Witch Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with shortening; coat with flour (do not use cooking spray). Lightly grease 2 muffin cups in mini muffin pan.
• Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour into 2 mini muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Pour remaining batter into round pans. Bake cupcakes 11 to 14 minutes, rounds 29 to 34 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from muffin cups and pans; place rounded sides up on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. If necessary, cut off rounded tops of cakes.
• Meanwhile, reserve 2 tablespoons of the frosting in small bowl. In medium bowl, stir orange gel food color into remaining frosting until smooth.
• Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on serving plate. Spread 1/2 cup of the frosting over cake layer to within 1/4 inch of edge. Top with second layer, rounded side up. Frost with remaining frosting.
• Cut 1 mini cupcake in half at an angle; press into cake to make the witch's behind. Frost with reserved 2 tablespoons frosting, sprinkle with black coarse sugar.
• Microwave chewy chocolate candies on High 3 to 8 seconds, just until moldable. Press 1 candy on uncut end of each hard candy stick. Mold chocolate candies to make witch's shoes. Mold the remaining 2 chocolate candies together to make hat.
• Insert cut end of hard candy sticks into cake near witch's behind. Sprinkle cookie crumbs around witch's behind.
• Using paring knife, cut the orange strip out of the rainbow-berry flavor sweet-sour chewy licorice. Wrap the orange candy strip around the witch's hat, and gently tie it onto the hat.
• To make pumpkins, wrap remaining mini cupcake and both marshmallows with punch berry fruit snack, pinching to seal fruit snack. Firmly press green licorice candies into top of wrapped pumpkins to make stem. Press miniature chocolate chips in cupcake face for eyes and brown candies for mouth. Place on cake.
• Fold remaining fruit snack in half lengthwise with paring knife; cut small slits into fruit snack without cutting all the way through. Wrap fruit snack around one end of chocolate licorice stick to make broom; place on cake. Decorate with candy pumpkins. Store loosely covered.

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
• Heat the milk in a small saucepan to just below a simmer. Pour over the cocoa powder in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly. Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
• Whisk the sugar, oil, egg and vanilla into the cooled cocoa mixture until smooth. Add the flour mixture and whisk just until smooth. Divide the mixture among the paper liners. Bake until a tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, 20 to 23 minutes. Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting: Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring well with a rubber spatula between each, until completely melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
• Beat the butter on medium high speed with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the cooled chocolate and beat until combined. Add the confectioners' sugar and cocoa and beat on low to combine. Add 1 tablespoon milk and the vanilla. Beat on high until light and fluffy, adding the last tablespoon of milk, if needed, to make a smooth, pipeable frosting. Starting with about 1/8 teaspoon, beat in black gel coloring to tint the frosting nearly black (you may need up to 1 teaspoon total).
• For assembly: Line a baking sheet with parchment and clear space in your refrigerator or freezer to accommodate the level pan. Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring well between each, until completely melted and smooth. Let cool slightly. While the chocolate cools, use a paring knife to gently saw off the tip of each ice cream cone (about 3/4 inch) at an angle to make the bent tips of the hats.
• Use a small spoon to coat the cut end of a cone with melted chocolate and lay it flat on the prepared baking sheet. Attach the tip piece at an angle so it looks like the point of the hat is bent and paint with a little more chocolate to seal the two pieces together. Repeat with the remaining cones and refrigerate or freeze until set, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Once the cones are fused together, pour the sprinkles into a shallow bowl or small sheet pan. Working one at a time, lightly coat the cones in melted chocolate and roll in the sprinkles. Set upright on the lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the cones until set, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Put the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a round of frosting in the center of each cupcake and press on a hat to adhere. Cut the sour belts to wrap around the base of the hats about 1/2 inch from the bottom. Use a little frosting to adhere the ends to the hat, if needed. Pipe frosting around the perimeter of the cupcakes to make a brim for each hat. Stick a yellow candy on each sour belt to make a hat buckle, gently pressing it into the frosting so it sticks.

Steps:

• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting; mix well. Shape into 2-inch balls; place on cookie sheet. Freeze until firm; keep refrigerated.
• In medium microwavable bowl, microwave black candy melts and 4 teaspoons of the shortening uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 minute, then in 15-second intervals, until melted; stir until smooth. Repeat with green candy melts and remaining 2 teaspoons shortening. Dip tip of 1 lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into melted black candy and insert stick into 1 cake ball no more than halfway. Repeat. Return to cookie sheet. Refrigerate 5 minutes. Remove from refrigerator a few at a time. Dip cake balls in black candy (do not tap off excess). Place cake balls, tops down, on cookie sheet. Let stand until set.
• Spoon green candy onto flat side of each cake ball. Immediately attach licorice to look like handle. Poke opposite end of stick into foam block. Let stand until set.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in water., Pour into prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, vanilla, salt and enough milk to reach desired consistency; remove 1-1/2 cups frosting and set aside. Tint remaining frosting with green gel food coloring until desired color is reached. Tint reserved frosting with black food coloring., If cake layers have rounded tops, trim with a serrated knife to make level. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 2/3 cup frosting. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake., For decoration, place melted candy coating in piping bag fitted with a small round tip; pipe witch hat shapes onto waxed paper. Let stand until set. Top cake with assorted sprinkles. Place black frosting in piping bag fitted with large star tip; pipe onto top of cake. Just before serving, gently stand 1 witch hat on top of cake. Adhere remaining witch hats and black pearls to sides of cake by gently pressing into frosting.

