Choc-a-block toy box cake

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease a 7cm-deep, 22cm-square cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.

Prepare packet cakes, following packet directions. Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth top with a spatula. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of cake comes out clean. Stand in pan 5 minutes. Turn onto wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, make Buttercream icing: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a bowl for 5 minutes or until butter is as white as possible. Gradually add the icing sugar mixture in batches, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Using food colouring, tint chocolate brown. Using sharp scissors, cut cardboard lid in half.

Place cake on a flat surface. Level top of cake, if necessary. Using a serrated knife, cut cake in half crossways (see step-by-step, below). Place one cake half on cake board. Spread top with 1/2 cup icing. Sandwich with cake top. Thinly spread top and sides of cake with 1 cup icing. Spread top and sides of cardboard lid with 1/2 cup icing. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate cake and lid for 30 minutes or until firm.

Meanwhile, break Kit Kat into pieces. Using a pair of small sharp scissors, trim red jube into a heart shape.

Reserve 1/3 cup icing. Spread remaining icing over top and side of cake. Using picture as a guide, position heart-shaped jube on the top of the front panel of toy box. Line edges of the toy box with Kit Kat pieces, trimming to fit, if necessary. Place 2 Kit Kat pieces vertically on each back corner of toy box (see pic). Starting from the bottom, arrange Kit Kat pieces in 3 rows on back of toy box (this is to help support the lid). Arrange 3⁄4 of the lollies and toys on top of toy box. Position lid over lollies. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the lid to set in place.

Arrange remaining lollies and toys in and around toy box. Serve.