Make a 5 Layer Earth Cake to celebrate Earth Day! Vanilla, Cookies & Cream, Walnut, Carrot, and Chocolate cake layers make up this tasty terrain! Makes 5 cakes Things you'll need Vanilla AND Cookies & Cream Cakes Makes 2 different cakes 2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos) 1½ cups sugar 2 cups all purpose flour ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk ¼ cup vegetable shortening ½ cup salted butter 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 5 egg whites 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon almond extract Walnut Cake ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 6 tablespoons ground walnuts ½ cup sugar 6 tablespoons buttermilk 1 egg 2 tablespoons shortening 2 tablespoons salted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pinch salt ½ teaspoon baking soda 2 cups walnut halves and pieces 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup 2 tablespoons brown sugar Carrot Cake ¾ cup and 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 3 cups shredded carrots 1 cup brown sugar 6 tablespoons melted butter 1 egg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¾ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt Pinch of nutmeg ¼ teaspoon baking soda Chocolate Cake ¾ cup and 2 tablespoons all purpose flour ½ cup cocoa powder ¾ cup sugar ½ cup milk ½ cup water ¾ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 egg Equipment 5 mixing bowls Electric hand mixer Spatula 5 round baking pans, sprayed and lined with parchment Cake leveler Cake plate Cake turn table Decorating bags Spatula Grass decorating tip Decoration Chocolate frosting Carmel frosting Buttercream frosting Green food coloring Let's get started! Vanilla AND Cookies & Cream Cakes Makes 2 different cakes Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. In another bowl, use a hand mixer to combine butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add half of the egg whites to the butter mixture and mix well and scrape down the sides. Add the rest of the egg whites and mix again. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts. In a large mixing bowl, alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the wet mixture (1/3 dry, mix, 1/2 milk, mix, etc.) Grease 2 pans and line them with parchment. Pour crushed cookies into one of the pans and spread out to form the bottom of the cake. Pour half of the batter into each pan. Gently tap the pan with cookies on the counter a few times to settle. Bake both cakes for 30 to 45 minutes. Walnut Cake Whisk together flour, ground walnuts, baking soda, salt. In another bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and shortening. Add an egg and vanilla extract and mix again. In a large mixing bowl, alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the wet mixture (1/3 dry, mix, 1/2 milk, mix, etc.) Spread walnuts evenly into the bottom of a greased and lined pan. Sprinkle brown sugar and chocolate syrup on them. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 350°F for 30 to 45 minutes. Carrot Cake Whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix butter, vanilla, and an egg until well combined. Combine wet and dry ingredients and fold in shredded carrots. Pour the batter into a greased and line pan and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Chocolate Cake Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, chocolate, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. In another bowl, whisk an egg and then add milk, water, oil, and vanilla extract. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Pour the batter into a greased and lined pan and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Let's put it all together! Once cooled, use a cake leveler to level each cake to be about 1 inch tall. Save the excess cake for later. Pipe a small dab of chocolate frosting in the middle of a cake plate for stability. Place the vanilla cake on the plate. Pipe a layer of chocolate frosting around the outer edge of the top of the cake. Stack the cookies and cream cake next. Pipe a layer of chocolate frosting around the edge of the cake and then fill it in with a layer of caramel frosting. (PICTURE at 10:29). Lay the walnut cake on next. Repeat frosting with chocolate and caramel. Place the carrot cake on next and then frost it with chocolate only. Stack the chocolate cake on top. Time to decorate! Spread a smooth layer of chocolate frosting over the entire cake. Cover the outside of the cake with crumbs. Use a grass tip to pipe green buttercream frosting on the top of the cake. TaDa! This 5 Layer Earth Cake is all finished and ready to rock!