It's back-to-school time again, so why not celebrate your kid's return to academia with a delicious school-themed dessert. From a crossword-inspired cake to cupcakes that show your child's school spirit, these sweets are sure to make your son or daughter the most popular in class.
2 cans (16 oz each) white or vanilla frosting
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Gel food color (yellow, red)
1 can (16 oz) chocolate fudge frosting
24 (2 1/2-in.) cupcakes, baked in colored paper liners
1 box (4.86 oz) each Stella D'oro Mini Breakfast Treats, original and chocolate
M&M's Chocolate Mini Baking Bits
Pink large decorating confetti
24 pink chocolate-covered sunflower seeds
1. Tint 1 cup white frosting pink. Stir remaining 1/2 cup white frosting with 1/2 cup chocolate frosting for tan. Tint 1 cup white frosting yellow. Spoon yellow frosting, 1/2 cup white frosting and 1/2 cup chocolate frosting into separate quart-size ziptop freezer bags.
2. Frost cupcakes with remaining pink, tan and chocolate frostings. Using a serrated knife, cut mini–breakfast treats in half (use a sawing motion) for boys; leave whole for girls.
3. Snip off tiny corner of each ziptop bag. Pipe yellow on the original breakfast treats, chocolate on chocolate treats. Place on cupcakes as shown for hair. Place baking bits for eyes. With chocolate frosting, pipe mouths, eyelashes for girls and eyebrows for boys. Place pink decorating confetti for cheeks, pink sunflower seeds for noses. Pipe white onto baking bits for eyes.
2 cans (16 oz each) white or vanilla frosting
Gel food color (red, blue)
1 1/2 pkg (12.5 oz each) chocolate-covered graham crackers (we used Keebler)
Wilton Make-Any-Message Letter Press (optional)
1 baked 15 x 10-in. cake
1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or foil. Spoon 1/2 cup frosting into each of 4 microwave-safe bowls; tint one red, one blue and one pink (leave one white).
2. Microwave white frosting 5 to 10 seconds at a time until just pourable. Spoon some white frosting over chocolate-covered grahams, spreading just up to edge. (We did 13 as shown; you can spell whatever you'd like.) Place on tray to set. Repeat with blue and pink frosting (make 6 or 7 grahams of each color).
3. When white frosted grahams are set, gently press letters on top, if using. Spoon red frosting into a quart-size ziptop freezer bag, snip off tiny corner of bag and pipe over imprint. Squeeze remaining red frosting back into microwave-safe bowl, microwave and frost 4 grahams as shown above; let set.
4. Place cake on serving tray; frost with remaining white frosting. Arrange grahams as shown or as desired.
Place decorations on top of frosted cupcakes dipped in sprinkles.
Ruler: Place Hershey's Milk Chocolate Fun Size Bars on wire rack. Spoon 1 cup white frosting into a glass bowl; tint yellow. Microwave 5 to 10 seconds or until just pourable. Spoon over chocolate bars to cover; let set. Spoon 1/2 cup chocolate frosting into ziptop freezer bag; snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe ruler markings onto each coated bar.
Book: Roll 1 rounded tsp white Frosting Dough into a ball. Unwrap an AirHead candy. Fold in half with ball in center; press slightly. Cut off excess from 3 edges. Slightly open to form book.
Pencil: Cut Oreo Cookie Sticks into 1 1/2-in. pieces. Place on wire rack. Spoon 3/4 cup white frosting into small glass bowl; tint orange-yellow. Spoon 1/2 cup white frosting into another small glass bowl; tint pink. Roll 1 tsp white Frosting Dough into a ball; cut into a triangle for a pencil tip. Microwave pink frosting 5 to 10 seconds or until just pourable. Dip one end of each cookie stick into pink frosting; place on rack. Microwave yellow frosting as above; spoon over remaining part of cookie stick. Place 1 white pencil tip onto end of cookie; let set. Spoon 1/2 cup chocolate frosting into ziptop freezer bag; snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe lines where pink meets yellow and on tip of point.
1 baked 13 x 9-in. cake
2 cans (16 oz each) white or vanilla frosting
Gel food color (green, yellow, red)
1 can (16 oz) chocolate fudge frosting
½ recipe Frosting Dough
1. Place cake, bottom side up, on wire rack on wax paper. Spoon a can of white frosting into a 2-cup glass measure; tint green. Microwave 5 to 10 seconds at a time until just pourable. Pour frosting over cake to cover top completely (no need to cover sides). Let stand 30 minutes.
2. Spoon 1/2 cup white frosting into a quart-size ziptop freezer bag; snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe four solid lines lengthwise across cake, about 2 in. apart. Pipe dotted lines between solid lines. Tint 1 cup white frosting yellow, spoon into ziptop bag and snip off slightly larger corner of bag. Pipe desired message between the solid white lines.
3. Spoon chocolate frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large (1-in.) basketweave tip. Place cake on serving platter. Pipe chocolate frosting on side and top outer edge.
4. Tint 1/4 cup Frosting Dough red, 1 tsp green. Roll red dough until scant 1/4 in. thick. Cut out a 3-in. apple shape; place on cake. Shape green dough into a leaf; place on apple.
1 1/2 cans (16 oz) white or vanilla frosting
24 miniature chocolate-covered grahams (we used Keebler Right Bites 100 Calorie packs)
1 recipe Frosting Dough (see below)
Gel food color (red, green, brown)
24 (2 2/1-in.) cupcakes, baked in green paper liners
1. Spoon 1/2 cup white frosting into a quart-size ziptop freezer bag; snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe "A+" on each graham; let set.
2. Tint 1/2 cup Frosting Dough red. Roll 1 tsp into an apple shape; stand upright on baking sheet. With toothpick, make hole on top for leaf and stem; repeat to make 24. Tint 1 Tbsp dough green, 1 Tbsp brown. Pinch off small amounts of green dough to make leaves. Roll brown into long strips; cut into stems and insert into apples.
3. Tint remaining frosting green; frost cupcakes. Top each cupcake with an apple and an "A+".
24 (2 1/2-in.) cupcakes, baked in paper liners
1 can (16 oz) white or vanilla frosting
Gel food color
1. Divide frosting into two glass bowls; tint desired colors. Microwave 5 to 10 seconds at a time until pourable.
2. Spoon lighter color onto half of cupcake first, then darker color. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. (You'll need to reheat frosting occasionally.)
