Elephant Cake

Directions

1. 1
   Line two 9-in. round baking pans and one 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper. Prepare both cake batters and bake according to package directions, using the 9-in. pans for the yellow cake and the 13-in. x 9-in. pan for the chocolate cake. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Level cake tops if necessary.
2. 2
   Referring to
3. 3
   and using a serrated knife, cut out a trunk and two feet from one yellow cake. Referring to
4. 4
   , cut out an ear and tail from second yellow cake. (Discard leftover cake pieces or save for another use.)
5. 5
   Center chocolate cake on a 28-in. x 16-in. covered board. Referring to
6. 6
   , position trunk along left bottom edge of cake and tail on right side. Place feet at bottom corners of cake. Place ear 2 in. from left side of cake.
7. 7
   For frosting, in a large bowl, cream the shortening and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency.
8. 8
   Tint 1/4 cup of frosting black; set aside. Set aside 1/2 cup white frosting. Tint remaining frosting blue-gray, using small amounts of black and blue food coloring. Spread 2 cups of the blue-gray frosting over top and sides of cake.
9. 9
   Trace a 1-1/2-in. x 1-1/4-in. oval for the eye. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert round tip #4. Fill bag with black frosting. Outline eye and fill in pupil; pipe eyelashes and mouth. Using star tip #25 and reserved white frosting, pipe stars to fill in eye and add nostril and toes.
10. 10
    With blue-gray frosting and star tip #16, pipe stars over top and sides of elephant.