In the most recent issue of American cake decorating (web site - http://www.cakemag.com/   ) the kids cakes article shows how to make shamrocks from gumdrops.  Fast and easy and the kids could help do those.

Have you ever been out of town completely away from your cake decorating supplies and in a little bitty town where none were available and been asked to do a cake? Well I have. Here is what I did.  Those gumdrop shamrocks reminded me of this occasion.

We went to the grocery store located in a small nearby town.  I bought some canned frosting, gumdrops in red and green and looked for some freezer paper.  They didn’t have any.  I took the gumdrops back to the house and washed off the sugar.  Grease your fingers with Crisco. Then I began to squash the red gumdrops together until I had a pliable dough (one color at a time.)  I made a large teardrop center for a rose and then began making the petals one at a time.  To make the petals you take a marble size piece of the gumdrop dough and then begin flattening it and stretching it until you have the size for a rose petal.  After you get all the petals you want on your rose then you can sprinkle it lightly with sugar if you want that appearance.  Make several roses and a few buds.

While these are resting on a piece of wax paper and firming up slightly begin working the green gumdrops.  When you have a pliable green dough then you can make stems and leaves by just rolling, pressing and stretching the dough.  If you want veins in the leaves use a toothpick to press those into the gumdrop dough.  Sprinkle lightly with sugar if you desire that effect.
 
Begin arranging the stems, roses and leaves on your cake iced with the prepared canned frosting.  To write a message on the cake you will need to make a writing bag with something.  Wax paper will work but you must double the paper.  Freezer paper works much better if you can find it.  If the cake is iced in white icing you might be able to just stir some cocoa into a little of that frosting to make a contrasting color to write with.  Cut a small amount off of the end of the rolled up bag to create yourself a writing tip.

You can cut three different tips with just plain parchment bags of icing.  A small star, a writing tip and a leaf.  So if you can just find something that will work for a bag in a pinch you can basically do a few things with no equipment.  A challenge but it can be done.

You could also do the same type of flowers, stems and leaves with Tootsie Roll dough.  When your friends know what you do and you find yourself in a situation where a cake is needed immediately - there is always a way to do something.

They have some really cute cookie ideas in the modern baking magazine.  Rainbow with clouds, Smiley faces, baseballs, musical staff and notes, balloons, drop flowers and simple borders.  Kids love decorated cookies.  And if you offer them an assortment of designs be sure and add some real boy designs in there.  Such as frogs, simple birds with worms hanging out of their mouths and piped dinosaurs are always good designs for the boys.  They have such fun making the decision of just which one of those designs they really want.

DOLORES' PART  "St. Patrick's Day and other 'cake' ideas"

One cake that is really easy to make is the shamrock shape using heart cakes and a loaf-cake for the stem. I ice it green. Its pretty just adding a few Spring flowers in the center. I have a picture of a cake I did like this. I will send it up with this chat. I used daffodils and violets on the cake.

By the way...do you know about the trick to icing a cake a deep color? First ice the cake white buttercream, then before the icing crusts, go back over it with just a thin coating of colored icing. You can really save on the expense of food coloring and besides, your guests won't have green mouths! I even do this when icing a cake ivory. It's a lot easier to tint just a little bit of icing ivory rather than a bucket full - and cheaper. This is also a good method when making 'scenery' cakes. I did it a lot before I had an airbrush. Use a small angled spatula, start with the 'sky' then maybe a purple 'horizon' then a blue 'stream' and finally, 'grass.' I start with the sky for good reason...then the closer-up scene is on top sort of. The only thing you must remember when painting on cakes is that you MUST have your colored icing ready and do the painting right away.

For St. Patrick's Day, we sell more Novelty items than cakes. Mostly cookies or cupcakes. Speaking of cupcakes, some of you may not know...I have seen the question of requesting a recipe for making cupcakes. It never occurred to me that I should use a dif. Recipe for cupcakes than cakes. And I never have. They do get done a lot faster.

Cookies go really fast for this Holiday. Mostly we make big shamrock shaped cookies, ice and decorate with buttercream icing. Kids love them. Rather than using royal icing. you could ice them with a mixture of dry candy fondant /water. Add enough water that the icing is like color flow. (add color/flavor etc.)  This icing will crust to stack them, but never will get as hard as royal icing...which gets pretty tasteless and dries out your cookies too.

