New Year's Cake "Melting Snowman"

Ingredients:

Cakes

• 5 and 3/4 cups premium flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 cups (440 g) softened unsalted butter
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 5 cups granulated sugar
• 12 large eggs
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp mint extract
• 2 tablespoons red liquid food coloring
• Flour to dust the pans
• 60–75 g of cream cheese, room temperature

Icing and decoration

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1 square orange-flavored gummy candy
• 5 mini chocolate chips
• 1 chocolate granule
• 1 salted straw
• 2 elongated chocolate sprinkles
• 1 skein of red licorice
• 340 g white chocolate glaze discs (confectionery glaze)
• 1 mini peanut, caramel and nougat bar
• 1 round vanilla wafer cookies
• 110 g dark chocolate 48%
• Special equipment: 10-cup bundt cake pan, 4-cup bundt cake pan; cupcake pan

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. You will need a cupcake pan, a large 2-liter (26x9) cake pan, and a small 750ml (28 oz) cake pan.
2. Cupcakes:
   
   In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and eggs until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Add the vanilla extract and mix gently until the batter is smooth.
3. Line a cupcake pan with 7 paper cupcake liners. Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full with batter.
4. Cakes with mint red streaks:
   
   Remove 2 2/3 cups of dough from the bowl and transfer to a separate bowl. Add mint extract and red food coloring.
5. Dust a 4-cup cake pan and a 10-cup cake pan with flour. Alternating layers of vanilla and mint (red) batter, spoon the batter into each pan, filling each about three-quarters full. Using a butter knife, gently swirl the two colors into each pan to create a marbled effect.
6. Bake cupcakes for 15-20 minutes, small cupcakes for 30-35 minutes, and large cupcakes for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean.
7. When all the cupcakes are done, place them on a wire rack and let cool completely.
8. Melting Snowman Cupcake Crush Figure:
   
   Once the cupcakes have cooled, crumble them into a large bowl and add 60g of cream cheese. Mix everything together with a rubber spatula or by hand. Squeeze a small handful of the mixture in your hand. It should hold its shape. If the mixture crumbles, add the remaining 15g of cream cheese.
9. Form the mixture into three balls – small, medium, and large (the snowman parts). Flatten the bottom of the largest ball so it appears to melt and slide to the side. Place the medium ball on top and flatten it slightly. Place the smaller ball on top and secure the three parts with a toothpick. Refrigerate until set, about 15–20 minutes.
10. Icing and decorations:
    
    In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Gradually whisk in the cream until a thick, white frosting forms. Place the largest cupcake on a cake stand or rimmed serving platter. Drizzle half the frosting over the cupcake. Place the second, smaller cupcake on top. Drizzle with the remaining frosting. You may not need all the frosting.
11. Use a knife to cut a small piece of orange gumdrop and shape it into a carrot. Break off the tip of a toothpick and insert the pointed end into the flat side of the carrot.
12. Place it next to the chocolate chips, straws, chocolate sprinkles and licorice.
13. White chocolate glaze:
    
    Melt the white chocolate frosting in the microwave at 100% power in 30-second intervals until smooth. Place the cooled snowman in the center of the top cupcake.
14. Drizzle melted white icing over the snowman and let it drip down the sides of the cake.
15. Quickly attach two small chocolate chips (flat side out) to form the snowman's eyes. Attach two chocolate sprinkles just above the eyes for eyebrows. Press the nose into the face and add a large chocolate chip (flat side out) to form the mouth. Break a straw in half and stick one on each side of the body, with one arm raised up and the other down, as if floating away with the melting snow. Attach the three remaining mini-chips to the front of the snowman's body; these will serve as buttons.