Pinata Cake with M&Ms

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This is my new favorite layered cake: simple, yet show-stopping!

Pinata Cake with M&Ms: perfect for birthdays or holidays or...Tuesdays.

#BakingIdeas

I've got a new favorite right here. The cake that keeps on giving...a Pinata Cake filled with delicious Milk Chocolate M&Ms and fabulousness.

>>>Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post to register for this fabulous giveaway!<<<

My dad and I both have birthdays that are right on top of the holidays. And you know how the rituals go: things often get, well...combined. But sometimes, us holiday birthday people want a little separation. I'm not into a Christmas tree birthday cake...or red and green icing on my day. It may be a bit selfish...but I need to have my own thing. Know what I mean?

So I made this cake for my dad and I at a recent pre-birthday dinner. It was truly more for him. {I mean, I'm not one to make my own birthday cake...something about that doesn't seem quite right to me. Especially the part that includes washing said cake's dishes.}.

But wowzers...this cake was perfection! And it wasn't very difficult. There's a trick to filling it up. And everyone is dazzled and amazed when the first piece is pulled out and the M&M flow begins.

I ran to my local Walmart for the best part...the Milk Chocolate M&Ms that my dad loves so much.

I used two Devil's Food cake mixes, my favorite chocolate frosting recipe {doubled} and a large bag of Milk Chocolate M&Ms.

To make this post even sweeter, here's a special offer for a fabulous coupon on M&Ms: click here to retrieve it.

You'll start by preparing your cake mixes according to their package directions. Use three 9" cake pans {greased and prepped} to bake the cakes. Mine took about 30 minutes on 350. They're pretty big since you only used three pans {give or take...I *may* have had a few licks of cake batter in the preparation process}. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for ten minutes and then remove to cooling racks until completely cool.

Cake Assembly:

1. You'll need to level out your cakes by taking a serrated knife and trimming off the "dome" until the cake is level all the way across.

2. You can use any circle tool to cut out the centers of two of the cakes {leave the third completely in tact}. I used a sandwich cutter. But anything between 4-6 inches wide will work. You could even use a small bowl and cut around its shape. I'm sure you'll figure out *something* to do with that extra cake {wink, wink}.

3. Frost the bottom layer and pour in the first layer of your M&Ms.

4. Set the second layer on top of the first and frost.

5. Fill again with the remainder of M&Ms.

6. Set the third cake on top...to cover the M&Ms.

7. Frost and decorate as you desire. I, personally, keep it simple on the outside of the cake so the fact that it's loaded with M&Ms is a huge surprise when it's cut into.

No one knows what fun is inside!

Such a delightful avalanche of color as the M&Ms spill out.

Delicious and fun!

Looking for even more M&M baking fun? Click here for recipes and more.

Right now there is an awesome Baking is Better with M Pinterest Sweepstakes going on for M&M's!

Pin for a chance to win one of three $250 Walmart gift cards! It's as easy as submitting your email and pinning an image. Simply complete the following steps:

1. Enter your email in the form below and click “Enter”
2. Pin the contest image to any of your own Pinterest boards
3. Visit the Baking with M Pinterest board and Re-Pin your favorites to enter http://www.pinterest.com/cbsocially/baking-with-mms/

Three (3) Winners will be selected at random - One (1) entry per person.
Contest runs 12/06/13 - 12/31/13