School Cake

If you don't have a serving platter cutting board (preferably colored plastic) or tray at least 16 1/2 x 11 1/2., cover a piece of sturdy cardboard, plastic-foam board or a baking sheet with foil.

2 1/2 tubs (16 oz each) vanilla frosting
About 1 cup confectioners' sugar
Green, red, yellow and blue paste (icing) or gel food colors
2 small individually wrapped Tootsie Roll candies
1 frozen family-size poundcake (16 oz)
2 frosted cream-filled chocolate rolls (such as Yodels)
1 box (1 lb, 2.25 oz) cake mix, any flavor
Purchased mini chocolate-chip cookies
You'll also need: 1 wooden skewer, 3 sturdy qt-size plastic ziptop bags, 1 drinking straw

Frosting clay: Scrape 1/4 cup frosting into a small bowl. Stir in 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, then knead until a claylike dough forms. (Roll some into a small ball. If dry and crumbly, knead in more frosting; if sticky, knead in more sugar.) Tint 1/4 cup dark green and 1/8 tsp pink. Leave remaining clay white. Wrap individually in plastic wrap until ready to use.

Plate: Roll green clay into a ball. Dust a sheet of foil with confectioners' sugar, place ball on top and press flat. Using a circular motion, gently press flattened ball into a smooth 4-in. disk. Press base of a drinking glass (about 2 in. diameter) into center of plate to create a rim. Carefully peel foiloff plate. Dry plate on a wire rack at least 6 hours or overnight.

Cow's head: Cut 1 Tootsie Roll in half. Press 1 half flat, then into a pear shape (see Cooking Lesson, below). Make ears and hair with remaining half. Use white Frosting Clay to make eyes and spots, pink clay for nose. Letters on milk carton: Cut remaining Tootsie Roll in half. Rewrap a half and reserve. Pinch pieces off remaining half; roll into thin ropes. Shape ropes into letters spelling Milk.

Cut hump off top of frozen poundcake and trim sides so they're straight.

Books: Cut a 5 1/2-in.-wide piece off one end of poundcake. Cut piece in half horizontally to make 2 books. Cut a shallow V-shaped trench 1/2 in. from long edge of each to define bindings.

School cake Continued