Exploding Firecracker Cakes
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Firecracker cakes make for a literal party in your mouth! Filled with exploding candies, these firecrackers pop with sweet flavor. With the fourth of July just around the corner, I’m getting ready to celebrate our independence with an array of red, white and blue foods.
After seeing this crazy recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to give it ago. Many of the comments mentioned the original recipe’s cake often turned out too moist, so I cut out all the eggs and oil to make a firmer cake with Greek yogurt – which by association means that these cakes actually aren’t that bad for you. https://giphy.com/embed/l4FGkK60l1vfT0BHO
It’s important to keep the cake as cold as possible while working with it. It’s infinitely easier to cut and mold a chilled cake than one fresh out of the oven or even at room temperature. You’ll have much less of a mess on your hands if you rotate the cakes in and out of the freezer as you work. While these cakes are definitely time consuming, the end result is definitely worth it.
Happy Fourth of July!
Exploding Firecracker Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 4 packets Pop Rocks
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup water
- 1 strip black licorice cut into "fuses"
- 1-2 tablespoons food coloring red & blue
- 1 cup white icing in piping bag
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt and water (trust me – I know it sounds weird!) then stir in the cake mix until a thick batter forms. Spread the batter evenly into three cake pans lined with foil and greased with oil. Bake for 12-15 minutes until cooked through and just barely browning on top.
- Let the cakes cool completely. Transfer to the freezer and chill for at least 1-2 hours. Use the 1.5 round circle cutter to cut out ~12 circles from each color of cake. Use the 1/2 inch circle cutter to cut out the center of all but a third of the cakes (to be used as the bases). Keep the center cut out 'plugs.' Chill for at least 1-2 hours.
- Use the bag of icing to pipe a thin line around a piece of cake to be used as the base of a firecracker. Place a different color on top and press down gently to secure the cake pieces together. Pipe another line of icing around the open center of the cake and place another color on top an secure. Repeat with the remaining red, white and blue pieces, stacking in alternating colors as desired. Chill until ready to serve.
- Wait to add the pop rocks until very last to ensure they keep their popping power. Use a funnel to help pour the pop rocks into the empty cake 'shells' until full – leave enough room to add the plugs. Press the plug into the top of the cake and add a short strip of black licorice as the 'fuse.' Serve immediately and enjoy. Have a happy fourth of July!
