Recipe - Christmas Tree Cakes

1 pack Yellow cake mix, 18.25 oz
1 tablespoon Grated orange peel
1 cup Softened butter
1 One half pack Softened cream cheese, 8 oz
1 One half teaspoon Vanilla
1 One half pack Confectioners' sugar, 16 oz
Green food coloring
Assorted decorations: small
Candies,
Colored sugars, assorted
Sprinkles, nonpareils, small
Caramel rolls,
Licorice sticks (cut in 1
One half in. pieces)

Heat oven to 350. Grease 15 1/2* 10 1/2* 1" jelly roll pan; line with waxed
paper; grease paper. Prepare cake mix according to pack directions for
"lite" recipe, beating in orange peel. Pour batter into pan; bake 20
minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool cake in pan at least 15
minutes. Invert onto board covered with waxed paper; lift off pan; peel
away paper from bottom of cake. Cool completely. While cake cools, from
lightweight cardboard, cut triangle pattern in one or more of the following
sizes: 4" base, 5 1/2" sides; 3" base, 4" sides; 2 1/2" base, 3 1/2" sides;
2 1/4" base, 2 3/4" sides. Using cardboard patterns, cut triangles of cake,
turning & fitting patterns, as necessary, to use all of cake. Take care to
remove waxed paper from under cake. In large bowl with mixer at medium
speed, beat butter, cream cheese & vanilla until light & fluffy. Gradually
beat in confectioners' sugar; beat 57 minutes until thoroughly blended &
smooth. Remove half of frosting & stir in green food coloring to desired
shade. Using flexible metal spatula, spread frosting over top & sides of
cake triangle, smoothing it on or swirling gently to resemble tree
branches. Decorate cakes as desired with candies, colored sugars, assorted
sprinkles & nonpareils. Using tip of small knife, gently hollow out small
area in center of bottom edge of each tree; insert caramel roll or licorice
sticks for trunks.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini