No way is this whopper just for kids. If you know a burger fanatic, it's the perfect special occasion cake.

3 boxes (16 oz. each) pound cake mix
6 plain, flat, round cookies (each 3 1/2-4" in diameter)
2 cans (16 oz. each) ready-to-spread vanilla frosting
Red & yellow food coloring (see note)
2 lg. marshmallows
2 brown M&M candies
20 or more spearmint-jelly-candy leaves
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 can (16 oz.) ready-to-spread milk chocolate frosting
1 can (16 oz.) ready-to-spread chocolate fudge frosting
1 box (2 1/2 oz.) chocolate snap cookies, coarsely crushed
About 30 pignoli (pine) nuts

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 inch layer cake pans and one 2 1/3 to 3 quart metal or ovenproof glass mixing bowl with a rounded bottom.

2. Prepare 1 double batch cake batter as directed on package using 2 packages cake mix. Then prepare 1 single batch. Fill each layer-cake pan 2/3 full. Scrape remaining batter into prepared bowl. Bake pan 30-35 minutes and bowl 55-60 minutes or until pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool on wire racks, 15 minutes for pans and 30 minutes for bowl. Invert cakes on racks and let cool completely.

3. "Tomato slices": Place plain cookies on a wire rack set over waxed paper. Put 1/2 cup vanilla frosting in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in red food color (and a bit of yellow if needed) until frosting is tomato-colored. Brush or spoon on top and sides of cookies. Let stand at least 30 minutes until firm to the touch.

4. "Mustard": Spoon another 1/2 cup vanilla frosting into a small bowl. Stir in yellow food coloring until mustard-colored. Cover to prevent drying.

5. "Eyes": Use a dot of vanilla frosting to glue M&M "pupils" on marshmallows.

6. "Lettuce": Sprinkle granulated sugar on work surface. Working with one at a time, place spearmint leaf on the sugar and roll with a rolling pin until flattened and edges are jagged.

7. Put remaining vanilla frosting in a medium-size bowl. Stir in milk-chocolate frosting and red and yellow food color, a little at a time, until frosting is the color of a hamburger bun. Place 1 cake layer on serving plate. Cover with frosting. Arrange spearmint-leaf "lettuce" on top and around edges.

8. Place remaining cake layer on waxed paper. Cover with chocolate-fudge frosting. Press crushed chocolate snap cookies into frosting to simulate a hamburger patty. Using pancake turners, lift patty onto "lettuce"-lined bun. Spoon "mustard" about 1 inch from edge of top of burner, letting some run down sides. Top with "tomato" slices.

9. Trim "hump" (where cake has risen) off of bowl cake. Place cake trimmed side down on waxed paper and frost with remaining bun-colored frosting. Lift onto tomato-topped burner. Glue eyes in position with frosting. Press pignoli nuts in place.

Makes about 18 to 20 servings. Note: For a more intense red color on the cookie "tomato slices", use paste food color, available in cake-decorating and party-supply shops and some cookware stores.

Cake Tips:

If baking more than one pan at a time, stagger the pans so air can circulate around them.

For easier cutting, bake the cakes a day before. Wrap cakes loosely and store at room temperature.

Before frosting, brush cakes to remove loose crumbs. To avoid getting crumbs mixed in when spreading frosting, have spatula touch only the frosting, not the cake itself.