Holiday Gingerbread Cookie Cake

Steps

• 1

  Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray bottoms and sides of two 8-inch round cake pans.
• 2

  In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs, ginger and cinnamon with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly between pans (2 cups each pan). Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• 3

  Decorate 14 cookies with white and red cookie icing.
• 4

  Place one cake layer top side down on serving plate. Spread about 1/2 cup frosting on layer; top with second cake layer, top side up. Using metal spatula, frost side and top of cake with thin layer of frosting to make a crumb coat; refrigerate 30 minutes to help set. Remove from refrigerator; frost side and top of cake with second layer of frosting.
• 5

  Using photo as a guide, decorate top of cake with shaved almond bark and sides and top of cake with cookies.