Ingredients
1
box (15.25 oz) Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Devil's Food Cake Mix (or your favorite flavor)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
Tray or cardboard (16x10 inches), covered with wrapping paper and plastic food wrap or foil
1 1/2
containers Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy or Whipped vanilla frosting
1/2
cup flaked coconut
8
chocolate wafer cookies, about 2 inches in diameter
1
large marshmallow
2
chocolate-covered candies
1
small black or red gumdrop
Black shoestring licorice
1/3
cup flaked coconut
1
teaspoon unsweetened baking cocoa
Preparation
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms only of one 8-inch round pan and one 9-inch round pan. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour into pans.
Bake and cool as directed on box. Cut 9-inch round as shown in diagram; arrange pieces on tray to make panda. (See link below for diagram.)
Frost cake, attaching pieces with small amount of frosting. Sprinkle body with 1/2 cup flaked coconut, pressing gently to stick. Press 2 cookies into top of head at 45-degree angle for ears. Place 2 cookies for background of eyes and 4 on body for paws, placing bottom 2 cookies at 45-degree angle on bottom edge of cake.
Cut marshmallow crosswise in half; place each half on a cookie for eyes. Place chocolate candies on marshmallow halves for pupils; fasten with small dab of frosting if necessary. Use small gumdrop for nose and shoestring licorice for mouth and outline of legs. Toss 1/3 cup coconut and the cocoa; carefully sprinkle within outlines of legs and on bottom portion of body. Store loosely covered.