Steps:

• For the bottom cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar and oil until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves. Add to egg mixture alternating with pumpkin, beating well after each addition.
• Evenly coat a 10-inch fluted tube pan with nonstick cooking spray. Fill pan three-quarters full with cake batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Remove pan and let cake cool completely.
• For the top cake: When the tube pan has completely cooled, repeat making the cake batter, baking and cooling a second cake. Trim the bottom of each cake flat.
• For the green buttercream: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and confectioners' sugar. Mix on low speed until crumbly. Add milk or cream a little at a time while mixing on low speed until mixture is of spreading consistency. Increase speed to high and whip until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and food color. Beat until the buttercream is consistently green with no white streaks remaining.
• Place a bundt cake cut-side up on a cake board or serving plate. Place 1 cup of green buttercream on top of the cake and spread evenly. Top with the second cake cut-side down. Press gently to adhere. Cover remaining green buttercream with a damp towel so it doesn't dry out.
• For the black chocolate buttercream: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar and dark cocoa powder. Mix on low speed until crumbly. Add milk or cream a little at a time while mixing on low speed until mixture is of spreading consistency. Increase speed to high and whip until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and food color. Beat until the buttercream is consistently black with no white streaks remaining.
• Frost the entire cake with dark chocolate buttercream. Spread as evenly as possible. Use a folded 6-inch square piece of parchment paper to smooth the buttercream on the sides of the cake. Hold the paper with both hands and place the edge at the bottom of the cake and smooth upward into a round shape. Use fresh parchment squares as needed. Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill until firm, about 20 minutes. Transfer the remaining black buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a small star tip (#14). Set aside for later use.
• For the decorations: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and fill the middle with green buttercream. Add additional green buttercream to the top of the cake and spread some over one side, as if the buttercream is cascading off the side of the cauldron. Immediately cover the green buttercream with the green ball-shaped candies. Add the green sugar pearls and allow them to fall into the cracks between the larger ball-shaped candies. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator and chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
• To make the witch legs: Melt the purple candy wafers and orange candy wafers in separate bowls according to the package directions. Using a serrated knife, gently trim away 1/8 inch from one end of two pretzel rods. Place toothpicks in the ends of the pretzels; press in firmly to secure. Hold one pretzel rod by the toothpick end and dip it into the orange melted candy. Use a spoon to help cover it completely. Allow excess to drip back into the bowl. Insert the toothpick end upright into Styrofoam and let stand until set. Repeat process with the purple melted candy. Use leftover orange melted candy to adhere black confetti sprinkles on the orange leg to create "polka dots." Wind the licorice lace around the purple pretzel rod; adhere at each end using leftover purple melted candy. Let stand until set.
• Knead together five chocolate candy chews using the heat of your hands to soften the candy (stale chews will be tough, and can be microwaved for 5 seconds to make pliable). Using your fingers, manipulate the chocolate mass into a witch shoe shape with curled toes. Repeat with the remaining chocolate candy chews to make a second shoe.
• Trim away the ends of the toothpicks in the dipped pretzel rods to approximately 1/2 inch. Place a dot of leftover melted candy on each toothpick stub; press a shaped chocolate shoe onto each toothpick. Chill until the candy is set, about 10 minutes. Heat the black candy melting wafers until melted and smooth, according to the package directions. Dip the shoe ends of the witch legs in the black candy; remove to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Allow the candy to stand until set, about 20 minutes.
• To make the witch hat: Use a small paring knife or a kitchen-dedicated X-Acto knife to trim away the pointed end of the sugar cone; cut diagonally using sawing motions until the end can be snapped off. Dip the pointed end in leftover melted candy and attach angled downward to the cone (creating the "crook" in the witch hat). Let stand until set. Dip the large end of the cone in leftover melted candy and center on the pizzelle cookie; let stand until set. When the two pieces are well adhered together, dip it in black melted candy, using a spoon to coat entirely. Allow the candy to set, about 15 minutes.
• To make the witch broom: Gather together the yellow fruity sour laces and trim them to approximately 4 to 5 inches in length using a pair of kitchen-dedicated scissors. Lay the pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Melt the yellow candy wafers according to the package directions. Dip the end of the remaining pretzel rod into the yellow candy and place the dipped end onto the fruit laces. Use extra yellow melted candy to adhere the strands together. Wind an orange fruit lace around the yellow fruit laces toward the pretzel end of the broomstick.
• To decorate: Remove the cauldron cake from the refrigerator and use the reserved black chocolate buttercream to pipe witchy swirls along the bottom edge of the cauldron. Insert the leg pieces upright into the top of the cake near one edge of the cake. Place the broom into the cake slightly off center with the bristles pointing upright. Pipe leftover buttercream on the bottom of the witch hat and adhere to the top edge of the cake, opposite of the legs and broom.
• Allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving.

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 cake batter and bake in 13x9-inch baking pan as directed on package. Cool completely.
• 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.
• Frost and decorate with Evil Embellishments as listed below. Store in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool. Crumble into bowl. Add frosting. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Freeze until firm; keep refrigerated. In microwavable bowl, microwave green candy melts and 2 tablespoons of the shortening uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 minute, then in 15-second intervals, until melted; stir until smooth. Repeat with black candy melts and remaining shortening. Dip tip of each lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into melted green candy and insert stick into cake ball no more than halfway. Place on cookie sheet. Refrigerate 5 minutes. Remove from refrigerator a few at a time. Dip cake balls into melted green candy; tap off excess. Poke opposite end of stick into foam block.
• Twist sandwich cookies; remove creme filling. Dip cookies in melted black candy; let set on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Dip Bugles into black candy; place in center of each cookie. Let set. Wrap fruit snack piece around each Bugle. Use black candy to attach cereal piece to fruit snack for buckle. Use green candy to attach licorice to cake pop for hair. Use black candy to attach hat to top of cake pop, and pipe eyes and mouth on cake pop.