Monkey Shines! Cake

Step 1

In advance: Mold monkey candy plaque, candy monkey faces, name and balloons.

Step 2

Tint 5 oz. yellow for hat; 4 oz. each pink, violet and green for balloons; 1 oz. blue for small hats; enough orange to make letters of name. After unmolding monkey candy plaque, lay hat pattern on board and cover with waxed paper. Position candy plaque on paper then outline and pipe in hat with melted candy.

Step 3

Use letters and largest circle cutter from 101 Cookie Cutters Set to mold name and 3 balloons. Place cutters on non-stick cookie sheet; fill 1/4 in. deep with melted candy. Refrigerate until firm; unmold.

Step 4

Using Candy Melting Plate cavities, mold 12 small monkey faces. Refrigerate until firm; unmold. Place on waxed paper-covered board. Pipe ears and hat using melted candy in cut parchment bags. Let set.

Step 5

Also: Attach lollipop sticks to back of balloons and letters using melted candy. And: Glue 6 legs onto bottom of 16 in. plate.

Step 6

Prepare 2-layer round cake for Center Column Construction. Ice smooth; position on 16 in. plate. Insert plastic dowel rods in cake where candy plaque will rest.

Step 7

Pipe details using buttercream icing. Use tip 6 to pipe highlights on balloons, top and bottom bead borders and pull-out dot fringe on hat brim and top. Attach confetti from Flowerful Medley assortment to hat. Divide cake into 12ths.

Step 8

Attach monkey heads to cake sides with icing. Pipe tip 12 bodies (pat smooth with finger dipped in cornstarch). Use tip 3 to pipe muzzle, ears and belly (pat smooth), arms, fingers, legs, feet and tail. Use tip 1 to pipe facial features and hat fringe. Attach confetti to cake sides.

Step 9

Assemble candy pieces using melted candy. Attach monkey plaque to center columns; hold until set. Attach balloons to back of monkey. Attach 18 in. lengths of ribbon from back of balloons to hand. Insert letters.

Combine Brown with Red-Red and a little Black for brown icing shown.