Have you tried our cookie spoons yet? Cookie Spoon molds: NEW!! YES! Bake cookies right IN this mold! Make a roll-out cookie dough recipe. Spray hard candy mold cavities with cooking spray. Push dough into mold cavities and place cookie-filled molds on aluminum cookie sheet. Bake on top rack (in your oven) at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool slightly before removing cookies from mold. Make and add a candy spoon handle trim; molds sold separately below. Enjoy the dessert, then eat the spoon! Cookie spoons are a clever complement to your after-dinner coffee and dessert. Delicious when served with hot or cold beverages and frosty treats. Edible spoon-shaped shortbread cookies (5 1/4" long) scoop the foam off a cappuccino, complement a flavored coffee or tea, or top off a fruit-flavored sherbet.

Make Spoon trim out of chocolate and lay it on after cookie is baked. Cute, nice children's school treats! They are available in many shapes for many occasions. Hearts, cameos, star, Easter- ducks & bunnies. Then there are SPOON LAY-ONS which are used with the NEW Cookie Spoon molds.

Swtelegnt: I have a wedding cake for the weekend before, and it has all kinds of Celtic symbols, and Irish lace on it
CCChefPwd: A really easy way to do shamrocks to decorate a cake or cookies
CarolA5238: The square dance club I used to dance with were the Lucky Stars and
CarolA5238: I was always doing something shamrocks.

Swtelegnt: Did anyone know you could mold with Starburst candy squares also?
CCChefPwd: I haven't tried those Swtelegnt - those are much brighter colors
Btcakelady: what can you mold with starburst and how
CCChefPwd: That gives us another thing to try
CCChefPwd: Swtelegnt do you work those until they are soft and then mold them in the candy molds?
Swtelegnt: They turned out great, I did some for a child’s cake. flowers, and animals, try it!
CCChefPwd: They would certainly be flavorful
Swtelegnt: Haven't tried it in molds, but that sounds like an idea!

ROstap4900: Hey everyone...what do each of you consider to be a 1/2 sheet cake size pan??
Bridal1: 12 x 18
CCChefPwd: 12 X 18
Rangodam: How many does a 1/2 sheet serve.
CCChefPwd: 50
Bridal1: 40-50 nice pieces.
ROstap4900: So then what are 13x9 and 11x15n considered?
Bridal1: 9 x 13 is quarter
Swtelegnt: quarter, and 1/3 sheets
Bridal1: I sell my cakes by the servings, not quarter, half, etc.
Bridal1: 11 x 15 is in between!!!
ROstap4900: I don't usually go by 1/4, 1/2 or so on.  I usually give people pan size and servings.
Bridal1: Do you all even bake cakes???
ROstap4900: I figure I can get about 54 servings (2x2) out of a 12x18 is this right ?
Rangodam: I was asked to do a cake for 60. Never done one for so many before.
Any suggestions for size or shape
Bridal1: a 14" 2 layer would work for 60-70 servings.
CCChefPwd: That is if the cake actually baked 12 x 18 but they really don't
Rangodam: 14" round?
CCChefPwd: They shrink when they bake.  I would rather count it as 50 servings instead of shorting
a customer a 12 " square two layer cake will serve 60
Bridal1: Yes, round 14" or you could do a double layer 11 x 15
Btcakelady: Thanks Pwd - I learn something new every chat cakes and otherwise
Bridal1: Yes, I don't count a 12 x 18 as serving more than 50
CCChefPwd: Go to my web page and print off the serving chart or E-Mail me and I will mail it to you.
ROstap4900: So should I subtract a few servings off each cake?
CCChefPwd: I took that into account when I made up this chart
Rangodam: each layer is 2" right?
Bridal1: Most of my customers want a nice size piece of cake.
Bridal1: right Rang
CCChefPwd: my homepage: http://hometown.aol.com/pwdsugar/index.html

CCChefPwd: They have some really cute cookie ideas in the modern baking magazine this month .  Rainbow with clouds, smiley faces, baseballs, musical staff and notes, balloons, drop flowers and simple borders. Kids love decorated cookies.  And if you offer them an assortment of designs be sure and add some real boy designs in there.  Such as frogs, simple birds with worms hanging out of their mouths and piped dinosaurs are always good designs for the boys.  They have such fun making the decision of just which one of those designs they really want.
Btcakelady: where can we get modern baking magazine, never heard of it?

