Chosen Eats: Passover Parting-of-the-Red-Sea Cake

If one of the best ways to get kids to learn is through their stomachs, then an even more surefire method is to have them prepare the food themselves. Some children might be too young to grasp the seriousness of some Passover themes, but everyone can get behind a cake that illustrates one of the most important events in the history of the Jewish people: Moses parting the Red Sea.

With a hefty amount of frosting, a cake of your choice and a spatula, any child can create a tasty dessert depicting the moment the enslaved Jews escaped the Pharaoh’s henchmen. It’s food art with a purpose, and some older kids might even be able to help make the cake instead of just decorate it. This recipe has only a handful of ingredients, combines them all in a food processor and makes a deliciously fudgy, tender base.

Parting-of-the-Red-Sea Cake

  • About 3 cups (or more, for more dramatic waves) frosting (store-bought or homemade; see recipe below)
  • Flourless chocolate cake (I used this simple recipe)
  • Blue kosher for Passover food coloring
  • Blue or multi-colored kosher for Passover sprinkles (optional)

1. Stir a few drops of blue food coloring into the frosting. Add more until it reaches your desired hue.

2. Spoon half of the frosting onto one side of the cake, and transfer the other half to the other side, leaving a narrow alley down the middle. Using a spatula, form the frosting into dramatic waves. Sprinkle blue sprinkles over the frosting for a glistening waves effect, and multi-colored sprinkles over unfrosted cake strip to depict the ocean floor.

Cream Cheese Frosting 

Makes about 3 cups

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, cut into 8 pieces

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk together butter and confectioners’ sugar until combined. (Drape kitchen towel over top of mixer to keep counter clean.) Add vanilla, increase speed to medium-high, and add cream cheese one piece at a time until fluffy and smooth.

Chosen Eats: Passover Parting-of-the-Red-Sea Cake