Kim Williams's CROCODILE

 2 boxes (about 18 ounces each) cake mix, any flavor
 3 cans (16 ounces each) ready-to-spread vanilla frosting
 Green paste food color
 Teeth: 12 mini-marshmallows
 Eyes: 2 large marshmallows and 2 round black "liquorice" Allsorts candies
 Nose: 2 black jelly beans
 Toenails: 20 candy corn

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan and a Huggable Teddy Bear Pan (see
diagram A and Note). Have ready a serving surface at least 27x13 inches.
2. Prepare cake mix. Divide batter between prepared cake pans and bake following
package directions. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Invert cakes on racks and
cool completely. 
3. Cut 13x9-inch cake as shown (diagram B). Arrange pieces (diagram C).
4. Frosting: Reserve 1/4 cup frosting for inside of mouth. Tint remaining frosting green
(color will deepen slightly as it stands). 
5. Use dabs of green frosting to "glue" mouth and feet onto body. Glue tail sections
together, and glue to body.
6. Using a long knife, cut out a narrow wedge of cake from front of head for the mouth.
Carefully holding mouth open, spread inside bottom with most of the plain frosting,
then insert mini-marshmallow teeth, spacing them evenly. Spread cake with remaining
green frosting, building frosting up slightly over back. Score back with a knife.
7. Glue Allsorts to marshmallow eyes with remaining plain frosting. Glue eyes to head.
Attach 2 jelly beans for nose, and gently press candy-corn toenails into feet.

* Serves 24.

NOTE The Huggable Teddy Bear Pan ($9.99, suggested retail price) is available in
cookware, craft or party-supply stores.

NOTE: Cake Tips
* If you're baking more than one pan at a time, stagger the pans so the air can circulate
around them.
* For easier cutting, bake, cool and loosely wrap cakes one day ahead.
* If you don't have a large platter or serving tray for the cake, cut a large piece of
cardboard or sheet of plastic foam to size and cover it with foil.
* To keep serving tray free of frosting, tuck 3-inch-wide strips of waxed paper under the
edges of the cake before frosting. Pull strips away when finished.
* Before frosting, brush cakes to remove loose crumbs. To keep crumbs from getting
mixed in when spreading frosting, have the spatula touch only the frosting--not the
cake itself.
* For deep colors use paste food colors (available in cake-decorating and cookware
stores). Liquid food colors are OK, but much less vibrant.