Snow Globe Cake

Instructions

1. Place a dollop of frosting in the center of your cake board. Place one cake layer, cut-side up, on top of the frosting.
2. Take about ¾ of your vanilla frosting, and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add two or three drops of sky blue food dye. Whisk well, until evenly distributed.
3. Place about ¼ cup of frosting on the cake layer and smooth it with an offset spatula. Place your second cake layer, cut-side down, on top of the frosting.
4. Coat the entire cake in a thin layer of icing (called a "crumb coat"). Chill the cake for 15 minutes.
5. Once chilled, coat the cake in a thicker layer of frosting. Smooth it out with an offset spatula. Set the cake aside.
6. Break off a walnut-sized ball of white fondant. Then break off two more, each one just slightly larger than the last. Roll each into a round ball with your hands.
7. Use the paintbrush to add a few dabs of water on the tops of the larger two balls. Stack the balls together to form the snowman. Set aside.
8. Sprinkle a little cornstarch on a clean, smooth surface. Pinch off a piece of red fondant, and roll it out into a long, thin rectangle. Use the craft knife to cut out a scarf for the snowman. Use the craft knife to cut little slits on each end for the scarf fringe.
9. Use more dabs of water to attach the scarf to the snowman.
10. Pinch off a tiny piece of orange fondant. Roll into a small tube, then pinch one end to make a carrot shape. Use a dab of water to attach it to the snowman's face.
11. Pinch off two very small bits of black fondant and roll into circles to make eyes (attach with water). Alternatively, use a black edible marker to draw on the eyes. Set the snowman aside.
12. Compare how tall your sugar ice cream cone is with how tall your bubble bowl is. If your sugar cone is just about as tall as, or taller than, your bubble bowl, carefully saw off enough from the open end to make it fit under the bowl.
13. Take your remaining vanilla frosting. Add a few drops of forest green food dye and mix until evenly distributed.
14. Fit the larger portion of the coupler inside your decorating bag. Snip off the tip of the bag where the collar of the coupler is. Fit your small open-star decorating tip on top of the coupler, and screw on the ring. Fill your bag halfway with the green icing.
15. Set a piece of wax or parchment paper on a plate. Set down your sugar cone. Pipe stars all over the cone. Set in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes. Bring it out, and press the red bead sprinkles into the frosting, and place the star sprinkle on top. Set back in the refrigerator to harden some more.
16. Sprinkle some cornstarch on a clean, flat surface. Roll out the remaining white fondant into a square about 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Use the craft knife to cut a wavy edge all the way around.
17. Lay the white fondant over the top of the cake, draping the edges over the sides to resemble snow.
18. Place your snowman and tree in the center of your cake. Use a small fine mesh sieve to dust sugar over top of the tree.
19. Place the bubble bowl on top of the cake.