Strawberry Snake Cake

What you'll need
SHORTCAKE BISCUITS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)
1 cup milk
STRAWBERRY FILLING:
1 quart strawberries
4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING:
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
GARNISHES:
4 whole strawberries
Green fruit leather
Mini chocolate chips or M&M's

HOW TO MAKE IT .

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Sift
together the flour, sugar, baking powder
and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut in
the margarine with a pastry cutter. Or
use a vegetable grater to grate the stick
into the mixing bowl and let your kids
take turns blending the margarine into
the dry ingredients with their fingertips.
Once the dough is crumbly, slowly stir in
the milk.
2. Turn out the dough onto a floured
working surface and gently roll or pat
the dough into a 1-inch-thick rectangle
(it should measure about 6 x 8 inches).
For the best results, handle the dough
as little as possible.
3. Slice the rectangle into four 1-1/2- x
8-inch strips. Place the strips on an
ungreased baking sheet, then let your
child mold and curve them into S shapes
that resemble snakes. Bake for 10 to 12
minutes until the bottoms are golden
brown. Transfer the baked shortcakes to
a wire rack (a parent's job) and let cool.
Carefully slice the cooled shortcakes in
half lengthwise or split them with a fork
and then set aside.
4. Wash the strawberries and let your
kids select four to use for the snakes'
heads. Slice the rest of the berries
lengthwise into a mixing bowl. Toss with
the confectioners' sugar and let stand
while you prepare the whipped cream.
5. Combine the whipping cream and
confectioners' sugar in a chilled bowl
and beat with an electric or hand mixer
until stiff peaks form.
6. Just before serving, arrange berries
on the bottom half of each shortcake,
then cover with the shortcake top.
Spread on whipped cream and add a
layer of sliced strawberry "scales."
7. For the snakes' heads, cut mouth
openings in the tips of the whole berries
and place one at the end of each
shortcake. Press a pair of mini chocolate
chip or M&M's eyes into the sides of
each head and add a forked tongue cut
from green fruit leather. Serves 4 .