For this recipe, you'll need one half of a layer cake and one cupcake (use your favorite box mix and divide the batter accordingly). You'll also need paste food coloring, which is available at baking-supply stores.
1 cake layer (9-in. round), unfrosted
1 unfrosted cupcake
1 can (16 oz.) vanilla frosting
Blue, purple, black, red, and yellow paste food coloring
1 mini chocolate sandwich cookie (Oreo®)
3 red fruit chews (Starburst®)
4 yellow fruit chews (Starburst®)
1 red candy-coated chocolate (M&M's®)
Step 1
Place the cake layer on a wire rack set over a wax-paper-lined sheet pan. Spoon 2 tablespoons of frosting into a resealable bag. Tint 2 tablespoons of the remaining frosting yellow, 1 tablespoon black, and 1 tablespoon red. Spoon each color into a separate reesealable bag. Tint the remaining frosting dark blue using the blue and purple food coloring. (Start with a speck of each and mix until you get the dark blue you desire.) Spoon 2 tablespoons of the blue frosting into a resealable bag.
Step 2
Heat the remaining blue frosting in the microwave five to ten seconds at a time until the texture is slightly like whipped cream, stirring frequently. Pour the frosting over the cake to cover completely. Reheat the excess and pour over cake again if necessary. Let the cake stand 30 minutes to dry slightly. Transfer the cake to a serving platter.
Step 3
Trim the top of the cupcake and attach the botom portion, cut side down, at the top side of the cake to make Pablo's cap. Use a toothpick to secure it in place.
Step 4
Snip small corners from each of the bags with the frosting. Pipe blue and yellow on the cap to cover it. Pipe 1 1/2-inch white circles for the eyes. Separate the sandwich cookie and remove the cream. Place the cookie halves in the center of the eyes as the pupils. Pipe a small dot of white on top. Pipe eyebrows with the black frosting.
Step 5
Unwrap the yellow and red fruit chews. Microwave the candies for 3 to 5 seconds, just enough to soften them slightly. (It really takes just that little bit of time!) Shape the yellow candies as the beak and the red candies as the cap's propeller with your fingers. Attach the propeller to the cap with a toothpick and cover with the red candy-coated chocolate. Add the beak to the cake and pipe inside it with the red frosting to make the mouth.
