Name: Crab birthday cake
Ingredients: CAKE; 1 x 460g packaged double unfilled sponge cake rounds; 1 x 453g tub vanilla frosting; red gel food colouring; DECORATIONS; 2 fortune cookies; 14 raspberry licorice pieces; 2 blue round lollipops; 2 pfeffernusse spice biscuits (German spice cookies), or large white round mints or marshmallows; 2 brown M&M’s; 2 tablespoons red M&M’s; 2 tablespoons red mini M&M’s

Using a store bought sponge for this crab birthday cake means there’s no baking involved, just ice the cake and decorate. It’s that simple! Minimum fuss for maximum impact.

Ingredients

CAKE

1 x 460g packaged double unfilled sponge cake rounds

1 x 453g tub vanilla frosting

red gel food colouring

DECORATIONS

2 fortune cookies

14 raspberry licorice pieces

2 blue round lollipops

2 pfeffernusse spice biscuits (German spice cookies), or large white round mints or marshmallows

2 brown M&M’s

2 tablespoons red M&M’s

2 tablespoons red mini M&M’s

Method

Secure one cake to cake board with a little frosting (you only need one cake round for this recipe; discard or keep the remaining cake round for another use). Tint remaining frosting red. Reserve 1½ cups of the frosting in a microwave-safe bowl. Spread remaining frosting over top and side of cake.

Microwave reserved frosting on HIGH (100%) for 20 seconds or until melted. Dip fortune cookies into frosting to coat. Place cookies on a wire rack over baking paper. Stand for 1 hour or until set.

Using picture as a guide, position licorice pieces around cake for legs. Position fortune cookies for claws.

Push lollipops into side of cake for eyes. Slide a spice biscuit underneath each eye. Secure brown M&M’s to eyes with a little frosting. Top cake with red M&M’s.

Tip for the red icing

We used red gel colouring for this recipe to get an intense colour. If using a liquid colour you may need to add some sifted icing (confectioners’) sugar to stop the frosting from splitting.