FOR GELATIN BUBBLES:
1. Blow up balloons until they range in size from 1 to 3 inches wide and tie the ends to secure. To get a more rounded shape to the balloons, push the air up to the top of the balloon and tie a second knot slightly higher up the end.

2. Push a sturdy straw or lollipop stick through the knot of each balloon so they’re secured onto the end of the stick. Very lightly coat the balloons with a small amount of shortening, and gently wipe off any excess with a paper towel. Adding too much shortening can cause the gelatin to slip off. Set aside to prep the gelatin.

FOR GELATIN MIXTURE:
For Microwave Gelatin: Pour the gelatin and water into a medium sized microwave safe bowl and stir to moisten the gelatin. The mixture will be quite stiff. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom. Place the bowl in your microwave and heat on high for 10 seconds. The gelatin should be dissolved and liquid. If it isn't, continue heating it in 10 second bursts until it reaches a liquid consistency. If you notice bubbles or clouding on the surface of the gelatin, use a spoon to skim off any imperfections before using.

For Stove-Top Gelatin: Pour the gelatin and water into a small saucepan and stir to moisten the gelatin. The mixture will be quite stiff. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom. Place the pot onto the stove on medium-low heat. Heat, swirling the pot occasionally, until the gelatin has dissolved and liquified. If you notice bubbles or clouding on the surface of the gelatin, use a spoon to skim off any imperfections before using.

1. Pour a third of the gelatin mixture into a medium sized bowl and stir in the purple gel food coloring. If the gelatin is still hot, let stand until it’s lukewarm before dipping the balloons. Dip one of the balloons into the gelatin and roll it around to coat, avoiding the knot.

2. Hold the balloon over the bowl and allow it to drip. If the layer of gelatin is too thin, dip the balloon a second time and allow it to drip over the bowl. Once it has stopped dripping, place the stick holding the balloon into a cup so the balloon is upright. Continue dipping the balloons until the purple gelatin is used up.

3. Repeat the coloring and dipping process for the pink and teal gelatin bubbles. If you find the gelatin has firmed up at any point, you can reheat the mixture in your microwave in 10 second bursts or over low heat on your stovetop until liquid again.

4. Set the gelatin-dipped balloons aside for 12 to 24 hours, or until fully dried and hardened. They should feel crisp and solid.

5. To separate the balloons from the gelatin bubbles, use a skewer or scissors to pierce a hole in the balloon near the knot. Gently pull the balloon away from the gelatin. If needed, use scissors to carefully cut around the bottom of the gelatin bubble to even out the shape.

FOR BUBBLE GUM CAKE:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 177°C. Butter 4, 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Lightly dust the sides with flour and tap out any excess. Set aside. (*Note: If you don’t own 4 cake pans, you can bake these cakes in batches. The cake batter can be left out at room temperature for up to 1 hour. Make sure to allow the cake pans to cool and clean them between batches.)

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine milk, yogurt, egg whites, oil, and bubble gum flavoring. Whisk to combine and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and butter. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a fork or pastry cutter by hand, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you have a very fine and dry mixture.

4. Add half of the milk mixture to the flour mixture and beat together until well combined (about 30 seconds using an electric mixer on medium speed or 1 minute by hand with a whisk). Add the remaining wet ingredients and beat together until well combined. Take care not to over mix. A few small clumps in the batter are fine.

5. Separate half of the cake batter into a separate bowl. Color one bowl of batter with 10 drops of purple liquid gel food color and the other bowl with 10 drops of teal liquid gel food color. Stir until just combined.

6. Evenly divide the cake batters into your prepared cake pans. You should have 2 teal cake layers and 2 purple cake layers. Bake the cakes in the center of your preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack. Remove the parchment bottoms and set aside to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.

FOR BUBBLE GUM FROSTING:
1. Add butter, powdered sugar, and salt to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix on low until the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, increase the speed to medium-high and cream the mixture until it becomes fluffy and lightens in color (about 1 to 2 minutes).

2. Add bubble gum flavor, pink food coloring, and 4 tablespoons of milk to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat for another minute or until well combined. If the frosting is too stiff, mix in more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

ASSEMBLY:
1. Layer your cakes, alternating between purple and teal layers for a striped pattern, with about of a cup of frosting between each cake layer. Frost the top and outside of the stacked cakes and add sprinkles to the bottom and top of the cake if desired. Decorate the top with your gelatin bubbles and enjoy!