What's Cookin'? Smithtown - Luck of the Irish Crispy Cake

What’s Cookin’? – Smithtown

 By Nancy Vallarella

Luck of the Irish Crispy Cake

The Crispy Cake idea came to me about five years ago. More festive than the average Krispies Treat squares; the first version was a sheet cake. I would purchase a plaque of chocolate from Garguilo’s Bakery and ask them to decorate and write a birthday message on it. This would easily attach to the sticky cake.   The problem was getting candles into it. This required plastic birthday candle holders that anchor into the cake. These are very hard to find. The other problem was precutting the sheet cake which did not present well and bringing a serrated knife into the classroom environment is precarious at best.

Then as I was throwing yet another Kohl’s sales circular into the recycle bin, I spied a picture on the back cover. Under a glass cake plate dome was a Crispy Cake in the shape of an angel food pan. This was a certified aha moment. A sturdy candle could be placed into the center! Alternatively, for non-birthday occasions, the center can be filled with wrapped candy with additional candy placed around the cake on a platter providing a sweet treat for guests that are not Crispy Cake fans.  This shape can be cut into 24 slices (perfect for most classroom and team events) and will maintain form.

It requires no forks. Left over Crispy Cake requires no refrigeration. It is a hostess’s dream. 

If you know Krispies Treat fans or simply do not have time to bake, I highly recommend giving this a try. I have developed hidden surprise versions to amp up the festivities by inserting food colored cut out crispy shapes into the cake to coordinate with the occasion. - This proves I really need to get out of the kitchen more often. 

St. Patty’s Day Give-a-Way:

In honor of St. Patty’s Day, I am giving away this Luck of the Irish Crispy Cake to one lucky Town of Smithtown resident. Feel like you have the luck of the Irish?  Go onto What’s Cookin’? – Smithtown’s facebook page (from article: click on the symbol of the bull wearing the chef hat above right for link); like the page and the post with the picture of the cake. Then treat yourself to a free subscription to Smithtown Matters so you don’t miss out on future local offers. The winner will be announced Saturday morning, March 15 on the What’s Cookin’? – Smithtown facebook page and Smithtown Matters. This is a great treat for your St. Patty’s Day celebration or classroom treat on Monday! 

Luck of the Irish Crispy Cake DIY instructions:

Make sure you have all of your equipment and ingredients organized and available before starting. Working with the recipe while it is pliable is critical in many steps. This cake requires 3 batches of the Rice Krispie Treat recipe.

INGREDIENTS fOR 1 Batch – you will need 3 batches for this cake

• 3 tablespoons butter 
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• OR
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• Food coloring (optional)
• 6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal

EQUIPMENT

• 1 baking sheet pan
• parchment paper
• cooking spray
• cookie cutter
• angel food pan
• rolling pin – optional
• large heavy bottom pot
• wooden spoon
• measuring cup

DIRECTIONS

1. In large heavy bottom pot melt butter over medium low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Stir in food coloring (if desired)*. Remove from heat. 

2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using parchment paper evenly press mixture into 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Cool slightly. Using cookie cutters coated with cooking spray cut into desired shapes. 

*For the first batch: follow the above instructions and add green food coloring to the melted marshmallows. I used 10 drops.

For second batch:  repeat steps 1 and 2 without food coloring. Pour mixture into angle food pan sprayed with cooking spray. Press mixture down. Mixture should fill pan half way. Arrange cut out shapes upside down into the mixture. 

For the third batch: repeat steps 1 and 2 without food coloring. Pour mixture into angle food pan over cut out shapes and press down. 

Let mixture cool entirely in pan before releasing. Decorate with extra cut out shapes or wrapped candy. To cut cake, saw with a serrated knife. Do not press down with knife.