Fairy Garden Cake

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make, bake and cool 1 box cake mix as directed for 2 (8-inch) rounds. Make, bake and cool other box as directed for cupcakes. Reserve 3 cupcakes; save remaining cupcakes for another use. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cakes 30 minutes or until firm.

Stir green food color into 1 container frosting to make light green. On plate, place 1 cake layer, rounded side down. Spread with 1/2 cup light green frosting. Top with second cake layer, rounded side up. Spread thin layer light green frosting over cake to seal crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze 30 minutes.

Spread another layer light green frosting on cake; smooth with spatula. Stir green food color into 1/3 cup frosting to make dark green. Spoon into small plastic bag. Cut 1/4 inch off corner, and squeeze gently to draw grass, flower stems and bushes on cake.

Stir blue food color into 1/3 cup frosting to make blue. Spoon into small plastic bag. Cut 1/4 inch off corner, and squeeze gently to draw pond and river on cake.

Stir yellow food color into 3/4 cup frosting to make yellow. Remove baking cups from 2 cupcakes. Place 1 cupcake, rounded side down, on cake for fairy cottage. Spread 2 teaspoons yellow frosting on cupcake; top with another cupcake, rounded side up. Spread yellow frosting on top and sides of cupcake stack. Place 3 cookies on rounded top of cupcake, using remaining yellow frosting to stick them together. Place remaining cookies on cake as shown.

Press 2 large gumdrops together; on sugared surface, roll gumdrops with rolling pin to flatten. Cut out large circle for roof; place on top of cottage.

Spoon melted chocolate into small plastic bag. Cut 1/4 inch off corner; squeeze gently to draw door and windows on cottage.

To make gumdrop mushrooms, use melted white chips to attach 3 large gumdrops to round chewy caramels. Cut chewy chocolate candy in half crosswise; use white chips to stick 1 to base of each small gumdrop. Use melted white chips to draw dots on gumdrops and roof. Place on cake.

Decorate with candy rocks and sprinkles as shown. Spread remaining frosting on last reserved cupcake.