.Flowery Cake of the Dead.

.Ingredients.
1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1/3 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1 oz. BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 oz. BAKER'S White Chocolate
20 JET-PUFFED Marshmallows
3 Tbsp. assorted colored sugars


.Instructions.
1. HEAT oven to 350ºF.

2. BEAT first 5 ingredients with mixer 2 min. or until blended; pour into 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Invert cake onto cake board or tray. Frost with COOL WHIP.

3. MELT chocolates as directed on packages. Draw 7x5-inch skull shape on piece of paper; tape onto piece of cardboard. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Trace around pattern with melted semi-sweet chocolate, then fill in pattern with remaining melted semi-sweet chocolate. (See Tip.) Refrigerate 10 min. or until firm. Remove plastic wrap and chocolate shape from cardboard; invert chocolate skull onto center of cake. Discard plastic wrap. Draw skull's face with melted white chocolate piped from separate bag.

4. USE clean kitchen shears to cut each large marshmallow crosswise into 5 pieces; dip cut sides in colored sugars. Decorate cake with marshmallow flowers, pressing 5 marshmallow pieces, cut-sides up, together to make each flower. Sprinkle remaining colored sugars onto centers of flowers. Keep refrigerated.


.Tips.
How to Pipe Melted Chocolate - Spoon melted chocolate into small resealable plastic bag. Press out excess air and seal bag. Cut small piece (about 1/8 inch) from one bottom corner of bag. Use to trace and fill in skull pattern with chocolates as directed.

How to Easily Cut Marshmallows - Use clean kitchen shears to cut marshmallows into pieces as directed, dipping shears in warm water and wiping dry with paper towel between cuts to prevent sticking.


(Source: Kraft)


Enjoy!

.Spider Cake.

.Ingredients.
Cake Mix (Box or Scratch, your choice)
orange food coloring (or red and yellow)
Chocolate frosting
white frosting
mini Oreo cookies


.Instructions.
1. Bake your cake and using some food coloring turn it orange. The cake in the photo was baked using a mini 4 inch pan (3 layers).

2. Chocolate frosting was used for the filling between the layers.

3. Cover in white frosting, (your choice on flavor or make your own buttercream).

4. Use leftover chocolate frosting to pipe on the spider web. A piping bag and a #4 decorating tip was used for the photo. You could certainly use a Ziplock bag and snip off the corner.

5. Extend the “web” down the side of the cake, pipe the spider legs longer than your cookie so the frosting can help hold the cookie spider body like glue.

6. With more leftover frosting, you can give the spiders some little eyes.


(Source: cookies and cups)


Enjoy!

.Halloween Layer Cake.

.Ingredients.
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
10 drops yellow food coloring
6 drops red food coloring

FROSTING:
3 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
5-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
8 drops yellow food coloring
6 drops red food coloring

GLAZE:
3 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Candy corn for garnish


.Instructions.
1. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Mix well. Combine cocoa, water and vanilla; stir in 2 cups cake batter.

2. Pour into a greased and floured 9-in. round baking pan. Add orange extract, peel and food coloring to remaining batter. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

3. In a bowl, beat all frosting ingredients until smooth. Place one orange cake layer on a cake plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with chocolate layer; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with second orange layer. Frost the sides and top of each.

4. Microwave chocolate and cream on high 1-1/2 minutes or, stirring once. Stir until smooth; let cool 2 minutes. Slowly pour over cake, letting glaze drizzle down sides. Garnish with candy corn.


(Source: Taste of Home)


Enjoy!

.Ghost Cakes.

MAKES 6 GHOULISH GHOST CAKES

.Ingredients.
1 stick unsalted butter plus extra for greasing
Half cup plus 1 tablespoon Superfine sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 large eggs
One cup self-rising flour
Cornstarch for dusting
Non stick baking spray
1 x 24 oz box white rolled fondant icing
1 tube of black Writing Icing


.Instructions.
1. Beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time adding a tablespoon of flour with each egg. Beat well and fold in the remaining flour.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spoon the batter into a popover pan that has been sprayed with non stick baking spray and fill each molds till just over half full. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Allow to cool, cut off the top of the cakes to form a flat surface , then turn out onto a board or plate. Allow to cool completely.

3. Dust your work surface with cornstarch and roll out the icing . Cut out circles to drape over the cakes. You can use a saucer as a guide. Drape these over the sponge cakes to form ghosts. From the trimmings either use a mini cutter to cut out some tiny white oval shapes or roll out some tiny balls of white icing into oval shapes . Dampen them with a little water and stick them onto the front of the ghost. Use a blob of black Writing Icing for the pupils of the eyes.


(Source: Parenting.Com)


Enjoy!

.Halloween Poke Cake.

.Ingredients.
1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
1 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Orange Flavor Gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1/2 tsp. yellow food coloring
1/4 tsp. red food coloring
Halloween sprinkles


.Instructions.
1. PREPARE cake batter and bake in 13x9-inch pan as directed on package. Cool cake in pan 15 min. Pierce cake with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals.

