Ghostly Boo Day Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Line two ungreased 18x13-in. baking pans with parchment paper. Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Sift confectioners' sugar and flour together three times; set aside., Preheat oven to 350°. Add cream of tartar, vanilla and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time., Gently spoon into prepared pans. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake 25-35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool completely, about 1 hour., Cut with a 4-in. ghost-shaped cookie cutter. Spread half of the cakes with preserves; top with remaining cakes. Place on wire racks over waxed paper., Transfer frosting to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high 20-30 seconds or until melted; stir until smooth. Spoon over cakes. Add chocolate chips for eyes and M&M's for mouths. Let stand until set.

Steps:

• For the cake: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat one 9-inch round cake pan and one 9-inch square cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of each with parchment paper; lightly coat the paper with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl until combined. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, oil and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl until the batter is completely combined, smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cakes are a light golden brown and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• For the frosting: Meanwhile, beat the butter in a stand mixer on medium-high speed until very creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix the milk, vanilla and salt in a liquid measuring cup, then add it to the butter. Mix slowly on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until very smooth. Add half of the confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed until just combined. Scrape the bowl again with a rubber spatula. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium-low speed until fluffy and well combined, about 5 minutes. Transfer 1/2 cup of the frosting to a small bowl and mix in black gel food coloring until very pigmented. Set both bowls of frosting aside at room temperature until ready to assemble the cake.
• For assembling: Once the cakes have cooled completely, place the square cake, domed-side down, in the center of a large cutting board or platter (this will be the body of the ghost). Place the round cake domed-side down and cut in half with a sharp knife into 2 half-moons. Place one half-moon above the square cake with the cut-side adjoining the body (this will be the head of the ghost). Repeat with the other half-moon below the body (this will be the bottom of the ghost from which two arms will be cut). Next, cut a scalloped edge of 3 curves, each about 2 inches wide, into the bottom of the ghost, keeping the cake scrap intact as one piece. Then cut two oval-shaped arms from that cake scrap. Place one arm on each side of the ghost's body. There should be minimal cake scraps left; enjoy or save for another use.
• Use a little white frosting to help adhere the head, bottom and arms to the body. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining white frosting, smoothing out the top with an offset spatula. Transfer the black frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small round pastry tip; pipe two eyes and a mouth onto the ghost. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 6-inch round cake pans. Dust with cocoa powder, and tap out excess; set aside. Alternatively, line six mini muffin tins with paper liners.
• Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
• Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly among pans (about 2 cups batter per pan) or lined muffin cups (about 1 tablespoon batter per cup).
• Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes for cake layers and 14 to 16 minutes for mini cupcakes. Let cool in pans or muffin tins on a wire rack.
• To frost the ghost cake, cover each of two layers with 2/3 cup Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting, and stack the layers; spread remaining frosting over top and sides of assembled cake. To frost the mini cupcakes, use the Chocolate Cream-Cheese Frosting.
• To make the ghosts, you will need a miniature marshmallow, 2 regular marshmallows, and 2 chocolate sprinkles. Twist top of miniature marshmallow into a point by rolling it between your thumb and index finger. Trim all 3 marshmallows, and stick together. Twist top 2 slightly to shape. With a toothpick, poke holes, and insert sprinkle eyes.

Steps:

• Line a 13x9-in. baking pan and an 8-in. square baking dish with foil, and grease the foil. Prepare brownie batter and bake according to package directions, using prepared pans. Cool on wire racks., Break pretzel rods into various sizes; dip into melted chocolate. Arrange into a tree shape on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet., Place melted white candy coating in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Outline three small ghosts on waxed paper. Fill in ghost outlines, adding a lollipop stick to each for support. Place unmelted chocolate chips on ghosts for eyes. Let dry completely., Using foil, lift brownies out of pans. Discard foil; place 8-in. square brownie on a large serving plate for graveyard. Spread chocolate frosting over top and sides., Cut remaining brownie into 3-in.x1-1/2-in. tombstone shapes. Combine confectioners' sugar and cocoa; sprinkle over tombstones. With black food coloring, tint vanilla frosting gray; decorate tombstones., Using toothpicks, insert three tombstones into graveyard. Insert tree into graveyard (support as needed with brownie scraps). Insert ghosts into graveyard; sprinkle with wafer crumbs for dirt and coconut for grass. Place remaining tombstones on a serving platter.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
• Line a 8x4-inch (20x10 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper and generously grease the pan.
• Slice the vanilla pound cake as the same thickness as a ghost shaped cookie cutter. Cut out the cake with using a ghost-shaped cookie cutter. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine pound cake mix, cocoa powder, butter, melted chocolate, milk, and eggs. Mix until well combined.
• In the lined and greased loaf pan, add ⅓ of the batter. Line the cut out ghost-shaped pound cake in the middle of the pan.
• Pour rest of the batter over the ghost-shaped cake.
• Smooth the top and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on cooling rack
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• 1. In a saucepan, combine the water, butter, shortening and cocoa; cook and stir until butter and shortening are melted. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the butter mixture; mix well. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; mix well.
• 2. Pour into a greased and waxed paper-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently peel off waxed paper. Transfer to a 17-in. x 12-in. covered board.
• 3. In a saucepan, heat the cream until bubbles begin to form around sides of pan. Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Place pan in a bowl of ice water; stir constantly until cooled. Gradually whisk in enough confectioners' sugar to achieve spreading consistency. Frost the top and sides of cake.
• 4. In a small bowl, cream the butter and shortening. Beat in confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Place 1/3 cup in a small bowl; tint orange. Place 3 tablespoons in another bowl; tint purple.
• 5. Trace a ghost pattern. Cut out with a shape knife, trace the ghost on chocolate frosting. Gently spread white frosting in ghost shape. Place orange frosting in a pastry or plastic bag; cut a hole in one corner. Pipe banner on ghost. Cut a hole in corner of another pastry or plastic bag; insert #2 round pastry tip and purple frosting. Pipe "Happy Boo-Day" on banner.