Lappey1: anyone have a really good moist chocolate cake recipe for a grooms cake that isn't from a mix. Any good moist chocolate cake recipes for large cake
CCChefPwd: Lappey1 I use cake mixes for the best Chocolate cake I know of anywhere. But it is doctored.
Lappey1: what do you add to them
Btcakelady: good chocolate cake - try adding chocolate milk - makes the taste more chocolately and moist
Lolitabunn: chocolate milk instead of water?
Lappey1:  that sounds great- any sour cream, etc.
Btcakelady: choc milk instead of water yes - great taste and moist
Lappey1: what mix do you like the best?
Bridal1: Betty Crocker!!!

ICES:
PjW10: MH? are you going to KC?
Bridal1: She better be!!!
MHohimer: Yes, unfortunately, I live in Indep., MO and am Registration Chairperson for the Convention.
Bridal1: No, not unfortunately -- fortunately, she's the Registration Chairman!!!
CCChefDol: I wish I WAS packing LOL
PjW10: good, we'll meet there. …well!  LOL!! I guess you are!
MHohimer: Well, let me know who you are when you get here.
PjW10: I sure will, what’s your name?
MHohimer: Bridal is being nice!!
MHohimer: Millie Hohimer
CCChefPwd: YOU CAN REALLY SAVE ON THE EXPENSE OF FOOD COLORING AND BESIDES,
PjW10: Nice to meet you Millie, I'm Pam Weston
Bridal1: We couldn't do convention without Millie!
Dose57104: This year will be my first at convention, will I get to sign up for demos prior to it?
Bridal1: Yes, Dose, but you have to register for convention first.
Dose57104: I have registered and recieved my confirmation, how long till I get info?
SweeteJstc: dose:  you will get to register for demos beforehand
Bridal1: It is just about finished and we should have that out by the first of April Dose
Bridal1: Sweet, you can't register for demos from the newsletter this time.
Bridal1: Yes, the demo list will be sent shortly - probably about first of April to those who are registered already. You have to register for convention before you can register for demos.
Bridal1: Yes, if you are registered you will get notification before it is printed in newsletter
CCChefPwd: I think my granddaughter might come with me - as quick as we get that decision made I will
Bridal1: We are trying to keep people from trying to get demos scheduled when they have not even registered for convention
CCChefPwd: I like that process Bridal - Registration in before they can get the demo tickets.  Good job.
Bridal1: If they don't register, they don't get tickets unless they are onsite and then there is like 20% reserved for that.

Dose57104: Anyone have a good sugar cookie recipe, mine always break?
CCChefDol: Dose...try the one in the Wilton yr bk...works well
Lolitabunn: I used a cookie mold for valentine, you press the dough and than tap it out and put on cookie sheet and bake
Bridal1: Mine is the one that came on those red cutters that were from Maid of Scandinavia.  Best one I've tried.
CCChefPwd: What type of cookie dough do you use with those Dee
CCChefDol: I have the recipe online...comes with the molds too - like the roll-out type

LauraJMD: I'm doing a 4-H cake decorating workshop this month.,. having the kids each decorate a heart then will put them together to make clover.. 4-H's symbol....

CCChefPwd: I have one in my Groom's cake pictures that I know immediately
when people get to that page.  Guess what that cake looks like
CCChefPwd: A Casket - very fancy trim - spindles in the corners and wood grain
CCChefDol: bet there’s a story behind that cake Pwd
CCChefPwd: The groom is a mortician and that is what he wanted
CCChefPwd: But it sure gets the reactions
Bridal1: I've made them for a 40th birthday!

Dose57104: Any ideas for first communion cakes?
CCChefDol: communion...a cake shaped like a bible maybe
SweeteJstc: we always make a cross out of roses for communion and baptism
CCChefPwd: I have a three tiered cake that was done for a first communion for
a boy and girl a couple of years ago.  Gumpaste flowers, wheat and etc