Electric Guitar Cake

Heat oven to 350F (325F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

Pour into pan.

Bake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes or until firm.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix chocolate frosting and black food color to make black frosting. In small bowl, mix 1/3 cup of the vanilla frosting and black food color to make gray frosting.

Place gray frosting and 2/3 cup white vanilla frosting in separate resealable plastic freezer bags; seal bags.

Cut small corner off each bag. In another medium bowl, mix remaining vanilla frosting and desired food color to make guitar color.

Using serrated knife, cut rounded top off cake to level surface; place cake cut side down on work surface.

Cut cake as shown in template (template can be found under the Tips below).

Place cake pieces on tray as directed in template, attaching to tray with small amount of frosting.

Spread thin layer of guitar frosting over top and sides of guitar body to seal in crumbs.

Spread thin layer of black frosting over top and sides of guitar neck and headstock. Refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes to set frosting.

Frost entire cake with same colors. If desired, place remaining black frosting in resealable plastic freezer bag and cut small corner off bag to pipe frosting. To extend guitar neck 1 to 2 inches onto body of guitar, pipe and fill in neck with black frosting. With white vanilla frosting, pipe and fill in contrasting design on body of guitar. On white design, pipe black rectangle about 1 inch from end of neck to create pickup. With gray frosting, pipe on frets, bridge and any additional accents as desired. For strings, add black licorice.

Add small fruit candies at ends of strings. For tuning pegs, add gumdrops. For buttons on body, add tropical fruit candies. Store loosely covered.