Description

This Old-Fashioned Snowball Cake is a classic, rich, and fluffy layered cake perfect for any occasion. It features moist vanilla-almond cake layers with a luscious whipped cream frosting, generously coated in sweet shredded coconut for a snowy effect. The cake is baked to perfection, then chilled to set, creating a delightful texture and flavor combination that will impress your guests.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup whole milk

Whipped Cream Frosting

3 cups heavy whipping cream
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

2 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

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Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cake layers.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together for 3-4 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which helps with the cake’s texture.
Add Eggs and Extracts: Add eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition to incorporate air. Then mix in vanilla and almond extracts for flavor.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the batter, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overworking the batter and keeping the cake tender.
Divide Batter and Bake: Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool Cake Layers: Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Prepare Whipped Cream Frosting: In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until stiff peaks form, ensuring a stable and creamy frosting.
Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread a generous amount of whipped cream on top. Place the second layer on top and cover the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream frosting.
Add Coconut Topping and Chill: Press shredded coconut evenly onto the frosting to cover the whole cake, creating the ‘snowball’ appearance. Chill the cake for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the frosting to set.

Notes

Using room temperature eggs helps the batter blend more uniformly.
Be careful not to overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added to keep the cake tender and light.
For best results, chill the bowl and beaters before whipping the cream to help it whip up faster and hold better.
The cake is best served chilled but can be left at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for softer texture.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered tightly; consume within 2-3 days.