2. ADD boiling water to gelatin mix in small bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water; pour over cake. Refrigerate 3 hours.

3.TINT COOL WHIP orange with food colorings; spread onto cake. Refrigerate 1 hour. Decorate with sprinkles just before serving.


.Tips.
* Substitutions: Prepare using COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping. If orange food coloring is available, use that instead of the yellow and red food colorings. Add enough drops of food coloring until frosting is of desired shade.
* How to Thaw COOL WHIP: Place unopened 8-oz. tub of whipped topping in refrigerator for 4 hours. Do not thaw in microwave.


(Source: Kraft Foods)


Enjoy!

.Witch Cake.

This makes 16 servings.


.Ingredients.
1 pkg. (2-layer size) cake mix, any flavor
1-1/2 cups cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
Few drops green food coloring
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Mini OREO Bite Size Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
10 BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks


.Instructions.
1. PREPARE cake batter and bake in 13x9-inch baking pan as directed on package. Cool completely.

2. TRANSFER cake to cutting board; cut into pieces using diagram 1. Arrange cake pieces on cake board or large platter to form the witch's head, nose, hair and hat as shown in diagram 2.



3. FROST and decorate with Evil Embellishments as listed below. Store in refrigerator.

4. Frosting: For frosting, add milk to dry pudding mix in medium bowl. Beat with whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Remove 1 cup of the pudding mixture to use for the hair; spread remaining pudding mixture onto cake.

5. Scary Face: For scary face and witch's wart, use the chocolate chunks.

6. Ghoulish Green Hair: For ghoulish green hair, stir green food coloring into the reserved 1 cup pudding mixture. Spread onto the head as desired.

7. Witch's hat: Decorate with the cookies.


.Tips.
* Variation: You could always make her face green and her hair orange by using yellow and red food coloring to make orange icing.


(Source: Kraft Foods)


Enjoy!

.Great Pumpkin Cake.

.Ingredients.
1 pkg. (2-layer) cake mix, any flavor
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
Few drops each: green, red and yellow food coloring
1 ice cream cone


.Instructions.
1. PREPARE cake batter and bake in 12-cup fluted tube pan as directed on package. Cool in pan 10 min. Invert cake onto wire rack; remove pan. Cool cake completely.

2. MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese and butter in medium bowl with mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended after each addition. Remove 1/2 cup of the frosting; place in small bowl. Add green food coloring; stir until well blended. Spread half of the green frosting onto outside of ice cream cone; set aside. Cover and reserve remaining green frosting for later use.

3. ADD red and yellow food colorings to remaining white frosting to tint it orange. Spread onto cake to resemble pumpkin. Invert ice cream cone in hole in top of cake for the pumpkin's stem. Pipe the reserved green frosting in vertical lines down side of cake.


.Tips.
* For a more rounded Great Pumpkin Cake, use a tall 12-cup fluted tube pan. As the cake bakes, it rises and forms a rounded top. When cake is unmolded (upside-down), the bottom of the cake will be rounded. If the cake is baked in a shorter 12-cup fluted tube pan, the resulting cake will be flatter.
* Place black gumdrops on sheet of waxed paper sprinkled with additional granulated sugar. Use a rolling pin to flatten each gumdrop, turning frequently to coat both sides with sugar. Cut into desired shapes with a sharp knife. Use to decorate frosted cake to resemble a jack-o'-lantern.
* How to Pipe Frosting: Turn a resealable plastic bag into a handy piping bag for professional-looking decorated cakes. Simply spoon the frosting into the bag and seal the bag. Cut off a tiny piece from one of the bottom corners of the bag. Twist the bag at the top and holding the bag with one hand, guide the tip with the other. When you're done, the whole bag goes right into the garbage for easy cleanup!


(Source: Kraft Foods)


Enjoy!

.Bubbling Cauldron Cake.

.Ingredients.
1 box (18.5 oz) cake mix, any flavor
1 can (12 oz) whipped vanilla frosting
1 1/2 cans (16 oz each) chocolate frosting
Green and yellow liquid food color
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

.Potion Ingredients.
large gummy snake
gummy teeth
gummy worms
gummy frogs

.Toes.
3 sliced almonds
3 marshmallow circus peanuts

.Fire Logs and Twigs.
10 pretzel rods
40 pretzel sticks

.Flames.
2 rolls each red and yellow Fruit Roll-Ups


.Instructions.
1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 8 x 2-in. round cake pan and a 6-cup bundt pan. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap.

2. Prepare cake mix as package directs. Fill 8 inch cake pan with 2 1/2 cups batter; spread remaining batter in bundt pan.

3. Bake both cakes on middle rack, 25 minutes for 8-in. pan, 30 to 35 minutes for bundt pan or until a wooden pick inserted in centers of cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes before inverting cakes on racks to cool completely. Freeze 8-in. cake 2 hours.

4. Trim humps off both cakes with a long serrated knife until flat. Cut a 5-in.-diameter round from middle of frozen cake layer (you’ll have a ring of cake); brush off crumbs. Save middle.

