How to Build a Dragon out of Cake

You will need:     
* ring shaped cake mold
* marshmallows - big and small
* summer coating triangles (candy)
* 12"x18" sheet cake pan for the base
* five boxes of cake mix
* about eight containers of butter cream toothpicks
* frosting
* food coloring
* cake tube #s 8, 6, 13, 83, 353, 17, 12

Start with a cake baked in a ring mold and a 12"x18" sheet cake. Measuring on outer curve of ring cake, cut off 7" and a 2" piece. Set cake on the 12"x18" cake base and reconstruct by reversing the curve of the 7" piece and place in position for head and front of body. Taper the front as pictured. Reverse the curve of the 2" piece and place for tail, slicing to taper as shown. Lightly outline cake and cut out base on outlines. Re-assemble cake pieces on prepared base, joining with butter cream.

Use three marshmallows to form each sprawling leg, more build up the spine and make the lashing tail. Form open jaws with four large marshmallows, shape eyes and bumps on nose with small marshmallows.

Cover the dragon with butter cream. Round out form with tube 8 and smooth. Pipe lines around jaws, eyes and nostrils with tube 6. Spatula-stripe a cone with deep green icing and fill with lighter green. Cover the face with tube 13 stars and pull out scales on the body and legs with tube 83.

Ice the sheet cake, place on cake board and run a tube 6 line around base. On top of line, pipe specialty tube 353 bamboo border. Hold his crescent shaped tube at a 45* angle. curve side up/ Run along with even pressure, pausing at intervals to let icing build up and form bamboo joints. Pipe the same boarder at the top edge.

Set Dragon, on its base, on the sheet cake. Complete the trim with royal icing. Pull out tongue, ends of tail and fire-y halo with tube 17. Pipe tube 12 toes, then tube 6 claws and teeth. Whiskers extending from mouth are piped with tube 6, dried, then attached. Glaze eyes with corn syrup.