1 DAY IN ADVANCE

Tint fondant. Use icing colors to tint white fondant as follows: 1 1/2 oz. copper, a 1 in.?ball royal blue, a 1 in. ball brown, a 3/4 in. ball Christmas red/red-red combination (for red), a 3/4 in. ball orange, 2 oz. golden yellow/brown combination (for yellow), 17 oz. moss green/ brown combination (for green), 2 oz. black. Reserve 1 oz. white.

Make scarecrow. Knead 1/8 teaspoon Gum-Tex into copper fondant. Use 9 in. fondant roller with purple guide rings to roll out 1/8 in. thick. Use second largest (3 7/8 in. x 4 in.) cutter from 4-pc. gingerbread boys nesting metal set to cut scarecrow shape.

For clothes, use 9 in. fondant roller with pink guide rings to roll out blue, white, black and brown fondant 1/16 in. thick. Use same gingerbread cutter to cut blue pants, white shirt and black shoes. For hat, use knife to cut freehand half-oval shape; slightly fold up at bottom. Use damp brush to attach clothes and trims, unless otherwise noted.

For hat band, roll out red 1/16 in. thick. Use knife to cut hat band, 3/16 in. wide x 1 3/4 in. long. Trim to fit and attach. Use red FoodWriter edible color marker to draw squares, 1/8 in. x 1/8 in., on shirt in a checkerboard pattern. Leave 1/8 in. between each square going across shirt.

Make facial features. For nose, roll out orange fondant 1/16 in. thick. Use knife to cut small triangle, 1/4 in. wide x 5/16 in. high; attach. For eyes, roll out black fondant 1/16 in. thick. Use narrow end of tip 8 to cut circles; attach. For mouth, roll a black log, 1/16 in. dia. x 5/16 in. long; attach.

Make straw. Roll out yellow fondant 1/16 in. thick. Use knife to cut five strips as follows: For shirt, cut two 3/4 in. wide x 1/2 in. long. For pants, cut two 1 1/2 in. wide x 1/2 in. long. For hat, cut one 2 in. wide x 1/2 in. long. Cut slits in strips, 1/16 in. wide x 1/4 in. to 5/8 in. deep. Insert straw strips under scarecrow clothes; trim to fit.

Melt white Candy Melts candy according to package directions. Use melted white candy in cut parchment bag to attach lollipop stick to back of scarecrow, leaving 3 in. extended at bottom. Chill until firm 3 to 5 minutes.

Make crows. Use nature fondant and gum paste mold and black fondant to make one flying bird for scarecrow and each cupcake. Attach crow to scarecrow.

Make cornstalks and corn. For cornstalks, roll a green log, 3/8 in. dia. Cut into 4 1/2 in. lengths. Cut slits in stalks for leaves with scissors. Use cone tool from 10-pc. gum paste/ fondant tool set to thin and shape leaves. You will need 34 stalks.

For ears of corn, roll a yellow log, 1/4 in. dia. Cut into 1 1/4 in. lengths. You will need 68 ears, two for each cornstalk. Shape into ears, tapering ends. Attach one ear to each stalk, positioning on one of the shaped leaves. For wrapped leaves around remaining ears, roll out green fondant 1/16 in. thick. Use smallest Cut-Out to cut three leaves for each remaining ear. Attach leaves to ears and ears to stalk with damp brush.

Bake and cool classic ring mold cake, two standard cupcakes without baking cups and desired number of mini cupcakes. Prepare buttercream icing following recipe directions. Tint golden yellow/brown combination (for light brown). Use spatula to ice cake, cupcakes and mini cupcakes smooth.

On cake, use tip 5 to pipe bead bottom border. Position one crow on each mini cupcake.

DAY OF CELEBRATION

Assemble cake. Use tip 5 dots of icing to attach cornstalks to sides. Insert standard cupcakes in center of cake. Insert scarecrow topper in center. Position mini cupcakes around cake.