FAIRY GARDEN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make, bake and cool 1 box cake mix as directed for 2 (8-inch) rounds. Make, bake and cool other box as directed for cupcakes. Reserve 3 cupcakes; save remaining cupcakes for another use. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cakes 30 minutes or until firm.
• Stir green food color into 1 container frosting to make light green. On plate, place 1 cake layer, rounded side down. Spread with 1/2 cup light green frosting. Top with second cake layer, rounded side up. Spread thin layer light green frosting over cake to seal crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze 30 minutes.
• Spread another layer light green frosting on cake; smooth with spatula. Stir green food color into 1/3 cup frosting to make dark green. Spoon into small plastic bag. Cut 1/4 inch off corner, and squeeze gently to draw grass, flower stems and bushes on cake.
• Stir blue food color into 1/3 cup frosting to make blue. Spoon into small plastic bag. Cut 1/4 inch off corner, and squeeze gently to draw pond and river on cake.
• Stir yellow food color into 3/4 cup frosting to make yellow. Remove baking cups from 2 cupcakes. Place 1 cupcake, rounded side down, on cake for fairy cottage. Spread 2 teaspoons yellow frosting on cupcake; top with another cupcake, rounded side up. Spread yellow frosting on top and sides of cupcake stack. Place 3 cookies on rounded top of cupcake, using remaining yellow frosting to stick them together. Place remaining cookies on cake as shown.
• Press 2 large gumdrops together; on sugared surface, roll gumdrops with rolling pin to flatten. Cut out large circle for roof; place on top of cottage.
• Spoon melted chocolate into small plastic bag. Cut 1/4 inch off corner; squeeze gently to draw door and windows on cottage.
• To make gumdrop mushrooms, use melted white chips to attach 3 large gumdrops to round chewy caramels. Cut chewy chocolate candy in half crosswise; use white chips to stick 1 to base of each small gumdrop. Use melted white chips to draw dots on gumdrops and roof. Place on cake.
• Decorate with candy rocks and sprinkles as shown. Spread remaining frosting on last reserved cupcake.