How to Make a Popcorn Box Cake

By Christine Gauvreau, About.com Guide

Having a movie-viewing party? Looking for something kid-friendly to serve at your Oscar night soiree? How about a circus-themed birthday? If you're hosting an occasion that calls for popcorn, you have a reason to make this popcorn cake. Actually, this cake is so easy to put together, you don't really need a reason other than that is as fun to make as it is to eat.

Things You'll Need:

• A cake mix.
• A sheet cake pan.
• A large, rectangular platter.
• White frosting.
• Red fruit leather (five-to-six strips).
• Two cups of popped popcorn.
• Melted chocolate or caramel sauce.
• White paper.
• Scissors.

Instructions:

1. Mix the ingredients according to your cake recipe. You can use any flavor cake you prefer, since it is the frosting that matters in the design of the popcorn box.
2. Grease your sheet cake pan and pour in the batter, spreading it evenly through the pan.
3. Bake according to recipe instructions for time and temperature.
4. Remove from oven and cool for approximately 10 minutes.
5. Place the rectangular platter over the top of the pan, then flip to move the cake from the pan onto the platter.
6. Allow to cool for another 10 minutes.
7. Pop the popcorn (if you aren't using already popped from the store).
8. Frost the cake with white frosting, smoothing with a knife or small cake spatula.
9. Unroll the fruit leather and press it, in a striped pattern, onto the cake.
10. Frost the top ends of the fruit leather (approximately three inches from top).
11. Arrange a layer of popcorn over the top end of the cake by sticking it to the frosting.
12. Build additional layers of popcorn on top of the first layer.
13. Drizzle the popcorn with melted chocolate or caramel sauce.
14. Print your popcorn label message on white paper.
15. Cut around the message to form the shape of the popcorn box label.
16. Place the label on the cake.