Tinker Bell & Terence Birthday Cake

Once I got the inspiration for Ella's birthday cake from this Fairy House Ornament craft, I was really excited to make it. Originally, I planned on making a 4-layer tower and using one of the Tinker Bell "Polly Pocket" style figurines that we already had. However, once I found a set of tiny Tinker Bell & Terence figurines at Walmart, I decided to make two shorter fairy houses. Logistically, I just figured it would be easier to serve up a 2-layer cake than a 4-layer. Since I used mini-cake pans, I ended up making 12 cupcakes to supplement. The guests got to choose if they wanted a piece of the fairy house or a "mushroom" cupcake. It took me at least an hour to decorate it, but it was totally worth it!Here's how I did it:

What you need:

• four mini-springform pans
• 12-cup muffin pan
• cupcake paper liners
• one batch of cake batter prepared to box instructions
• 1 1/2 batches of 5-Minute Buttercream Frosting, divided usage
• paste food coloring (I used green, red, and yellow)
• green sprinkles
• cocoa powder (or brown paste food coloring)
• pastry bag and tips
• cardstock for the roofs (I used the roof from this craft, enlarged it as big as it would fit on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, cut it out and taped it into a cone shape)
• graham cracker crumbs

What to do:

1. Divide the cake batter between the greased mini-pans and 12 lined cupcake tins . Bake according to package directions. Since the cakes are different sizes, start at the baking time for the cupcakes and keep checking the mini cakes with a toothpick until done. Remove from pans and cool completely.
2. Place two mini cakes on the platter, spread on some frosting, and then top with the other two mini cakes. Frost with a crumb coat and place in the fridge to harden.
3. Put a portion of frosting in a separate bowl and tint to your preferred shade of green. I overdid it and made it a bit too leafy green. I added some dark chocolate cocoa powder to muddy it up a bit. Frost the two cakes. Add some green sprinkles for texture. Place in the fridge to harden.
4. Put a small portion of frosting in a separate bowl and tint yellow. Spread a circle of yellow frosting on the front of the cakes to make the "doors." You can use a pastry bag or ziploc with the corner snipped off to make it easier. Add some sort of candy to make the doorknob. (I used a snowflake sprinkle.)
5. Add some small white "windows" to the sides of the house. Place in the fridge to harden.
6. Put a portion of frosting in a separate bowl and tint dark brown with either dark cocoa powder or brown paste food coloring. Put in a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe around the door, the windows and add some "twig" beams. Place in the fridge to harden.
7. Put a portion of frosting in a separate bowl and tint red. Frost the cupcakes with red. Place in the fridge to harden a bit. Then add some white circles on top of the red to make the cupcakes resemble mushrooms.
8. On the serving platter, coat the empty spaces with a thin coat of frosting and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Put some frosting on the bottom of the figurines and a "mushroom" and press into place. Insert a number candle into the mushroom. Top the fairy houses with the cardstock roofs.