Caterpillar Cake

My son turned 4 and of course the cake baking had to come alive for something special! I usually ask them what they want and the hubs and I try to accommodate without having to buy a store bought cake. This year, I found this cute cake that I kind of coerced my son to want... He's pretty easy going and it all worked out! I got a lot of compliments on it, even though I am not the world's best decorator. I do think that it means a little bit more to make a homemade cake for my kids then to just run to the store so I guess I will try my best for as long as they let me! :)



Caterpillar Cake
(idea found in Parents magazine)

1 box cake mix (any flavor, but I used Funfetti)
1 16 ounce can vanilla frosting
green food coloring
yellow food coloring
1 marshmallow
2 blue m&m's
1 Golden Oreo Fun Stix (I couldn't find these at our store so I used Pirouette rolled wafers)
1/3 cup green m&m's

Grease and flour a standard Bundt pan. Prepare and bake the cake mix in the pan according to package directions. Let cool completely. Spoon 3/4 of the frosting into a medium bowl and add several drops of green food coloring. Blend well, adding a few more drops as needed to achieve the shade of green you prefer. Remove one heaping spoonful of the green frosting to another bowl and add a few extra drops of green food coloring to create a darker shade of green. Tint the remaining frosting yellow using several drops of yellow food coloring.

Cut the cake in half. Place one side on a large platter and put the other piece next to it to form an S. Using a serrated knife, trim one end of the S until slightly rounded. This will serve as the head. Ice the entire cake with green frosting. Using pastry bags or plastic bags with one corner snipped off, pipe yellow and dark green lines across the caterpillar.

Cut 2 1/2" thick rounds from the marshmallow. Put a dot of frosting on the back of 2 blue m&m's and press one into each marshmallow. Place these on the caterpillar for eyes. Break the oreo fun stix in half and push the 2 halves into the caterpillar just above the eyes. Use a dot of frosting to stick a green m&m on the end of each antenna. Line the base of the cake with green m&m's.

I made 2 of these cakes to accommodate our large family. The first one seemed a little thin on the frosting, so I would recommend buying an extra can just in case you need more. I don't like to be able to see the cake underneath when I am frosting something, but that might just be me! :)