5. Flames: Unroll each Roll-Up and fold in half. Using scissors, cut out long, narrow, triangles. Place on baking sheet.

6. Toes: Attach an almond to top end of each circus peanut with a dab of vanilla frosting. Add to baking sheet.

7. Logs and twigs: Place rods on a serving platter in a circle, breaking some to fit. Place pretzel sticks between rods.

8. To assemble: Place bundt cake, rounded side up, on a sheet of wax paper; press saved cake in hole in center. Spread chocolate frosting over rounded part of bundt cake. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Place bundt cake flat side up on top of logs. Frost sides and top of bundt cake. Set ring cake on bundt cake. Spread top and sides with chocolate frosting, swirling frosting.

9. Attach flames, alternating red and yellow, to sides of cauldron with some bending over the logs.

10. Scrape vanilla frosting into a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in green and yellow food color until blended and lime green. Microwave on high about 15 seconds or just until thin enough to pour (don’t overheat). Add marshmallows; stir until coated.

11. Curl snake in cauldron with head hanging out. Spoon in marshmallows, adding toes, teeth and worms and letting some marshmallows spill out on the edges. Scatter frogs around logs.


.Tips.
* Plan Ahead: Wrapped cakes can be frozen up to 1 month. Flames and toes may be made up to 3 days ahead, wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature.


(Source: Woman's Day)


Enjoy!

.The Monster Bride.

.Ingredients.
1 can (12 oz) vanilla frosting
Green paste or gel food color
8 Twinkies Snack Cakes (from a 15-oz box)
1 can (12 oz) milk-chocolate frosting
White, red and black jelly beans
1 tube black decorating icing


.Instructions.
1. Have ready 2 plastic pastry bags and a 1/4-in. basket weave piping tip. Unwrap snack cakes; place on a baking sheet lined with nonstick foil.

2. Spoon 1/2 the vanilla frosting into a microwave-safe bowl and tint pale green. Microwave (stir every 5 to 10 seconds) just until frosting is thinned to a glaze.

3. Taking care not to frost flat bottom of snack cake, dip half of each cake into frosting to cover one end. Place on lined baking sheet; refrigerate until set. Cover and reserve remaining green frosting.

4. Fit piping tip in a pastry bag. Add chocolate frosting; pipe hair on unfrosted part of cakes. Cut white jelly beans in half for eyes and nose; attach with remaining green frosting. Cut red and black jelly beans in half. Attach red halves for rouged cheeks, black halves for bolts.

5. Using black tube frosting, place a dot of frosting in center of eyes, then outline eyes and pipe on eyelashes and a smiling mouth.

6. Wash piping tip and place in other pastry bag. Add remaining white frosting and pipe squiggly white streaks in hair on 2 sides as shown. Refrigerate until serving to firm up frosting.


(Source: Woman's Day)


Enjoy!

.Plump Pumpkin Cake.

.Ingredients.
2 (18.25 oz.) pkgs. cake mix, any flavor
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, softened
8 C. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch salt
Red, yellow, and green food coloring
Black paste food coloring (optional)
1 flat-bottomed ice-cream cone
2 bunt cake pans


.Instructions.
1. Prepare cake batters according to package directions and bake each as directed in a prepared (greased and floured) non-stick bundt pan. If you only have one bundt pan, simply make your cake mixes in two seperate batches.

2. Let cool completely.

3. To prepare frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla, salt, and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add powdered sugar in four stages, beating well with the electric mixer after each addition. (Feeling lazy? Simply use 2 tubs of packaged prepared frosting-- it's almost as good!)

4. Seperate out about one cup of frosting. Add green food coloring to reach you desired shade of green.

5. Seperate out another 1/4 cup of frosting. Add black paste food coloring to make black frosting. (This is for a Jack o Lantern face, and is optional.)

6. To the remaining frosting, add red and yellow food coloring (or simply buy orange), until you get your desired shade of orange.

7. The first thing you'll want to frost is your ice cream cone "stem." Smoothly frost entire outside of cone with green frosting. Place in the refrigerator or freezer until chilled. The harder the frosting, the easier it will be to manipulate later without smudging.

8. Meanwhile, place one inverted bundt cake on your serving platter. Frost "top" (what should be the bottom) of bundt cake with orange frosting.

9. Place remaining prepared bundt cake right-side-up on top of inverted cake. The frosting should help them stick together.

10. Frost entire outside of cake with orange frosting.

11. Using black-tinted frosting and a cake decorator's bag (or a plastic bag with a tiny hole in it), paint on a Jack o' Lantern face (optional).

12. Insert green-frosted ice cream cone into the hole in the middle of your bundt cake.

13. With remaining green frosting in a cake decorator's bag (or a plastic bag with a tiny hole in it), create lines, leaves, and/or vines, as desired.


.Alternate Version - Jack o' Lantern.




.Tips.
* You can change the stem color to brown if you'd prefer.
* You can pipe a jack o' lantern face with either black or yellow icing.


(Source: Divine Dinner Party)


Enjoy!