Tropical Fish Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Line three 1 3/4-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. Set aside. Prepare batter for Yellow Cake as directed. Remove 1/4 cup of the batter and divide evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Pour the remaining batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Bake 13x9-inch cake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake cupcakes for 10 to 12 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool 13x9-inch cake in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove cake and cupcakes from pans; cool completely on wire rack(s).

2. Using a serrated knife, cut the corners off the 13x9-inch cake, creating curved edges and leaving behind an oval-shape piece. Place the oval cake on a flat serving platter. Position two corner pieces to create a top fin and bottom fin; trim pieces as desired. Place remaining two corner pieces at the end for the tail; if desired, trim tail to round it slightly.

3. Tint 3 3/4 cups of the Creamy White Frosting orange. Spread orange frosting over top and sides of oval cake. Tint 2 cups of the frosting red-orange; frost top and bottom fins and tail with red-orange frosting. Using a thin metal spatula, swirl frosting to resemble scales. Create lips and a fin in center of cake with red-orange frosting. For eye, position candy coating disk upside down on cake. Using a small amount of frosting, attach the blue candy-coated chocolate piece to disk.

4. For cupcakes, tint the remaining frosting light blue. Frost cupcakes with light blue frosting. Sprinkle with sanding sugar and/or glitter. Position cupcakes next to fish cake to resemble bubbles.

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.