Birthday Clown Cake

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package; pour evenly into 1 (9-inch) round cake pan and 1 (9-inch) square baking pan. Bake as directed on package for 9-inch cake layers. Cool completely. Remove cake layers from pans.

PLACE round layer on cutting board; trim off 1-inch piece from top of cake. Cut trimmed piece crosswise in half; set aside. Cut square layer into 3 triangles, starting at the center of one side and cutting to the bottom left corner of the cake layer. Then, repeat the cut with the other side.

ASSEMBLE the cake pieces to resemble a clown's head by placing the round cake layer near the top of a large board or platter, with the straight edge of the cake at the top of the board. Place the middle cake triangle at the top of the round cake layer for the hat and the small pieces that were cut from the top of the round layer at the base of the hat for the hair. Arrange the remaining 2 triangles at the base of the head, with pointed ends together, to resemble a bow tie.

TINT 1/2 cup of the coconut blue, 1/2 cup of the coconut yellow and the remaining 1/2 cup coconut red with food coloring. Secure each of the cake pieces together with small amount of whipped topping, then use the remaining whipped topping to frost the entire cake. Sprinkle the hat with blue coconut, the cake just under the hat with red coconut (for the hair) and the bow tie with yellow coconut. Decorate with remaining ingredients as desired.