Giant Cupcake Cake

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1. NEEDED: See the Supply List for items you can purchase here, plus the meringue cookie recipe we used. Check the Techniques tab for decorating styles used. You will also need:
   • Your favorite cake recipe or mix (3-1/2 cups batter needed for cake, 1 cup batter needed for mini cupcakes)
   • Your favorite crisp rice cereal treat recipe (1 recipe needed for cake top)
   • White candy-covered chocolate pieces
   • Large white gumballs
   • White rock candy lollipops
   • 4 medium bowls
   • Wax paper
   • Vegetable non-stick spray

2. Meringue batter and icing to be tinted. Use Color Right base colors and QuickCount color formulas to tint cookie batter in the following shades:

   • Spring Orange: 1-1/2 cups batter + 3 C + 5 O + 28 Y
   • Spring Pink: 1-1/2cups batter + 1 BK + 27 P
   • Spring Purple: 1-1/2 cups batter + 2 B + 30 P
   • Reserve remaining batter white.

     Use Color Right base colors and QuickCount color formulas to tint icing in the following concentrated shades:

     • Spring Orange: 2 tablespoons white icing + 3 C + 5 O + 28 Y
     • Spring Pink: 2 tablespoons white icing + 1 BK + 27 P
     • Spring Purple: 2 tablespoons white icing + 2 B + 30 P
     • For all colors, combine 2 teaspoons colored icing to 1/2 cup white icing. Reserve remaining icing white.

     • Make meringues. Prepare a double batch of meringue cookies following recipe instructions. Divide batter equally among four bowls and tint following formulas above. Prepare three decorating bags with tip 1M. Use spatula to stripe each bag with white batter, then fill with tinted batter.

       On parchment-lined cookie sheet, pipe one large rosette with three stars in center with each color. Insert lollipop stick into side of meringue and sprinkle meringues with nonpareils. Use remaining white batter to pipe tip 2A dots and tip 1M pull-out stars. Bake and cool meringues following recipe instructions.

     • Make candy shards. Melt bright white Candy Melts candy according to package instructions. Pour candy into cookie pan. Sprinkle 1/3 candy with Sparkling Sugar, 1/3 with Pearlized Jimmies and 1/3 with Sugar Pearls. Chill until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.

       Carefully remove candy from pan; break into shards, varying in size between 4 and 7 inches tall.

     • Make giant cupcake and mini cupcakes. Bake and cool bottom half of giant cupcake and mini cupcakes. Using tip 32, pipe white icing swirls on mini cupcakes. Prepare rice cereal treat recipe. Press into top half of giant cupcake pan. Remove immediately onto wax paper-covered board sprayed with vegetable non-stick spray.

       Tip: Serve remaining mini cupcakes alongside the cake!

     • Ice the giant cupcake. Tint icing following formulas above. Prepare four decorating bags with tip 45; fill with tinted icing and white icing. With tip in the horizontal position, smooth edge facing upwards, pipe vertical lines from top to bottom on cake, alternating colors.

       Place crisp rice cereal treat top on top of cake, attaching with small amount of icing. Spatula ice smooth with white icing.

     • Decorate the cake. Position meringues in cake, trimming sticks as needed. Position candy shards in back of cupcake, using icing to support shards. Add additional white meringues, mini cupcakes and additional candies.