Note: you only need one round cake to make this football cake, unless you want to make a two-layer cake. See notes for baking options.

Prepare one 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray (use the kind with flour in it). Alternately, you can butter and flour the cake pan.

Mix cake batter according to package directions. Pour half the batter in the prepared pan (see note about remaining batter). Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 22-28 minutes. Cool completely.

Remove cake from pan. Level off with a serrated knife, if needed.

Cut out about a 1-inch strip from the center of the cake. To do this, locate the center of the cake and move your knife down about half inch, slice. Repeat, moving up half an inch. You’ll then half two semicircles and one long skinny rectangle of cake. Remove the rectangle strip of cake. Push the two semicircles to meet and you have a football shape.

Place cake on serving plate. Frost cake with chocolate frosting.

Fit a pastry bag with the Wilton 47 or Ateco 45 tip. Place a small amount of the white frosting in a pastry bag (about 1/3 of the can). Frost laces and piping on the cake. (You can also do this without a tip; just snip off the tip of the piping bag. Your piping will be round instead of flat.)

If desired, tint the remaining frosting green and pipe around the cake, using the grass tip (Wilton 233 or Ateco 234).

Store loosely cover until ready to serve.