Little Regina is as adorable as her cake!

To make it I baked one round layer in a 9" springform pan, one dome in a glass pyrex bowl (for the body) (see below for instructions on baking in glass pyrex bowl) and then another dome in a small stainless steel bowl (for the head). I made a ganache with dark chocolate. I used a buttercream to frost the ladybug back. I put a crumb coat of butter cream on the round layer and small dome then covered both of those with the dark chocolate ganache. The ganache was thicker than I had imagined and I was a little afraid of getting it too warm so after I had the ganache on the cakes I used my small torch to smooth out the chocolate a little. I put the round layer on the tray then laid the frosted lady bug back on the top. I put the head up next to the body. The remaining ganache was put in a bottle and then I put the line down the lady bugs back. Using reserved white butter cream I piped eyes and then used the ganache in the bottle to make small dots in the center. Junior Mints were used for the spots. I cut black licorice for the legs - which was easy to tuck between the round layer and dome layer. I also cut a small piece of licorice in half and affixed it with small dots of butter cream for the mouth. It was great for a 2nd birthday because I used the long thin candles as antennae. Submitted by: Ann Marie

 

Prepare your package mix per the box instructions except use a 2 quart round glass casserole dish, decrease oven temperature to 300 and bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes.  Place cake, top side down, on serving plate or tray.  prepare frosting mix as directed on package; frost cake.  Make face on side of cake, using wafer cookies for eyes, red gumdrop slice for nose, and black shoestring licorice for eyebrows and antennae.  Sprinkle red sugar over cake to within 2 inches from curved edge of face.  Place black gum drop slices on cake for spots. 10-14 Servings

Submitted by:  
Robin Barnett

Thank you Robin for submitting this wonderful Lady Bug cake you made... it is adorable!

This little lady bug is made from red, white, blue and black frosting with green grass.  You can create it easily using your different frosting  decorating tips.