This is the larger centerpiece version of the armadillo cake. It uses two 9×13-inch cakes. For the original one-pan recipe, see the small home version.
Large Steel Magnolias Armadillo Cake (Two 9×13 Cakes)
Course: DessertCuisine: SouthernDifficulty: Intermediate25–30
servings1
hour30
minutes55
minutes10 hours 25 minutes
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
- Red Velvet Pound Cake (Two 9×13 Pans)
3 cups unsalted butter, softened
5 cups granulated sugar
10 large eggs
6 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1¾ cups buttermilk
2 tbsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp red food coloring
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp white vinegar
- Gray Vanilla Buttercream
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
6–8 cups powdered sugar
4–6 tbsp milk or cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
Black gel food coloring, a tiny amount
- Optional Support and Decoration
Food-safe cake dowels or thick straws, only if needed
Directions
- Make and Bake the Cakes
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour two 9×13-inch metal pans.
- Prepare the doubled batter in two batches so it mixes evenly. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Stir in vanilla and red food coloring. Add vinegar last and mix just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake at 325°F, rotating the pans between racks halfway through. Begin checking at 45 minutes; bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, about 45–60 minutes.
- Cool completely in the pans. Cover and chill both cakes for at least 8 hours or overnight before carving.
- Make the Gray Buttercream
- Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, then add vanilla and enough milk or cream for a spreadable consistency.
- Add a tiny toothpick-tip amount of black gel coloring. Mix well, let rest 5–10 minutes, and adjust slowly until light gray.
- Stack and Carve
- Place one chilled cake on a sturdy cake board. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over it, then place the second cake on top. Keep the board underneath the cake, not between layers.
- Carve the stacked cakes into a broad rounded body, trimming a little at a time. Use scraps mixed with a little buttercream to shape the head, snout, feet, and tail.
- Attach the shaped pieces with buttercream. Add food-safe dowels or thick straws only if needed; count them, mark their locations, and remove all supports before serving.
- Finish the Shell
- Apply a thin crumb coat over the cake and chill until set. Add the final gray buttercream coat and use a fork or spoon to make overlapping scale marks.
- Keep the finish rustic. Chill the finished cake until the frosting is firm, and check that all supports are removed before slicing.
Yield: About 25–30 servings, depending on how much is trimmed during carving and how large the slices are. Cake serving guides vary, and carved cakes can lose some portions.
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