Holiday baking hack: Step up your cake with gummy bears

Hallmark is showing holiday movies non-stop, 24/7 Christmas tunes have returned to radio and Starbucks put out its holiday cups, so we figured it's time to start our holiday segments here on Windy City LIVE. Baker Cathy Cunningham of "Cake Craze" showed us how to step up our holiday baking with gummy bears.

Cake Craze Gummi Bear Holiday Cake

3 sticks butter

2 C sugar

8 large egg whites

cup sour cream

2 t vanilla extract

1 t almond extract

t coconut extract

2 C flour

2 T corn starch

t baking powder

t baking soda

1 t salt

C milk

Gel-based food coloring in red and green (Wilton icing color works well)

9 bags of HARIBO red and green Goldbears (approximately 450 pieces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees convection bake).

Spray with pan spray or grease and flour two 9" or 10" round cake pans.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Beat butter until smooth.

Add sugar and beat until blended.

Add eggs; mix until thoroughly combined.

Add sour cream; beat until smooth and creamy.

Add vanilla extract, almond extract and coconut extract; beat for 2-3 minutes.

Divide batter evenly.

Mix gel-based red food coloring into one half the batter until desired color is attained. (Achieving red requires a large quantity of icing color.)

Mix green food coloring into other half of batter.

Pour colored batter into each of the two cake pans.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Allow cakes to cool completely before emptying from pans.

Wrap each cake in plastic wrap, place each in a large Ziplock bag and freeze or refrigerate until completely cold.

Place one cake layer on a plate, frost top, place other layer on top.

Frost entire cake.

Place HARIBO Goldbears on cake, starting at bottom, in alternating two-bear, red-green pattern.

As you move up cake with gummi bear decorations, start next line of bears one bear off from original starting point to create angled, green and red checker pattern.

Place pile of red and green gummi bears on center top of cake.

Cake can be refrigerated.

Cake Craze Vanilla Buttercream Icing

2 sticks butter

2 lbs. powdered sugar

- C water

2 t vanilla extract

1 t almond extract

t salt

Beat butter until smooth.

Add powdered sugar lb. at a time.

Add water gradually as powdered sugar is blended with butter.

Add vanilla extract, almond extract and salt.

Beat on medium-high speed for 5-10 minutes.

Gel-based food coloring can be added to the icing. (Wilton icing color works well.)