EXCAVATOR CAKES RECIPES

Steps:

• Bake cakes and allow them to cool completely.
• While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting and chop up some of the candies in half.
• Place each cake on a round cardboard cake board that's the same size as the cake.
• Cut each cake in half horizontally and spread icing on top.
• Place the other half of each cake on top and press gently to secure together.
• Ice both cakes fully in icing and use the back of a spoon to create a rustic pattern.
• Place the 8 inch cake on a large serving board.
• Stick 4 dowels or bubble tea straws in the center of the cake and cut straws to the correct height.
• Place the other 4 inch cake on top of the dowels and press gently to stick the 2 tiers together.
• Place the washed toy trucks on the cake and on the large cake board.
• Create an illusion of a construction site by sticking chopped up candy bars on cake to represent large stones and sprinkle Oreo crumbs for dirt. Create a puddle of ganache around some of the trucks to represent wet cement.
• Do this decoration for the tiered cake and the large board as well to create a bigger story. Enjoy!

Steps:

• In a large nonstick saucepan, add milk and half the sugar.
• Cook on medium-high heat until mixture comes to a to a boil.
• Then, reduce heat to low heat and allow mixture to simmer.
• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together remaining sugar and cornstarch.
• Add whisked egg yolks to this sugar mixture and mix until smooth.
• Remove 1 cup of the warm milk from the saucepan and mix that into this sugar/egg/cornstarch mixture until smooth.
• Pour this mixture into the saucepan, while constantly mixing with a wooden spoon or whisk. You can bring up the heat from low to medium, if you like.
• Keep stirring until custard thickens and starts sticking to your whisk or spoon.
• Use a candy thermometer to ensure temperature reaches 185 degrees F. This ensures that custard does not become watery while cooling in the fridge.
• Remove saucepan from heat.
• Add butter, vanilla extract and mix until combined.
• Transfer to a large serving bowl or separate small bowls.
• Let it cool to room temperature.
• Cover with plastic wrap so that it is touching the surface of the custard.
• Let it cool to room temperature. Then, refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours. It will thicken more, as it chills.
• Enjoy with a topping of fresh berries or whipped cream.