3 c. Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. cold water
1 tub (16 oz.) ready-to-spread frosting (any flavor)
Pastel mint wafers, flattened gumdrops or fruit gems
Shoestring licorice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 round pans, 9 x 1 1/2 inches; dust with flour. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Mix oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir oil mixture and water into flour mixture real hard until well blended, about 1 minute. Immediately pour batter into pans, divide evenly.

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes; let cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans; let cake cool completely. Fill and frost cake as directed on frosting tub. Arrange wafer "balloons" on top of cake; use licorice to make balloon strings.

Age 13