Gator Cake - Easy

1. Bake a box cake mix in the Wilton Football pan.   

2. Bake another cake using regular round pans (8” or 9”), so you have 2 round layers.  Do not level - the rounded tops are good.

3. Frost the “football” with green-tinted Buttercream icing using Wilton #16 open star tip.   

4. Cut head from one round layer, position and cover with stars.  Be sure to put a layer of frosting between cake pieces when you attach them to each other.  Can just use a knife or spatula to spread some frosting between the pieces.  This holds the pieces together. 

5. Cut a tail from the other layer, position and cover with stars.   

6. Cut 4 legs/feet from left over cake, position and cover with stars. 

7. Make teeth and eyes from fondant.   (Eyes are 2 white fondant spheres, with a small nonpareil in each, as shown.)  To make teeth, roll a bit of white fondant out thin, then cut triangle shapes.  See my earlier post on Fondant.

8. Tint a bit of fondant green.  Roll 2 small pieces to make eye lids.  Roll a long "snake" for the jaw.  

9. Position jaw and add teeth.  

10. Position eyes (with eyelids) on top of head.  

11.  Add jelly beans (or use fondant) for claws on the 4 feet.