ICING BALLOONS RECIPES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine 1 pack of gelatin and 2 tbsp of water. Set aside.
• In a medium pot, combine sugar, cornstarch, light corn syrup, water, and salt. Mix together and bring to a boil.
• Heat mixture until it reaches 255°F (124°C), then turn off heat.
• Carefully mix in gelatin and remove from heat.
• Attach one end of a vinyl tube to a helium tank. Use a piece of tape to secure it in place.
• Dip the other end of your vinyl tube into your sugar mixture. Make sure the opening is completely covered in your mixture.
• Hold your tube over your mixture pointing down toward the pot. Carefully inflate by slowly filling it with helium.
• As the balloon inflates, turn the tube upward to allow the balloon to form.
• Once filled have another person use a piece of string to capture your balloon.
• Carefully wrap the string at the base of your balloon on the tube, twist the string once wrapped. As one person slowly pulls the vinyl tube away, the other person will use the string to scrape off the balloon base of the tube.
• Eat immediately. The taffy balloon can be eaten on its own or popped, then wrapped around a stick for easier consumption.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8-inch) round pans with shortening or cooking spray.
• Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour batter evenly into pans. Bake as directed on box for 8-inch pans. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on serving plate. Spread with 1/2 cup white frosting. Top with second cake layer, bottom side down. Spread frosting evenly on side and top of cake, smoothing surface flat. Set aside about 1 hour or until frosting is dry and firm.
• Decorate cake as directed on Cake Patterns Trace & Decorate package, using the Happy Birthday Balloon template, Decorating Tips and Decorating Icings. Store loosely covered at room temperature.