Hat Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions. Place 2 tablespoons batter into each of five paper-lined muffin cups. Spread remaining batter in a greased 11x7-in. square baking pan. , Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Cool cake for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely., Cut cake into an 8x8x6-in. triangle. Cut the cake scraps into two 4x4x3-in. triangles. Save the remaining cake for another use., For hat, position the large triangle on a 16-in. square covered board. For the face, place the two smaller triangles below the hat with the 3-in. sides touching the base of the hat. Arrange cupcakes around the edge of the face. (see diagram/photo)., Place 1 cup frosting in a bowl; stir in baking cocoa. Place remaining frosting in a bowl; tint green. Frost witch's hat with cocoa frosting. Frost remaining cake and cupcakes with green icing., Cut marshmallow in half. Place on cake for eyes; add M&M's for pupils. Add spearmint leaf nose, red licorice mouth and a burnt peanut wart.

Steps:

• Prepare the cake mix according to the package instructions and bake it in a doll dress cake pan. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• While the cake is still in the pan, trim off the top, using the edge of the pan as a guide. This will give you a flat top. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, transfer the frosting to a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed, adding a couple of drops of food coloring at a time to achieve the desired shade of blue.
• Cut the cake horizontally into 4 layers using a long serrated knife. Use a 4-inch round cutter to cut a hole in the center of the 2 largest layers on the bottom. Reserve the cutouts.
• Place the bottom layer on a cake board or cake plate and frost the top with the frosting. Place the second cake layer on top, so that the sides and center holes line up. Fill the well in the cake with the candy-coated chocolates. Frost the top of the second layer, and place the third layer on top. Repeat with the frosting and top cake layer. Using a limited amount of frosting, frost a thin crumb coat over the cake. Refrigerate to firm up, about 30 minutes. Frost the cake with more frosting.
• Fit a pastry bag with a coupler (or you can use multiple piping bags). Fit the bag with a large star tip and fill the bag with frosting. (See Cook's Note.)
• Use a butter knife to lightly score 5 evenly-spaced vertical lines down the side of the cake. Using the pastry bag with the large star tip and following one of the scored lines from top to bottom, pipe overlapping diagonal 2-inch mounds of frosting, lifting and pulling down in alternating directions to make a braid. Repeat the pattern down the remaining scored lines.
• Switch to a smaller star tip on the pastry bag. Working from the top of the cake down, pipe overlapping semi-circles between each of the braided lines. Repeat around the rest of the cake.
• Switch to a small plain round tip on the pastry bag. Pipe straight lines down both sides of each semi-circle line. Next to these, pipe lines of dots, starting from the top to the bottom. Next to these, pipe straight lines. Repeat around the cake.
• To make the pom-pom on top of the cake, mix the reserved cake cutouts with 1/4 cup frosting in a medium bowl until mostly smooth. Form a cake ball the size of a baseball and refrigerate it on a plate until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Place the coconut in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag and add 2 drops of blue food coloring. Shake the bag to color the coconut. Remove half the coconut to a shallow bowl. Add 6 more drops of the food coloring to the remaining coconut in the bag. Shake the bag to color the coconut and transfer it to a second shallow bowl.
• Roll the cake ball in the dark blue coconut followed by the light blue coconut until fully coated. Place the cake ball on top of the cake. Press the remaining coconut around the bottom of the cake to form the trim.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Prepare the batter: Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl, and set it over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir chocolate until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from heat, and set aside to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping sides of bowl as needed, until light and fluffy. On low speed, mix in melted chocolate. Increase speed to medium, and add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, and beat until mixture is creamy and color has lightened slightly, about 1 minute. Mix in sour cream. On low speed, add half of reserved flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Mix in 1/2 cup water. Add remaining flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated.
• Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Fill each liner with enough batter to come 1/8 inch from top, about 1/3 cup. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool in pan for 10 minutes.
• Use a small knife to loosen any tops stuck to the pan. Carefully invert cupcakes onto the wire rack. Turn cupcakes right side up, and let cool completely.
• Prepare the frosting: In a large heatproof bowl, combine sugar, 1/4 cup water, egg whites, and cream of tartar. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 12 minutes; frosting should register 160 degrees.on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and almond extracts, and beat for 2 minutes more until frosting thickens.
• Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain pastry tip. Leaving a 1/8-inch border on each cupcake, pipe a spiral of frosting into a 2-inch-high cone shape, using about 1/2 cup of frosting per cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet, and refrigerate while preparing the chocolate coating.
• Prepare the chocolate coating: Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and let cool about 15 minutes.
• Holding each cupcake by its bottom, dip cupcake in the chocolate to coat frosting, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Spoon more coating around edge of cupcake and any exposed frosting; none of the frosting should show. Let cupcakes stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
• Carefully remove paper liners from cupcakes, and discard. Place cupcakes on a serving platter, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let coating set. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours more. Serve cold. Cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.