Pink Whopper Cake

Strawberry Whopper Cake

Inspired by: Inspired by Charm

What you’ll need:
>> For the cake <<
1 box Strawberry cake mix (& accompanying ingredients on box)

>> For the icing<<
2 cups unsalted butter at room temp.
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
8 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
heavy cream, divided
1 bag of Ghiradelli white chocolate chips

>>For the decor<<
3 10oz boxes of Strawberry whoppers

Instructions:
>>For the cake<<
Bake cake according to package directions in two 9 inch rounds.
Set in the freezer to cool completely.
Once cold, level the cakes by removing the domes. Tutorial here.
(This will help tremendously in making a nice, level cake that doesn’t break!)

>>For the Icing<<
Beat butter, salt, and cream cheese on medium speed until pretty smooth.
One cup at a time, add 4 cups powdered sugar, beating after each addition.
Add vanilla and 2 tbls of heavy cream. Continue beating.
Add remaining 4 cups of powdered sugar, a cup at a time, beating after each addition.
Add additional tbls of heavy cream until you reach your desired consistency. I only added one or two more as I wanted a pretty stiff icing to hold the whoppers.
Set aside.
Melt bag of of white chocolate chips in a double broiler or glass bowl over a pot holding an inch of simmering water. Stir regularly until chips are melted. Make sure you don’t get any water in the chocolate — it will ruin!
Let chocolate cool but not harden and beat into icing.
Add a small amount of red food coloring to make the icing match the pink of the strawberry whoppers.

>>To Decorate<<
Place the bottom cake layer on the cake plate and spread icing over the top in an even layer.
Add the second layer and generously ice the entire cake.
Starting at the bottom, press strawberry whoppers around the cake and work your way up. I tried to place each row offset from the one prior to help fill in any holes.
When finished, I took my hands and gently pushed them in around the cake to ensure they wouldn’t fall off.

For the bunting, I used scrapbook paper, string, and long kabob skewers.