Royal Princess Crown Cake

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Make and bake cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Place cake in freezer 30 minutes before cutting to reduce crumbs.

In large bowl, mix frosting with 7 drops pink food color and 3 drops purple food color. Reserve 1/4 cup of the frosting in small bowl.

Place cake top side up on tray or cardboard. Place crown template on cake. (See link below for template.) Using serrated knife, cut crown shape from cake.

Frost with thin layer of frosting to seal in crumbs. Freeze about 30 minutes to set frosting. Frost entire cake with remaining frosting.

Place pink ball-shaped candies in horizontal row 1 inch from base of crown. Sprinkle some of the rock candy in the inch between ball-shaped candies and base of crown. Place remaining rock candy on points of crown. Sprinkle cake with pink decorator sugar crystals.

Add 4 or 5 more drops purple food color to reserved 1/4 cup frosting. Place frosting in resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut off small corner of bag. Pipe frosting to make desired number on cake. Store loosely covered at room temperature.