planning your monster mash or ghoulish bash or haunted house party, consider making this adorable candy corn-looking cake! Surprisingly easy, super festive and colorful, and tastes yummy. It's basically a butter cake with grated orange peel folded in.

I had this recipe marked to make last year for Halloween and never got around to it, so this is very exciting! 2009 brings it! The candy corn "look" simply comes from food coloring. There's only one batter to make, and part of it becomes the yellow base and the other part becomes orange for the second layer. Then you whip up some buttercream frosting to finish the cake off with a white topping. Just like a candy corn! And fortunately no, there are not chopped up bits of candy corn in the batter. That might look neat, but it also might make me gag. Let's keep the candy corn to the garnish; it's a fun addition, and it's easy to pick off! ;)


Orange Candy Corn Bars
Recipe from Pillsbury's Fall Baking recipe booklet, September 2008

Bars
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted, cooled slightly
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 drops yellow food color
3 drops red food color

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened (do not use margarine)
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

Decoration
1/3 cup candy corn (32 candies)

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil 2 inches on 2 opposite sides of pan; spray foil with cooking spray.

2. In medium bowl, beat melted 3/4 cup butter, the granulated sugar and orange peel with wooden spoon until blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour and baking powder just until mixed. Stir in yellow food color until well mixed. Spread 1 1/2 cups yellow batter in pan. Place pan in freezer about 15 minutes or until batter is slightly firm to the touch.

3. Meanwhile, add red food color to remaining cake batter in bowl until well mixed. Spread over chilled yellow batter.

4. Bake 47 to 53 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clea. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.

5. In medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup softened butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar until well blended. Beat in milk, vanilla and salt until smooth and spreadable. Spread frosting over bars. To serve, remove bars from pan, using foil to lift. Remove foil. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows; cut each square diagonally in half. Top each triangle with 1 candy corn.

Note: If you want really bright colors, use paste food colors instead of liquid food colors. Just decrease the amount to about half of the liquid food color specified.


Step-by-Step in Pictures

Line a pan with foil, then grease it...

Grate an orange...

Combine melted butter, sugar, and orange peel...

Beat in the eggs and add flour and baking powder. It will thicken to this...

Add yellow food coloring...

After spreading part of the yellow batter into the pan, add red food dye to the remaining yellow batter to make orange...

Spread the orange layer over the chilled yellow layer...

Bake for 47 to 53 minutes at 325 degrees F...

Test for doneness with a toothpick...

To make the frosting, whip up the butter (I used a combination of shortening and margarine to make this pareve)...

Beat in the powdered sugar, milk (I used water), vanilla, and salt...

When the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting on top...

Here's the finished cake! To serve, pull the foil up and out, set the cake on a cutting board, and cut into triangles. Then place one candy corn as garnish on each piece.

Perfect!

Cute, right?

9 comments:

Signe said...

Looks fantastic!

Unknown said...

this is so adorable! i like how the cake includes orange zest too!

Anonymous said...

I ate one too many pieces of this cake, but it was definitely worth the feelings of regret later...so yummy! Thanks HappyGoMarni!

Mom said...

I love how this looks. It's so festive for this time of year and it's not even a pumpkin or apple dessert!

Carolyn Jung said...

These are way too cute. I admit I'm not a big fan of candy corn. But this cake definitely appeals to me! ;)

headbum said...

these were delicious!

rentfoodbroke.com will vouch for that!

Jays said...

Considering my love of candy corn, I really must make this cake.

Marni said...

Signe - Thanks :)

ctjhia - I, too, love the addition of the citrus. It takes it from boring butter cake to yummy orange cake!

Anonymous - Haha glad you enjoyed and hope you feel ok now!

Mom - I know, I, too, was shocked not to be baking with pumpkin or apple. Though that's a high priority for me so I'm going to get on that...

Carolyn - Good! I promise it doesn't taste like candy corn. Just looks like it.

headbum - You mean you made them? Neat!

Deborah - your girls would have so much fun helping you make these and dying the batter yellow and orange. You should make them.

Marcie said...

Very cute! The frosting looks wonderful.

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