Really Really Cute

I have a problem. I have a problem with cute things. I really really like cute things! And really, who doesn't!? But I have the bad habit of thinking "oh, I can do that" or "that would be so easy" and a lot of times I think "I can do it myself and save some money". WRONG, WRONG, and WRONG!  Rarely, can I do a project without a few choice words thrown out in the middle of it, rarely does it actually turn out easy, and never do I save money doing it myself.

And, then I get to thinking, why on earth do I do this to myself! I mean, can't I just think something is cute without having to try and recreate it myself. I mean its not like I take the credit. I am always the first to admit, that I really am not creative, but I am AWESOME at Googling [for ideas]! :) And do any of my children really care if they have a cute cake or cute treat to hand out to their friends. They might have some fleeting thought that "hey, this is kinda cool" before licking all the icing off to eat and cramming the rest of it in their little mouths. Gasp...those were made to be oooh and ahhhed over not eaten!! :) Are ya with me!!??

Anyhow, you may know where this post is headed but if not, I have been making some really really cute Halloween things the past few days.   Landon's school was having a bake sale and asked every 2nd grade family to make a cake.  I went about trying to find a recipe and stumbled across this really really cute Halloween cake.  Not only was it really really cute but it looked pretty easy.  And as easy as it was, it took took me ALL day long to make. Because once I ran to the grocery for all of these ingredients...




I came home to realize I was a couple of eggs short for the cake batter. So don't forget about these staples either....



and you'll defintely need some of this...



Publix didn't have any licorice. So in hopes of saving some time (ha!) I decided I do everything but the licorice part and would  go find that on the way to church that night. Well, let me tell you, that turned out to be a nightmare. Because none of the stops on the way to church had black licorice. So that ended up requiring a trip to Wal-Mart after church and after the kids went to bed! Whew!  Luckily the cake turned out really really cute even if it was 10 hours after starting it.



So, here is the easy recipe along with some of my notes to make it easier.

INGREDIENTS

Box of cake of your choice (and all the ingredients it will require, usually 3 eggs and vegetable oil)
1 cans of chocolate frosting
1 can of vanilla frosting
red food coloring
4 ziploc bags (whatever size you have on hand will work)
chocolate sprinkles (big tub found at Publix)
black licorice (found at Wal-Mart)

*Bake (2) 9inch cakes according to box directions, let cool.

*Ice the cake with chocolate icing

*Sprinkle top of cake with chocolate sprinkles until covered

*Make 2 circles with vanilla icing for eyes and top with 2 brown m&m's or make 2 circles on top of the white circles with chocolate icing

*Make a smaller circle with red icing for nose

*place 8 peices of licorice (4 on each side) on cake for legs

{Note - You can make these as cupcakes with the skinny strings of black licorice but good luck finding that!! :)}

And there ya have it. A really really cute spider cake!