Cookie Monster Cake (for Decorating Beginners)

bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
Toss mini chocolate chips with 1 Tablespoon of cake flour to coat them and then fold into the batter.
Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 2526 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean the cake is done. Cool cakes in the pans set on a wire rack for 30 minutes then remove the cakes and cool completely directly on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
Make the buttercream In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter on medium speed until creamy about 2 minutes. Add confectioners sugar milkcream vanilla extract and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is way too sweet. Frosting will be thick.
Tint the frosting Place 1 cup 2 Tablespoons about 1 heaping cup or 275g of frosting into a medium bowl. This will remain whiteuntinted and be used for the cakes filling and to form Cookie Monsters eyes. Place 13 cup about 85g of frosting into a small bowl. Stir in 3 drops of black gel food coloring until its dark gray. Keep in mind that frosting dries darker. Tint the remaining frosting blue using about 45 big drops of blue gel food coloring. Tint until you are satisfied with the color. Remember frosting dries darker and were going for lighter Cookie Monster blue not darker Grover blue!
Level the cakes add the crumb coat Using a large serrated knife slice the domes off the cooled cakes a semithin layer to create a flat surface. Place tops into a bowl to use in step 10. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand serving plate or cake turntable. Spread 1 cup about 250g of white untinted frosting all over the top. Reserve remaining white frosting for step 10. Top with 2nd layer. Spread a thin layer of blue frosting around the sides and top of the cake. This is your crumb coat and should be a pretty thin layer. An icing spatula and bench scraper are helpful for this. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes to help set the crumb coat.
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