Ghostly Boo Day Cake Food

"BOO" BERRY GHOSTS

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.

EASY GHOST CAKE

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.

GHOSTLY "BOO-DAY" CAKE

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.

GHOST "CAKE"

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix; mix well. Spoon evenly into 24 paper-lined medium muffin cups. Bake as directed on package for cupcakes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.
• Arrange cupcakes on large serving platter or tray to resemble a ghost as shown in diagram. Spread with frosting. Use decorating gel to outline the mouth on the cupcakes. Finely crush 3 of the cookies; sprinkle inside mouth. Place remaining 2 cookies on cupcakes to resemble eyes. Store in refrigerator.

GHOST CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base of two 16cm (or smaller) sandwich tins and a 1.2L pudding basin. Mix the self-raising flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and beat in the golden syrup, eggs, oil and milk with an electric whisk, until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into the pudding basin until it is ¾ full, then divide the rest between the two sandwich tins and bake for 25-30 mins until the cakes are risen and firm to the touch. The sponge in the pudding basin may need longer depending on whether the basin is metal or ceramic. Cool for 10 mins before turning out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Meanwhile, to make the icing beat the butter until it is creamy, beat in the icing sugar a little at a time, beat in the cocoa powder and 2 tbsp water.
• Cut the pudding basin cake in half horizontally and sandwich it back together with a little icing. Put a round sponge on a cake board or plate, sandwich the next one on top with a little icing. Sandwich the pudding basin cake onto the top of the round cake. If the bottom cake sticks out beyond the bottom of the pudding basin cake then trim the top edge of the lower cake at an angle to make the sides flatter. Ice the outside of the cake with a thin layer of chocolate icing, using it all up.
• Roll the fondant out on a surface dusted with icing sugar to make a sheet shape that is big enough to cover the whole cake. Drape it carefully over the iced cake and press it on around the top to make your ghost, with ruffles around the edges, cutting off the excess round the base. Colour some of the excess icing black by kneading in the food colouring, or use the black fondant icing. Roll it out to a few mm thick. Cut out eyes and a mouth and stick them on.