Sunflower Cake

1. Prepare, bake, and cool cake as directed for two 8x1/2-inch or 9x1 1/2-inch round cake pans. Using a serrated knife, cut one of the cake layers into six or eight wedges. Trim the rounded side of each wedge to make a triangle. Place the second cake layer on a large, flat serving platter. Arrange wedges, pointed tips out, around cake layer.

2. Meanwhile, prepare frosting. Tint two-thirds of the frosting using orange paste food coloring. Spread tops and sides of round cake and cake triangles with orange frosting for the flower center and outer petals. Tint remaining frosting yellow. Separate 8 or 9 ladyfingers. Frost ladyfinger halves with yellow frosting; sprinkle with yellow nonpareils or other sprinkles. Arrange ladyfinger halves around center of flower for inner petals.

3. Sprinkle center of flower with miniature semisweet chocolate pieces of chocolate-flavor sprinkles to resemble sunflower seeds. To create a flower stem, on a surface sprinkled with granulated sugar, use your hands to roll a large green gumdrop into a rope. Flatten and cut additional large green gumdrops into leaf shapes; tuck stem under flower and press leaves onto stem. For bees, use your hands to shape yellow gumdrops into oblong shapes. Insert sliced almonds into gumdrops for wings. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip with chocolate or black tinted frosting. Pipe stripes onto bees; arrange bees on flower.

Yellow Cake

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 9x1-1/2-inch or 8x1-1/2-inch round cake pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan(s) aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter in the prepared pan(s).

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes for 9-inch pans, 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch pans, 25 to 30 minutes for 13x9x2-inch pan, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center(s) comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans; cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or place the 13x9x2-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired frosting.

Creamy White Frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening, vanilla, and almond extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add about half of the powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the milk. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar and enough of the remaining milk to reach spreading consistency.