'Spaghetti & Meatballs' Cake

I was skimming through an issue of Food Network Magazine a few months back and I saw a tutorial on this cake. Immediately I knew I wanted to make it for my boyfriend's mom, because she is an Italian New Yorker and I didn't think anyone could appreciate it more. Well her birthday was about two weeks ago and I finally had the chance.

I was a little apprehensive at first because I haven't decorated too many cakes, but it really isn't hard at all. First, I found delicious chocolate cake and vanilla buttercream recipes and swapped them out for the boxed cake & canned frosting recommended in the magazine. I took my time with it and I was very happy with the results. Her jaw dropped, she smiled & loved it and thats all I was hoping for!

Spaghetti & Meatball Cake
(adapted from Food Network)
- 1 chocolate recipe, making 2 8inch round cakes
- 1 buttercream recipe [*I doubled it just to make sure I had enough]
- 1 bag frozen strawberries, thawed & pureed. [Marinara sauce]
- 1 bar white chocolate, for grating [cheese]
- yellow food coloring

Make and cool the cakes completely before decorating.

Take one cake and break it up into crumbs. Form 3 "meatballs" about 2 inches in diameter. Roll the cake balls into some cake crumbs for a textured look

Make the buttercream. Reserved half of it plain white, and add yellow food coloring to the rest [the color of pasta]

To decorate: frost the cake with a thin crumb coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes- 1 hr for the coat to set. Frost the cake with the rest of the buttercream, making it as smooth as possible.

Take the cake balls and place them on top of the cake.

Put the yellow frosting in a piping bag with a tip that resembles spaghetti [ I used a #8 by ateco]

Pipe figure 8s all over the top of the cake, around and in between the cake balls to look like pasta.

Spoon 1/2 cup of the strawberry puree over the 'meatballs' and 'pasta'

Grate the white chocolate over the top to resemble Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!