Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot. Add the syrup while the butter melts. Be sure not to boil.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the semi-sweet chocolate. Stir to melt. Then add the vanilla and cocoa powder. Whisk the cocoa powder until dissolved. The chocolate mixture should be smooth and glossy.

Add the pecans (if using) and the chopped crackers and stir until coated. If you do not use the pecans, add 2 ounces or 1/2 cup of chopped graham or animal crackers in their place. (If using graham crackers, the amount is about 4 sheets.)

Line the round dish with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides of the dish for handles when you remove the cake.

Press the mixture into the dish and tamp it until it has an even surface. Let it cool down, and then place it into the refrigerator for 2 hours to set.

Place the semi-sweet chocolate in a large microwavable bowl. Heat for 30 seconds on high. Stir. Heat for another 30 seconds. Stir until the chocolate melts. If needed, continue to heat in 10-15 seconds intervals and stir until the chocolate is fully melted. Do not overheat.

Place the cake on a wire rack over a large baking pan. Pour the melted chocolate over the cake and spread it to cover the top and sides. If using simple-premade decorations, add them to the melted chocolate so they will stick to it when the chocolate hardens. Use spatulas to move the cake to a platter for serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Remove the eggs from the refrigerator.

Cut plastic wrap into 12 pieces, each large enough to wrap an egg. Use cornstarch to dust one side of the plastic with a basting brush.

Wipe the shells to remove condensation. Then place an egg on each prepared plastic.

Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between intervals. This will take about a minute. It is better to take time to stir the chocolate to melt it rather than to overheat it.

Wrap the egg by pulling the plastic and twisting it into a pigtail. Smooth the wrap folds. Dip half of the long side of the plastic-wrapped egg into the melted chocolate. Set it chocolate-side up on a cooling screen or in the egg carton. The cold eggs will quickly cool and set the chocolate. You can also place them in the refrigerator to harden. Repeat for all 12 eggs.

Remove the plastic from the egg after the chocolate hardens by unwrapping the egg. The cornstarch will prevent the chocolate from sticking to the egg. Carefully pull the chocolate away from the wrap. Dust off any cornstarch from the inside of the shell. Repeat for all 12 eggs and set the shells aside.

Place a dollop of melted chocolate in the middle bottom of a cupcake liner. Then place a chocolate petal vertically in the chocolate to stand it. The cupcake liner will help hold the flower petals in place as you make it. (Use the prettiest ends for the top of the flowers.) Add 9 petals total until the large flower is complete. Use more melted chocolate as needed for "glue." The cupcake liner will help hold the flower upright.

Make the second flower bud following the same procedure used for the large flower. The bud takes 3 flower petals. Let the flowers harden on their own or place them into the refrigerator.

Melt 2 ounces of white chocolate or reuse any leftover chocolate from the petal-making. Add leaf green gel coloring to the melted chocolate and stir.

Use a small silicone mat or parchment paper to make the leaves. "Draw" leaves with a spoon and melted chocolate by placing them on the small silicone mat. Use a toothpick to smooth the chocolate. Create movement by placing a melted chocolate leaf inside a pre-chilled cup. This helps prevent the chocolate from running when you position it inside the cup. Gently roll the mat or parchment paper and slide it inside the cup. Place the cup into the refrigerator to harden the chocolate.

Cut shallow veins into the hardened leaves with the tip of a knife.

Remove the flowers from the cupcake liners. They will easily pop out. Use a little melted chocolate to glue the flowers in a pleasing arrangement to the cake top.

Use a gentle hand and a food-safe paintbrush to color the flowers. Place a small amount of green gel color on a plate. Wet the paintbrush and dip it into the gel color. Tap the paintbrush on a washable dinner plate to remove about 80 percent of the color. Then paint the tips of the flowers green. Paint the green unevenly all over the flower tips. Dip the paintbrush in water, shake off the water, and work the green until you are satisfied with the placement and the intensity. Paint a little green on the leaves to give them more dimension. Glue the leaves onto the cake with melted chocolate.

Wash the paintbrush well to remove any green paint because if the two colors mix, they can make a muddy gray color. Then add a small amount of rose or pink gel coloring to the plate. Add water to the paintbrush and dip it in the pink gel, again removing about 80 percent of the color before you start. Paint the outside petals. Thin out the color with more water when needed. Make the color faint and build it slowly so you don't get too much color. If it gets too dark, wet the paintbrush and thin the color.

Dip small berries, such as blackberries, into the edible glitter pot to turn them gold. Tap them on a plate to remove extra gold dust before you place them on the cake. If loose gold glitter lands in places you don't want it, brush it away with a paintbrush. Also, use a dry paintbrush to brush glitter on the top of the cake or on the flowers. Scatter the gold berries on the top of the cake.