Little Car Cakes

From BETTY CROCKER

Makes 12 servings

Know someone who loves cars? Celebrate with coupe cakes and drive your birthday party to the next level!

INGREDIENTS

1 box BETTY CROCKER Super Moist yellow cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Large tray or cardboard covered with wrapping paper and plastic food wrap or foil

2 containers BETTY CROCKER Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting

Blue, red, green and yellow food colors

Red or black string licorice

8 yellow round starlight candies

10 Oreo chocolate creme sandwich cookies

1 red or orange gumdrop

2 birthday cake candles

DIRECTIONS

1.Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms only of three 8” x 4” loaf pans, or spray bottoms with cooking spray.

2.Make cake batter as directed on cake mix box. Divide batter evenly among pans.

3.Bake 25 to 32 minutes (28 to 37 minutes for dark or nonstick pans), or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Freeze cakes uncovered about 1 hour for easier frosting.

4.Remove 1/4 cup frosting from each container; set aside. To make purple frosting, stir 8 drops blue food color and 8 drops red food color into 1 container frosting. To make bright green frosting, stir 3 drops green food color and 3 drops yellow food color into other container frosting.

5.Place 2 loaves, rounded sides down, on tray. To seal in crumbs, frost one with a thin layer of purple frosting; frost the other with a thin layer of green frosting. Cut remaining loaf crosswise in half; taper the cut edges slightly to form windshields. Place one half on each cake for cab, placing about 3 inches from front edge and with tapered windshield side toward front of car. Frost windows of cabs with a thin layer of reserved vanilla frosting; frost top and edges with a thin layer of colored frosting. Refrigerate or freeze cakes 30 to 60 minutes to set frosting. Frost entire cars with same colors.

6.Use licorice to outline windows and make bumpers. Add starlight candies for headlights and taillights; add cookies for wheels and the spares. Place gumdrop on top of 1 car for beacon and add candles for radio antennas. Store loosely covered.

TIP: Create an attractive display by covering a piece of sturdy cardboard with wrapping paper, then plastic food wrap. Stretch and secure with tape, or cover cardboard with foil or cooking parchment paper.

Find this recipe and more holiday treats at bettycrocker.com