From JOANN

Makes about 12 servings

Let the party begin with this fun and fabulous Circus Birthday Cake!

YOU’LL NEED

12″ disposable decorating bags

Round Decorating Tip 1A

Star Decorating Tip 1M

Royal Blue Icing Color

5-pc. Decorating Brush Set

Pink Icing Color

Parchment paper

Bright White CANDY MELTS Candy (4 oz.)

Animal crackers cookies (5)

13 1/4″ x 9 1/4″ RECIPE RIGHT Cookie Pan

Cooling Grid

Rainbow Nonpareils

Pearl COLOR MIST Food Color Spray

Circus peanuts candy (10)

Knife

Pink COLOR MIST Food Color Spray

Favorite cake recipe or mix (6-3/4 cups batter)

6″ x 2″ Round Pan (3)

Buttercream Recipe (5 cups) (Link to recipe online)

Ivory Icing Color

11″ straight or 13″ angled spatula

Store-bought birthday banner for cake topper (or create your own)

Scissors

String or twine

Tape

11 3/4″ lollipop sticks (2)

Marshmallow ice cream cone candy

Popcorn

Cotton candy

DIRECTIONS

1.MAKE MERINGUES: Prepare meringue cookies following recipe directions. Fit disposable decorating bag with tip 1A, then use decorating brush to stripe inside of bag with Royal Blue icing color. Pipe pull-out dot meringues on parchment-lined cookie pan. Tint 1/2 cup remaining meringue batter pink with Pink icing color. Fit second decorating bag with tip 1M, pipe star meringues onto cookie pan. Bake and cool following recipe directions.

2.While meringues bake, decorate animal crackers and circus peanuts. Melt 4 oz. Bright White Candy Melts candy according to package directions. Put animal crackers on cooling grid place over parchment-covered cookie pan; cover with melted candy. Sprinkle with nonpareils. Chill to firm, 10 to 15 minutes. Spray with pearl Color Mist food color spray.

3.Cut 10 circus peanuts in half lengthwise. Keep the patterned tops, discard bottoms. Spray five with pearl Color Mist food color spray, and five with pink Color Mist food color spray. Let dry 5 minutes. Spray all 10 with pearl Color Mist.

4.BAKE CAKE: Bake and cool three 2″ cake layers. Level all cakes.

5.Make buttercream icing following recipe directions. Using Ivory icing color, tint icing. Fill and stack layers for a 6-inch high cake. Ice cake smooth.

6.CREATE BANNER: Print out pattern. Cut out letters and fold along top line. Place string under fold and tape flap down to secure letters on string.

7.DECORATE CAKE: Insert two lollipop sticks in top of cake and tie on banner. Using one cup of icing, create a mound in center of cake and arrange marshmallow ice cream cone, circus peanuts, popcorn, animal crackers, cotton candy, and meringues on top of and around the bottom of cake.

TIP: Cake pictured uses two teal striped meringue cookies and three pink meringue cookies. Serve remaining cookies at the birthday party alongside the cake!

Find this recipe and more holiday treats at joann.com