Camouflage Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

• Ingredients

1 (18.25 oz) box cake mix or 1 recipe for 2 (8-inch) round layer cakes

1 (16-oz) can frosting or 2 cups of your favorite chocolate frosting

1 cup ready-to-roll white fondant icing

Powdered sugar

Green food color

Red food color

• Directions

Line muffin tins with muffin cups. Prepare batter according to directions on box. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full. Bake according to package directions. Cool cupcakes for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tins to cool completely on a wire rack.

While cupcakes cool, divide fondant equally into three pieces. Cover two pieces with plastic wrap. Knead remaining piece until soft and pliable. Add a drop of green food color to fondant. Continue to knead until color is evenly incorporated. Roll into a smooth ball and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat process with second piece of fondant, adding more green food color to make it darker than the first piece. With the last piece of fondant, use green and red food color to make it brownish-green.

When cupcakes are cool, frost tops with chocolate frosting. Lightly sprinkle a clean work surface with powdered sugar. Roll out one of the colored fondant pieces until 1/4 to 1/8" thick; do not turn over. Cut into irregular, camouflage-type shapes using a sharp paring knife. Repeat with remaining fondant pieces; sprinkling work surface with powdered sugar as needed. Place fondant "camouflage" decoratively on frosted cupcakes.

Teddy Bear Cake

Prep. Time: 1 hour (Ready in 3 hours 30 minutes)

Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients

CAKE:

1 (18.25-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury® Moist Supreme® Yellow Cake Mix

1 cup water

1/3 cup oil

3 eggs

FROSTING:

1 (16-oz.) can Pillsbury® Creamy Supreme® Vanilla Frosting
Brown, yellow and pink icing colors (not liquid food color)

DECORATIONS:

Toothpicks
Pink decorator sugar
3 round chocolate jelly candies

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 1 1/2­quart casserole, one 10­oz. custard cup and two 6­oz. custard cups.
In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients; beat at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at high speed. Pour 1/3 cup batter into each greased and floured 6­oz. custard cup, 1/2 cup batter into 10­oz. custard cup and remaining batter into 1 1/2­quart casserole.
Bake at 350°F. until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Bake cakes in custard cups for 18 to 22 minutes; bake cake in casserole for 45 to 55 minutes. Cool cakes in cups and casserole for 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire racks; cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.
In small bowl, tint 1 1/4 cups of the frosting with brown and yellow icing colors to make desired brown color for bear; blend well. Tint remaining frosting with pink icing color to make desired color for collar and hair bow; blend well.
With serrated knife, trim 1/2 inch off top of casserole cake to level; set trimmings aside. Place casserole cake, cut side down, on platter or foil­covered cardboard. Trim tops of custard cup cakes to level; set trimmings aside. Cut 1/2 inch off one side of each 6­oz. cake; set 1/2­inch pieces aside.
With small amount of brown frosting, attach trimmed 6­oz. cakes to casserole cake for bear ears, securing with toothpicks. With small amount of brown frosting, attach 10­oz. cake to top of casserole cake, setting off center, for muzzle of bear. Frost entire cake with brown frosting.
With trimmings from casserole cake, cut ruffled collar. Attach collar to bear, securing with toothpicks. For hair bow, use any remaining trimmings and attach to bear with toothpicks. Frost collar and bow with pink frosting. Sprinkle with pink sugar.
Place 2 chocolate candies on bear for eyes. Cut remaining chocolate candy and place on cake for nose and eyebrows as shown in photo. Remove toothpicks before serving.
HIGH ALTITUDE (ABOVE 3500 FEET): Add 1/3 cup flour to dry cake mix; increase water to 1 1/4 cups. Bake as directed above.