> Help me! Every time I've made a cake, it's come out dry. I need to make
> this the highlight of the evening. Please. Please. I've got to do this
> right.

This sounds like an excellent gift. But I would probably have chosen to tell
her that she has some great ideas and you will try to use as many of them as
you can in making the cake, but it won't be exactly what she is asking for
because you may not have the supplies. A great trick for enhancing a boxed
cake mix is to add the pudding like everyone else has already said. I would
think a simple buttercream frosting would be easiest, or go with creamcheese
for a little different flavor. Either use the frosting for the filling
between layers or use a fruity filling, strawberry jam, raspberry preserves,
maybe a white chocolate frosting with pink tint would be more up her alley
if she loves chocolate.

How about a 9X13 for the base and two 8" or 9" rounds offset to one side of
the 9X13 so you can write on the 9X13 just beside the stacked rounds.

If you want something a little fancier for the top of the rounds, make
another smaller cake in a 6" diameter pyrex bowl. The cake baked in the bowl
will give a dome effect on top of the two rounds. Adds effect without
costing anything for tools or decorations.

And if she wants ribbons and bows, how about bulk ribbon from Michael's or
JoAnne's. Buy the picot ribbon that has the little loops along the edge. You
can usually catch it for less than a dollar for 10 yards, and often on sale
2 for a dollar. It will cut down on expense for bags, tips, icing, and still
be perfectly suitable for a birthday party. Might want to do something
glittery in the piping along the edges of the cake and for the words. the
"glittery" sugar crystals are really cheap and can be used alone or stirred
into frosting. You can add silk or fresh flowers to the cake, or beads
(mardi gras beads are everywhere on clearance right now in the party and
decorating store). If she loves that teenage princess thing, a 99cent tiara
and strings of beads and ribbon would be just the ticket.

Man that got long. Cakes are one of those things I love to do. Hope you have
fun.

Cindi

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> kili
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