"Guests Not Pests" Cake

Step 1: Color Fondant

Tint fondant dark blue, orange, yellow, rose, black, violet, green or other favorite colors. 

Step 2: Make Insects In Advance

Make 4 fondant wings for large butterfly and 2 fondant wings for all smaller winged insects, rolling out fondant 1/8 in. thick and using various sizes of heart cutters.  Let wings dry on cornstarch-dusted surface.

• Large Butterfly – Roll 1¾, 1½ and 1 in. fondant balls for body; position on lollipop stick. Roll small balls for antennae tips; insert onto short pieces of string licorice.
• Spotted bug - Roll 2 and 1¼ in. fondant balls for body; attach together with damp brush. Roll and flatten small balls for spots; attach to body with damp brush. Roll fondant cone for stinger.
• Small winged bugs - Roll 1 and 1¼ in. fondant balls for body; position on lollipop stick. Roll small balls for antennae tips; insert onto small pieces of string licorice.
• Inchworm - Roll fondant into ½ , ¾ , 1, 1¼ , 1¾  in. balls for body.

Step 3: Assemble Insects

Where used, insert wings and attach stinger with damp brush. Roll and flatten small balls of fondant for eyes and pupils; roll thin logs for mouths. Attach features using damp brush. Use a toothpick to poke holes in head for antennae. Position antennae in heads; secure with melted candy.  Attach lollipop sticks to back of large butterfly wings with melted candy, leaving 8¼ in. extended at bottom. Attach smaller set of wings to top with melted candy. Let dry. Attach body to center of wings with melted candy. Let all dry.

Step 4: Bake and Prepare Cake

Bake and cool a 2-layer 10-in. round cake. Stack cooled cake layers on a foil-wrapped cake board using buttercream icing as a filling; spatula ice stacked cake.

Step 5: Decorate

For grass, roll out green fondant 1/8 in. thick. Cut 1 in. strips; cut slits about 1/8 in. apart. Attach 2 layers of grass around base of cake; separate and shape blades of grass. Attach butterfly, pushing lollipop sticks into cake. Position other bugs on and around cake.