Pony Cake

Steps

• 1

  Heat oven to 350ºF (325ºF for dark or nonstick pan). Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, using water, oil and eggs. Cool 10 minutes; remove cakes from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate or freeze cakes 1 hour until firm.
• 2

  Meanwhile, in small bowl, tint 1/4 cup vanilla frosting with red food color to make pink; place in resealable food-storage plastic freezer bag. Place 1/2 cup chocolate frosting in another resealable food-storage plastic freezer bag. Cut small tip off 1 bottom corner of each bag. In medium bowl, stir together remaining vanilla frosting and chocolate frosting to make light brown frosting.
• 3

  Using serrated knife, cut off rounded portion of top of each cake to make level. Turn cakes cut sides down. <a href="/PDF/RecipeTemplates/Pony_Cake_template.pdf" target="_blank">Cut cakes as shown in template</a>. On tray, arrange cake pieces as shown in template, attaching pieces to each other and to tray with small amount of light brown frosting. To "crumb-coat" cake, spread thin layer of light brown frosting over entire cake to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes.
• 4

  Frost entire cake with light brown frosting. With pink frosting, pipe on blanket; spread with metal spatula to make smooth. With darker chocolate frosting, pipe number on blanket. Pipe on hooves; spread to make smooth. Pipe on mane and tail, leaving in long strands to look like hair. Attach mint for eye.