Purr-fect friend

1.Preheat oven to 180&degC. Grease 26cm x 36cm baking dish, line base with baking paper. Using three packets, prepare cake mix according to directions; pour into prepared dish.

2.Bake about 1 hour. Stand cake in dish for 5 minutes; turn onto wire rack to cool.

3.Using picture as a guide, cut out cat shape. Place cake on 35cm x 45cm rectangular prepared board. Mark out head and tail with toothpick or skewer.

4.Cut one marshmallow into four pieces; position on face for cheeks, chin and nose. Place one marshmallow on each paw.

5.To make butter cream, beat butter until white as possible, gradually beat in half the sifted icing sugar then milk, then remaining icing sugar. Beat until smooth.

6.Reserve one-quarter of the butter cream. Tint remaining butter cream grey with black colouring.

7.Spread body with grey butter cream. Spread head marking, eyes, chest and stripe with white butter cream.

8.Dot tail with grey butter cream to make stripes. Using fork, blend butter cream on back and tail stripes; fluff butter cream with a fork to resemble fur.

9.Cut one licorice strap into thin stirps; outline body, tail, head, ears, eyes and paws with licorice. Pipe nose with pink decorating gel. Pipe mouth with black gel. Cut remaining licorice into six 3cm strips; attach for whiskers.

10.Press M&M’s into butter cream for eyes; mark pupils with black decorating gel. Cut white chocolate melts into quarters, use three pieces for claws on each paw. Roll the licorice rope into a “ball of yarn”, and stick two skewer or chopsticks into it.