Cake with Buttercream Decorating Frosting

Ingredients:

    * 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

    * 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened

    * 1 cup shortening

    * 3 pounds confectioners' sugar

    * 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

    * 1/4 teaspoon salt

    * 3/4 cup milk

    * Blue, yellow and green gel, paste or liquid food coloring

Method:

   1. Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for two 9-in. layers. Cool on wire racks.

   2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and shortening. Beat in sugar, vanilla, salt and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Place 1/4 cup frosting each in three small bowls; tint one blue, one yellow and one green. Set aside 2-1/4 cups of remaining frosting for basket weave decoration and shell border. Spread remaining frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.

   3. To decorate, place reserved white frosting in pastry bag. Use medium basket weave tip to decorate sides of cake using basket weave pattern (see diagrams at right). Change to medium star tip to pipe shell border along bottom and top edges of cake.

   4. For writing, use medium round tip an blue frosting to pipe desired greeting off-center on top of cake. Use medium round tip top pipe green vines around writing. Switch to medium leaf tip to pipe green leaves along vines. Use small flower tip to pipe yellow and blue flowers along vines. Leftover frosting can be frozen for up to 3 months.