winter wonderland cake

What's the best way to impress guests this holiday season? With an epic Winter Wonderland Cake of course!
INGREDIENTS
1 recipe Chocolate Chip Cake
1 recipe White Vanilla Frosting
1 1/2 c. white nonpareils
1 c. large flake coconut
1/2 c. each green, vibrant green, blue, and turquoise candy melts
12 (6") bamboo skewers
Candy: white sprinkles, crushed white rock candy
 
 
DIRECTIONS
Make Chocolate Chip Cake according to recipe. Trim domed tops of two of the layers. Place one trimmed layer on a cake stand or serving platter and top with 2/3 cup frosting. Repeat, then place domed layer on top. Frost sides with 1 1/3 cups White Vanilla Frosting; leave top unfrosted. Chill 30 minutes.
Spread nonpareils on a small rimmed baking sheet. Carefully lift cake from the top and bottom and roll the sides in nonpareils to coat. Return to the cake stand or serving platter and frost the top with remaining frosting. Sprinkle coconut on top.
Melt candy melts in separate glass bowls in the microwave. Mix together some of the colors to make different shades of green and greenish blue. Spoon colors into separate small zip-top bags and snip a 1/8-inch hole in one corner of each bag.
Place bamboo skewers, 3 inches apart, on parchment- lined baking sheets. Working in a back and forth motion, drizzle melts over the skewers to create trees (be sure to leave 3 inches of the skewer uncovered). Repeat with all colors until you have 12 trees, all different sizes and colors.
Immediately decorate trees with candy. Chill until set, 25 to 30 minutes.
Gently lift trees from parchment and insert skewers into cake to create forest.