Treasure Chest Birthday Cake

This was a huge hit at my son's Luau party. And it was super easy to make. You will need:

Ingredients:

• 1 box cake mix (yellow)
• 1 jar chocolate frosting
• 1 fork
• 1 bag of M&M's
• fake candy coins / jewelry
• 1 Loaf pan
• 1 wire rack (optional but really helps)
• 1 bread knife

Directions:

Spray bottom of loaf pan with nonstick spray. Bake cake as directed on package for loaf (usually 50-60 minues). Let cake sit 10 minutes in pan, then remove and let it cool fully on wire rack.

When cake is cool. slice it with bread knife 1/3 of the way down from the top. Then cut this piece to a 45 degree angle on the front side. Keep remaining cake set aside you WILL need it later.

Frost entire cake with frosting. Place fake coins / jewelry on top of bottom cake piece. Lay the top piece over as "chest lid".

Decorate outside of chest with M&m's or other candy of your choosing to give it the look of straps holding it together. Use fork tines by dragging across frosting to give a wood grain look. Crumble set aside cake piece along bottom of chest as the sand it was buried in. Give to children and stand back.

By Suzanne S.