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20) Under-the-Sea Sand-Castle Cake

Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box yellow cake mix plus package ingredients; divide between two 9-inch round pans
  • 3 cups vanilla buttercream frosting divided
  • 3 cups crushed graham crackers about 12 full crackers
  • 1/2 cup brown sanding sugar
  • blue gel food coloring a few drops, as needed to tint 1/2 cup frosting blue
  • 12 gummy fish or sea animals
  • 6 paper straws for turrets
  • Optional: edible seashell candies small plastic shovel

Method
 

  1. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions, divide it between two 9-inch round pans, and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.
  2. Trim the cake tops level, stack with 1 cup frosting between the layers, and chill for 15 minutes.
  3. Apply a 1/2-cup crumb coat and chill for 10 minutes, then smooth 1 cup frosting over the cake.
  4. Mix crushed graham crackers with brown sanding sugar; press around base and sprinkle on top for "sand."
  5. Tint the remaining 1/2 cup frosting blue; pipe waves along the top edge and add blue dollops for water.
  6. Use paper straws cut to varying heights for turrets; frost around them and pack with graham "sand."
  7. Arrange gummy fish, shells, and shovel. Chill 30 minutes before serving.