Clown Cake

1 tube (18 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow or chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
6 tablespoons shortening
9 cups confectioners' sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
Red, blue, yellow and green gel or paste food coloring

On a lightly floured surface, roll out cookie dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut out with a 3-in. to 3-1/2-in. gingerbread man cookie cutter. Bake according to package directions. cool on wire racks.

Prepare and bake cake according to the package directions, using two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, in a large mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat in milk until smooth. Place 1/2 cup of frosting each in four small bowls; tint one red, one blue, one yellow and one green. Place 3/4 cup frosting in a small bowl and leave white. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and set aside.

To assemble, place one cake layer on a 10-in. round serving plate. Using some of the remaining frosting, frost top of cake. Top with second layer; frost top and sides of cake.

Using 1/2 cup of the reserved white frosting, spread a thin layer on the frost side of nine cookies; let stand until dry. (Set aside remaining cookies for another use or decorate and serve alongside). Cut a small hole in the corner of four pastry or plastic bags; insert a tip and fill each bag with a tinted frosting. Decorate frosted side of cookies with zigzag, star fill-in, ruffle garland or sotas (lace) to resemble clowns. Let stand until dry,

Gently press a clown cookie into the lower left side of top of cake. Using frosting, make three balloons. Pipe strings from balloons to the clown's hand. Pipe "Happy Birthday" on cake. Pipe a shall border around top edge. Pipe two large dots on the back of each clown with remaining white frosting. Evenly space clowns around sides of cake; gently press into cake. Makes 8-10 servings (about 2 dozen cookies).