Mini Firecracker Cakes

Dessert with a bit of Fourth-of-July flair.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1 (18 ounce) box  white cake mix
•  red gel  food coloring
•  blue gel  food coloring
• 1  tablespoon  simple syrup
•  red white and blue sanding sugar
• 1 (16 ounce) container  storebought  icing
•  popping  candy
•  black string  licorice

Directions

1. Prepare the cake mix as per package instructions. Separate evenly into three bowls of about 1 ½ cups batter each. Color one bowl red, and one blue. Gently stir color into batter. Pour into three loaf pans that are lightly greased and lined with a parchment sleeve. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake tests clean. The cakes should be fully cooked through. Allow to cool completely.
2. Using a 1-inch biscuit cutter, cut 8-10 circles out of each of the cakes. Gently brush the outside of each of the cut-outs with simple syrup and then coat in sanding sugar. Let the cut-outs dry for 10 minutes before assembling.
3. Dab a ¼-½ teaspoon of frosting on each of the red cakes, and then top with a white cake. Dab with another ¼-½ teaspoon of frosting and then top with the blue cakes. Using a straw, cut a hole through the center of the cakes, discard. Fill the cakes with popping candy and top with a 1-inch length of black licorice. Serve within an hour.
4. TIP: Letting the sanding sugar dry is necessary to prevent the colors from bleeding.