Equipment Needed
- A 9×13 inch glass or ceramic baking dish (clear glass is beautiful for showing layers!)
- An electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- A large mixing bowl
- A spatula
- A fork or your hands for tearing cake
Step-by-Step Instructions
We start by preparing the “snow” bed. Take your pre-baked angel food cake and tear it into 1 to 1.5-inch chunks using your hands. I find tearing creates better texture than cutting—it gives the cake fluffy, irregular pieces that soak up the layers beautifully. Don’t worry about making them uniform; rustic is perfect. Take about two-thirds of these cake chunks and press them gently into the bottom of your 9×13 dish, creating an even layer. It won’t be a solid sheet, more like a fluffy, spongy base. This layer will soak up all the creamy goodness to come.
Now, for the luxurious “snow” layer. In your mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Using your electric mixer, beat this on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. You want it completely smooth, with no lumps whatsoever. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to ensure everything is incorporated. The mixture will be thick and creamy. Then, with the mixer on low, gently fold in about three-quarters of the thawed whipped topping until just combined and smooth. This creates the most dreamy, cloud-like cream cheese fluff.
Carefully spread this creamy mixture evenly over the layer of cake chunks in your dish. Use your spatula to take it all the way to the edges, creating a smooth, white blanket. This is the “snow” in our Cherries in the Snow. I sometimes give the dish a gentle tap on the counter to help the mixture settle into all the nooks and crannies of the cake below. Once it’s smooth, I’ll take the remaining cake chunks and gently press them randomly into the top of this cream layer. They’ll peek through the cherries later, adding wonderful texture.(See the next page below to continue…)