School Bus Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (18 1/4 ounce) package yellow cake mix (or adjust water, oil and eggs for cake mix you are using)
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup shortening
8 -9 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black gel food coloring (or black paste coloring)
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon yellow liquid food coloring (or yellow paste coloring)
2 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, cut in half
2 yellow gumdrops
6 red gumdrops

Preparation

Prepare cake mix according to package directions using oil, water and eggs.
Pour batter into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans.
Bake at 350\u00b0 for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to a wire rack to cool completely.
Place cakes end to end on a 22-in. x 8-in. covered board.
Level if needed.
From the top of one end, form the front of the bus by cutting out a section 1 inches deep and 3 inches long (Save the removed piece for another use.)
For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter and shortening until fluffy.
Add 6 cups confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt; beat until smooth.
Add enough remaining confectioners' sugar until desired consistency is reached.
Tint 3/4 cup frosting with black food coloring; set aside.
Tint remaining frosting yellow.
Frost top and sides of cake with yellow frosting.
Frost cut edge of cookies with yellow frosting to form wheel wells; place two cookie halves on each side of bus.
Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a #5 round tip.
Fill the bag with black frosting.
Outline windows on both sides of bus; pipe strips under windows.
Pipe windshield and back window; fill in with black frosting.
Pipe lines on front of grille.
Place yellow gumdrops on front of bus for headlights; place red gumdrops on front and back for lights.