Lamb Cake How-To

Two cakes are baked in a lamb-shaped mold, then the fun of the assembly begins. First consult the recipe -- and get your piping bag and tips ready!

1. The lamb’s body is made with two molded cake halves. To ensure they fit together, trim the flat sides evenly with a serrated knife. Jam spread on one half acts as an adhesive; turn both halves upright, and then sandwich them together.

2. Seal in crumbs with a thin coat of white-chocolate buttercream; start at the seam to reinforce the bond. Don’t worry if some jam leaks -- a second coat will hide any imperfections. Layer and smooth frosting using a small offsetspatula, paying close attention to the head, which won’t be covered by chocolate curls.

3. To make the curly coat, spread melted white chocolate onto the back of a baking sheet, and chill until just starting to set. Then use a bench scraper to shave off curls. Work in batches, returning sheet to the refrigerator if necessary. Refrigerate the curls immediately.

4. Curls are placed, alternately standing up and on their sides, to mimic a woolly texture. Refrigerate half the curls while placing the first half; work quickly. Before piping facial features, sketch them on with a toothpick.

INGREDIENTS

• Unsalted butter, softened, for molds
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup seedless blackberry or raspberry jam
• White-Chocolate Buttercream for Lamb Cake
• White-Chocolate Curls

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter both halves of an 8-cup lamb-shaped cake mold. Dust with flour; tap out excess.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salttogether into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add egg and yolk, 3/4 cup warm water, the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until smooth.
3. Pour batter into halves of molds. Bake until a tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in molds on wire racks 30 minutes. Unmold; let cool completely.
4. Trim flat side of each. Trim excess from edges. Cover flat side of 1 cake with jam. Turn halves upright; stick together.
5. Spread a thin layer of pale-yellow buttercream over cake, sealing edges. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Spread with a second layer, smoothing around head.
6. Cover with chocolate curls (exclude head). Put brown buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip; pipe eyes and mouth. Refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 2 days.