Spring Garden Cake

Ingredients

CAKE

• 1 (15.25- to 16.5-ounce) package chocolate cake mix
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 
• 1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, melted
• 3 large Eggs
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 ounce bittersweet baking chocolate, melted
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

FROSTING

• 1 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• Dash salt
• 1/3 cup Land O Lakes® Heavy Whipping Cream
• Green food color, as desired

FONDANT

• 1 (10-ounce) package white miniature marshmallows
• 1 tablespoon water
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
• Food color, as desired

COOKIE CRUMBS

10 (2/3 cups) chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of 2 (8-inch) square baking pans with parchment paper; spray pans with baking spray.
2. Combine all cake ingredients in bowl. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes or until batter is well mixed.
3. Divide evenly between prepared pans. Bake 22-24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.
4. Beat 1 cup butter in bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt alternately with whipping cream, beating at low speed, until well mixed. Add green food color, as desired. Beat until well mixed.
5. Place one cake upside-down on cake plate; frost top. Placed second cake right-side up on top of first cake. Crumb coat just the sides of cake; refrigerate.
6. Meanwhile, combine marshmallows and water in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High for 1 ½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Mix powdered sugar and butter into marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle work surface with powder sugar. Using buttered hands, knead fondant mixture until smooth.
7. Wrap half of fondant securely in plastic food wrap; place into plastic bag. Set aside until ready to create fence. Tint remaining fondant as desired for vegetables by kneading food color into fondant until color is even. Wrap each color in plastic food wrap; place into plastic bag until ready to use.
8. Shape fondant into desired decorations. Set aside on waxed paper-lined baking sheet.
9. Frost sides and top of cake, reserving about 1/3 cup frosting. (Top of cake can be frosted sparingly as it will be covered with cookie crumbs.)
10. Press fondant fence posts gently into freshly frosted sides of cake. Place reserved frosting into plastic sandwich bag. Snip about 1/4-inch off one of the corners; pipe frosting around top edge of cake, creating a “raised bed” to keep in the cookie crumbs. Carefully spread cookie crumbs evenly over the top of cake. Decorate with fondant veggies