Tepee Birthday Cakes Recipe

FOR TEPEE FRAMES
1/2 c Unsweetened cocoa powder;
-(not Dutch-process)
32 Grissini; (long very thin
; breadsticks),
; trimmed to 8 inches
3 tb Honey

FOR TEPEE TENTS AND DECORATI
1 c Confectioners’ sugar plus
-additional for
; dusting white chocolate
-leather
2 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder;
-(not Dutch-process)
3 ts Water; up to 4
4 Recipes White Chocolate
-Leather
8 Thin red licorice laces
Red hot candies

FOR GRASS
2 c Sweetened flaked coconut
A scant 1/4 teaspoon green
-food coloring

Cut cake into 8 wedges. Trim rounded end of each wedge to form a straight
edge and on a paper plate stand each wedge on end, point up. Spread most of
reserved frosting on all 4 sides of each wedge, reserving remaining
frosting for glue for breadsticks. Cake wedges may be assembled up to this
point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely after frosting firms up. If
made ahead, remaining frosting should be chilled and brought to room
temperature before proceeding with recipe.

Make tepee frames:

Spread cocoa powder on a sheet of wax paper. Working with 1 breadstick at a
time, on another sheet of wax paper brush breadsticks with honey and roll
in cocoa powder, tapping off excess. On paper plates arrange 4 breadstick
around each wedge of cake, intersecting above the top of the wedge to form
a frame for white chocolate leather and using reserved frosting to glue
sticks to cake.

Make tepee tents and decorations:

Into a small bowl sift together sugar and cocoa powder and whisk in 3
teaspoons water until smooth, adding remaining teaspoon water if necessary
to form an icing that will pipe. Transfer icing to a resealable plastic bag
and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Squeeze icing to one corner and snip
off corner as close to edge as possible to make a small hole for piping
icing.

Make a template for tents:

Out of wax paper cut a trapezoid with 2 parallel sides measuring 12 inches
and 10 inches, respectively, connected by two 6-inch-long sides.

Working with 1 piece at a time, dust white chocolate leather with sugar and
on a surface dusted with additional sugar roll out into a 12- by 16-inch
rectangle. Using trapezoid template cut out tent pattern, preferably with a
fluted pastry wheel. Working quickly, pipe icing in decorative Native
American designs on tent and wrap tent around tepee frame, crimping leather
where breadsticks intersect. (If leather becomes too soft to pick up, chill
on a baking sheet until just firm enough to handle.) Trim excess leather
from tepee with pastry wheel and open flaps to expose cake. Chill each
tepee cake as it is made. Tepee cakes may be made 2 days ahead and chilled,
covered.

With a wooden pick or skewer make 2 holes in the top of each chilled tent
for licorice lace. Run a piece of licorice lace through holes and tie once.
Arrange red hot candies along base of tent, gluing them with some of
remaining frosting.

Make grass:

In a bowl toss coconut with food coloring until colored evenly.

Spread coconut grass on a large serving tray. With a metal spatula
carefully transfer each tepee to tray.

Serves 8 lucky children.