My Big Fat Bumpy Life Cake

  

I love this cake.  This cake goes back to before The Virtual Goody Plate.  Before New York.  Before I even had kids, and definitely before I did any serious baking.  I first made this in our little married student apartment in Boulder.  It came from a cake contest I saw on The Food Network, and it was around the time "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was popular, when was that?  I just looked it up - 2002, that's about right.  The woman who won the contest came from a family that owns and runs a pecan farm in Georgia, so she wanted to show them off.  I was enthralled, and once I made it and tasted it, I was hooked.  It's still one of my favorites - it's both messy and pretty at the same time (like life), and the flavors are unique but amazing - chocolate cinnamon cake, and sweetened condensed milk icing.  Plus lots of pecan and marshmallow bumps.  

So yeah, life gets a little bumpy sometimes, but a cake like this can smooth things out for at least a few moments.

 

My Big Fat Bumpy Life Cake (print recipe)
Cake:
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk, divided
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup hot water

Icing:
1/4 cup butter flavored shortening
Sweetened condensed milk (reserved from cake)
1 cup powdered sugar

Toppings:
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Drizzle:
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 T vegetable oil

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 12-cup Bundt with nonstick cooking spray.  Measure out 1/3 cup of the sweetened condensed milk for using in the cake.  Reserve the rest for the icing.

2.  Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a medium bowl; set aside.

3.  In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the shortening, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until creamy and fluffy.  Add buttermilk and cocoa and beat until blended.  Add flour mixture and beat on low to blend.  Then increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes.  Stir in hot water with a spoon until just blended.  Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes in the pan; remove to a serving plate and cool to room temperature.

4.  Combine icing ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until smooth.  Stir the ingredients for the drizzle together until well combined and set aside.  Frost the cake with the icing and fill up the hole in the center if you wish.  Sprinkle the marshmallows and pecans evenly over the icing.  Decorate with the chocolate drizzle and serve.

 Recipe from Sandi Klingler, Food Network Cake Contest Winner