The first time I made this style of surprise cake, I used a special pan to make the cake balls and colored the batter and baked the cake from scratch and it was a looooong and arduous process.
This time I went for speed: using a cake mix, cans of frosting and candy eyes but most importantly- donut holes or munchkins as we call them in New England. I’m also going to spell them "donuts" here too to be consistent (though usually I spell them doughnuts) because that's how the folks as DD do it and that's where I picked up my donut holes. Let's get started.
Materials:
24 donut holes- I bought the pumpkin munchkins from Dunkin Donuts- you could use chocolate or both kinds!
White cake mix (or try chocolate?) and the ingredients the cake direction call for on the box (eggs, oil etc.)
White frosting and chocolate frosting (not shown)
Wilton Candy Eyes (they make several sizes)
Mix and cover
If you make a lot of cakes you probably have a system- I use parchment paper on the bottom of 8” round pans then spray the pans with Canola oil (thank you Traders Joes).
Make the batter according to the box directions (I’m a fan of Duncan Hines).
While the cake is mixing (2 minutes or so), line each pan with 12 donut holes.
Divide the batter in half (I eyeball it- you could measure it).
Add each half of the batter, in spoonfuls over the donuts in each pan-try to not let the donuts touch.
Bake and cool
Bake according to the box directions or until a skewer comes out clean or/and the cake pulls away from the sides.
Allow the cakes to cool completely then remove them from the pans.
At this point, you can wrap them up and freeze them for a few hours – it makes it easier to handle them and frost them.
When you’re ready --assemble the cake.
I use a cake board trimmed to fit under the cake (mostly because I wanted to use a wire cake stand).
Middle Layer Frosting
Add a dab of frosting and set the first cake on the board or cake plate with the bottom side down.
Add the middle layer of (white) frosting – spread it around generously then add the second cake, bottom facing up and give it a firm pat into place (the bumpy tops will sink together in the bed of frosting).
Outer frosting
Continue to frost the outside of the cake with the chocolate frosting –again I make a lot of cakes and invested in this “revolving“ cake stand; you don’t need it but it’s fun to use so-- with or without a stand- frost away.
I usually start at the top and then do the sides.
When the cake is frosted, add the candy eyes- be random and have fun putting them on!
Surprise! It has eyes outside and dots inside.
Enjoy this is cake- it’s fun to cut into and while the textures are slightly different – it really works.
You’re going to ask-- hey- aren’t the donuts dry after being baked? Nope!
Amazing and delicious and great for a special occasion.
Think of the possibilities the next time you’re in the donut hole section of the bakery.
Scribe a line in the center of the pastry then roll the sides of pastry sheet to meet in middle.
Tightly roll each side so both rolls of pastry sheet touch on the scribe line.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
