2 DAYS IN ADVANCE

Prepare base board. Tint 40 oz. fondant light royal blue, 2 1/2 oz. Christmas red/red- red combination (for red), 2 oz. black, a 1 in. ball orange and 1 oz. lemon yellow/golden yellow combination (for yellow). Reserve 6 oz. white.

Prepare and cover foam core board with light blue fondant.

Decorate base board. Trace Cars pan shape on parchment paper as a guide for placement of decorations on board. Use 20 in. fondant roller with orange guide rings to roll out remaining fondant 1/8 in. thick as needed. Use piping gel to attach all decorations.

For top edge of board, use knife to cut two white fondant strips, 1 and 3/8 in. wide x 19 1/2 in. long. Attach strips to board. For border design, use knife and pattern to cut 24 black chevrons. Attach over white strips, 5/8 in. apart.

Use patterns and knife to cut red, yellow, orange and white arrows. Attach. Use pattern to cut red exhaust and yellow and white flames; attach to board behind where back of cake will be positioned. Use knife and desired font pattern to cut out yellow fondant name. Attach to board.

1 DAY IN ADVANCE

Bake and cool Cars cake. Place cake on foil-wrapped cake board, cut-to-fit.

Decorate cake.Prepare buttercream icing following recipe directions. Tint portions black, Christmas red/red-red combination (for red); orange/brown combination (for orange); lemon yellow/golden yellow combination (for yellow), sky blue/black combination (for dark gray windows), royal blue and light black (for gray exhaust pipes). Reserve remaining white.

Use spatula and white icing to ice cake sides smooth. Use tip 3 and white icing to outline and pipe in windshield, headlights and smile. Pat smooth with finger dipped in cornstarch.

Use tip 3 to outline and pipe in dark gray side windows, blue small lightning bolt and red hubcaps. Pat smooth. Use tip 3 and white icing to outline ?95.? Use tip 3 and black icing to outline all other details. Use tip 16 to fill in red car body, orange ?95? and fender, and yellow lightning bolt with stars.

Use tip 16 and black icing to pipe outline tires. Use tip 5 and light gray icing to pipe in circles for exhaust pipes. Use tip 3 and blue icing to pipe dot eyes. Pat smooth. Use tip 3 and black icing to pipe dot pupils. Pat smooth. Use tip 3 and white icing to pipe dots on hood. Pat smooth.

DAY OF CELEBRATION

Position cake on prepared base board. Use tip 3 and black icing to outline letters.