Creating this Bigfoot Tracks Cake was actually pretty simple. I hate chocolate cake so I hardly ever make it and by hardly I mean never! I followed the recipe on the back of the Hershey cocoa powder container and let me tell you, something was seriously off (according to Marie). Since it wasn’t as tasty as we had hoped it would be, Marie used her grandma’s “secret” recipe to make replacement cakes. Her cake wins hands down! You can use this “secret” with any boxed cake mix, too.
Our inspiration for the cake design came directly from a lot of the Bigfoot sightings and mystery surrounding them—their HUGE footprints. We thought a traditional rectangle shape would best suit the print and also provide enough cake for all of the guests. We decided to make it look like a piece of the earth from around the Bigfoot print had been transplanted onto the cake tray, worms, rocks, leaves and all. Let’s get started on the cake.
Ingredients
Make Two Batches, One for Each Pan
- 2, 9X13 Cake Pans (or Bake Twice)
- 2 Betty Crocker Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake Mix
- 2 Stick Salted Butter, Softened
- 2 1/2 Cups of Milk
- 8 Eggs
- Super Fine Oreo Crumbs (Remove Cream)
- (Optional) Gummy Worms
- (Optional) Candy Rocks
- (Optional) Green or Light Brown Fondant
- Bigfoot Tracks Cake Footprint Template, Printed or Drawn and Cut Out
Icing Batch #1:
- Hershey Icing Recipe on Back of Cocoa Powder Container
- 1/2 Cup Butter
- 2/3 Cup of the Cocoa Powder
- 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Milk
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Icing Batch #2:
- Hershey Icing Recipe on Back of Cocoa Powder Container +Those Ingredients
- 2 cups Oreos Chunky Crumbles (Remove Cream) (What you do with all that delicious Oreo goodness is up to you, we didn’t see anything.)
First Day
Step 1: Mix all the wet ingredients together, then slowly add the cake mix. Remember, the cake ingredients listed above are for two cake mixes, you will only use 1 stick of butter, 4 eggs and 1 1/4 cup of milk per box mix.
Step 2: Grease cake pans with your preferred method. (I use Pam for Baking)
Step 3: Pour one batch of batter into each cake pan. Bake the cakes according to the box instructions.
Step 4: While the cakes are still warm and in the pan, use a long knife and level the top of the cake(s).
Step 5: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes.
Step 6: Once the cakes have cooled, tightly wrap the warm cakes with plastic wrap. Don’t wrap them so tightly you smash your cakes, though.
Step 7: Now wrap the warm cakes in a layer of aluminum foil.
Step 8: Place the warm cakes in the freezer overnight.
Step 9: Repeat steps 1 through 8 for the second layer if you only have one pan.
Day Two
Step 10: Mix the icing according to the directions on the cocoa powder container. Set it aside. This is batch #1. Covering the top of your bowl with a damp towel will keep it from hardening.
Step 11: Mix the second batch of icing according to box directions.
Step 12: Stir in Oreo chunky crumbles. This is batch #2.
Step 12: Remove both cakes from the freezer and remove the foil and plastic wrap.
Step 13: Smear a thin layer of batch #1 icing on the cake board.
Step 14: Place the first cake on the board, covering the icing, cut side down.
Step 15: Ice the top of the cake with about 1/4 inch of batch #1 icing.
Step 16: Place the second layer on top of the icing, cut side down.
Step 17: Lay the footprint template on top of the cake and use a kitchen knife to trace around it at an inward slant. Only insert the knife no more than an inch into the cake. You do not want to cut into the bottom layer of the cake.
Step 18: Remove the paper and with a spoon, dig out the footprint. For the toes, dig them out in a circular motion. Think ice cream scoop twist, not a shovel scoop.
Step 19: Using the remainder of icing batch #1, cover the top of the cake. Do not ice the side or the actual footprint.
Step 20: Using icing batch #2, cover all the sides of the cake.
Step 21: Lightly sprinkle fine Oreo crumbs into the footprint and sparingly on top of the cake.
Optional Step 22: Cut leaves out of fondant and place on top of the cake.
Optional Step 24: Cut the gummy worms in half and place them randomly on the cake and “coming out” of the sides.
Optional Step 25: Place the candy rocks randomly on the cake.
You can do this! As far as custom cakes go, this Bigfoot Tracks Cake is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require 15 Wilton courses on cake decorating. Also, according to Marie and the party guests, it tastes amazingly delicious.
Be sure to check out our other Bigfoot Party projects and follow our Bigfoot Party Inspiration board on Pinterest for even more ideas!
Be Inspired!