Make one recipe of the pumpkin spice beer cake in an 8-1/2 inch square cake pan.
While the cake is cooling, bake sugar cookies. You'll need two leaves, but if you don't have a leaf cookie cutter you can use a flower cutter or mason jar with a regular sized mouth.
Frosting
Sift the powdered sugar to remove lumps.
Beat the butter in a mixer until light and fluffy.
Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition.
When all the sugar had been added, drizzle the heavy cream into the frosting, while beating it on high speed.
Drizzle in the vanilla and beat until smooth.
Cut the cake and position on a large platter or cookie sheet.
Decorate
Place buttercream in a bag with a large star tip and pipe entire cake. Alternately, frost cake with an offset spatula.
Frost cookie leaves and beak and sprinkle with red and yellow sugar.
Place the cookies on the cake.
Frost the top of two oreos and place them on top of the leaves.
Place two M&Ms on top of the oreos.
Decorate the belly and wings of the owl with cocoa cereal.
Add licorice legs to the owl. We used a little corn syrup to attach them to the cookie sheet.
Notes
We used a cookie sheet turned upside down as a platter. It's covered in crepe paper and cellophane to make it pretty.
If you are not piping on the frosting but still want texture, add sweetened coconut to the areas on the owl body that remain white.