Halloween Strawberry Shortcake Skull Cake Food

CHRISTMAS TREE SURPRISE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
• You have to bake 3 cakes, but bake them one at a time, mixing up the batter only when you're ready to bake. For 2 of the cakes, tint the batter green. For the third cake, tint the batter red. Bake each cake until the center springs back when lightly touched, about 45 minutes.
• Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes so the cake becomes firm.
• Carve and level the cakes: Using plates, bowls, glasses or round cookie cutters to trace around, cut the following: From the two green cakes, cut out 4 rounds: 8 inch, 6 inch, 4 inch, and 2 inch. Then from the red cake, cut out 4 rounds: 7 inch, 5 inch, 3 inch, and 1 inch. Take the round cookie cutter and cut a hole through the centers of the 4 inch, 5 inch, 6 inch, and 7 inch layers. (Save all the scraps for making Christmas-colored cake pop dough!)
• Make the buttercream frosting. Measure out 1 cup and tint it red. Tint the rest dark green.
• Spread a little green frosting on the cake board, lay down the 8 inch green cake layer, and spread a layer of frosting on top. Add the 7 inch red layer and repeat, taking care not to frost the inside edges of the center hole. Continue stacking and frosting gradually smaller cake layers until you reach the 4 inch layer.
• Take the 3 cups of candy and fill the center core of the tree, pressing down a little to compact the candy. Frost the top of the 4 inch layer and continue stacking and frosting until all the layers are stacked.
• Once stacked, take a serrated knife and gently carve away the sharp edges of the layers to form a tall cone shape. Apply a very thin "crumb coat" of frosting all over the outside of the cake. Set in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the Christmas lights. Melt the Candy Melts. Cut the colored Tic Tac candies in half crosswise. Use a toothpick dipped in the melted candy to attach a Tic Tac to the end of a peanut M and M of the same color (the M and M is the bulb and the Tic Tac is the base). You will need about 40 of these.
• To make the star for the top of the tree, trace around a star cookie cutter onto parchment. Pipe an outline of white melted candy, then fill in the shape. Place a lollipop stick in the center and cover with more melted candy. Sprinkle with sanding sugar and let set at room temperature.
• Place the green frosting into a piping bag fitted with a number 21 open star tip. Starting at the top of the cake, pipe 3/4 inch long strands of frosting in neat rows around the entire cake, like layers of pine branches on a Christmas tree.
• Once the cake is covered, place the red frosting into a piping bag fitted with a number 21 piping tip and pipe draping lines of "tinsel" around the cake. Attach the colored M and M lights directly to the red frosting. Work quickly here, as the frosting will start to form a crust, which can make attaching the decorations difficult.
• Take the star and flip it over. Coat the back with white melted candy and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Allow to set. Insert the lollipop stick into the center of the top of the tree.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8 x 3 inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.
• In a stand mixer, with the whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and eggs on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the mixer bowl. Add the oil to the creamed mixture and combine.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture and milk to the creamed mixture and beat on high speed until the flour is completely mixed, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scrape the batter into the pan and use an offset spatula to smooth the top.
• Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Check after 45 minutes, and if the top is browning too much, tent with foil. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a metal spatula around the edge of the cake and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a stand mixer with the whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed for at least 5 minutes, until the butter has lightened in color and is thoroughly whipped. Using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape the vanilla seeds into the butter and beat to incorporate.
• Add 1 cup of the sugar and begin mixing on low speed to combine, then beat on high speed for about 2 minutes. Repeat this process 1 cup at a time until all the sugar has been added. Add milk a dash at a time if the mixture becomes too thick or dry. Scrape down the sides as needed and make sure no sugar is visible.
• The frosting will last for 1 month in the freezer, 2 weeks in the fridge, and 3 days at room temperature.

RED VELVET STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Cut two 22-by-3 1/2-inch strips of parchment paper. Spray a 7-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment and fit one of the strips of parchment around the inside of the pan, so that the parchment sticks up above the edge. Spray again with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together the coffee and cocoa powder in a small heatproof bowl until the cocoa has dissolved. Set aside to cool.
• Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the granulated sugar and vegetable oil on medium speed. Add the eggs, vanilla and food coloring and mix until well combined. Mix in the cocoa mixture. Mixing on low speed, add the a third of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Add half the buttermilk. Add another third of the dry ingredients, mix until combined, and then add the remaining buttermilk.
• Stop the mixer. Stir the baking soda and vinegar together in a small bowl (it will bubble up). Immediately add it to the batter along with the remaining dry ingredients and mix for 15 seconds.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, set the pan on a baking sheet tray and bake until the top springs back when gently pressed and a toothpick comes out clean, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then remove the sides and slide the cake off the bottom to cool completely on the rack.
• Once completely cool, use a large serrated knife or a cake knife or cake leveler to trim off any doming on top of the cake. Slice the cake horizontally into 2 even layers.
• For the filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl. Set aside to bloom for 5 minutes.
• Mix the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high until creamy and smooth. Transfer 3/4 cup of the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and set aside in the refrigerator. Microwave the bloomed gelatin until melted, about 20 seconds. Beat the gelatin into the remaining cream cheese along with the sour cream. Mix until smooth.
• Set aside 5 of the prettiest strawberries for decorating the top of the cake. Remove the green tops from the rest of the strawberries. Trim the berries if necessary so that they are similar in height when standing up on the trimmed end.
• To assemble the cake, set one layer of cake on a cake board or flat serving platter. Unlock the clean ring of the springform pan and place it around the cake layer. Take the second strip of parchment and wrap around the cake inside the ring so that it is standing up, then lock the cake ring so that it hugs the parchment against the cake.
• Spread 1/3 cup of the cream cheese filling over the cake layer. Slice a strawberry in half vertically and press the cut halves up against the parchment so that they touch at the bottom. Repeat until you have a ring of berries around the inside of the parchment. Take the remaining whole berries and fill in the interior of the ring, trimmed side down (you may not use all the berries, depending on their size).
• Spread the rest of the filling over the berries, making sure that it fills in the gaps between them.
• Gently tap the cake on the counter to eliminate any air pockets. Place the second cake layer on top, making sure the parchment is around the sides, and gently press down. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is chilled through and set, at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours.
• When ready to serve, unlock the springform ring and lift it off the cake. Peel off the parchment strip, being careful not to pull it straight out but rather peel it gently away from the sides of the cake. With the reserved frosting, pipe 14 stars in a circle around the top edge of the cake, then pipe 10 stars in a smaller circle, and then 2 large rosettes in the center. Cut the reserved 5 strawberries in half vertically, leaving the green tops on, and place 7 strawberry halves in every other gap between the 14 piped stars. Arrange the remaining 3 strawberry halves on the rosettes in the center of the cake. Slice and enjoy!

HALLOWEEN COFFIN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. Prepare and bake both pound cake mixes together in one pan as directed on package for 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. (After baking cake, leave oven on to bake cookie "lid"). Cool cake 10 minutes on wire rack; invert cake onto wire rack and remove pan. Cool completely.
• With clean hands or wooded spoon, stir together cookie dough and flour until well combined. On lightly greased cookie sheet, roll out cookie dough to 12x8-inch rectangle. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly. With large spatula, carefully remove cookie to wire rack. Cool completely.
• Place cake on large tray. With knife, mark 1-inch from each edge of cake. With fork, scoop out center of cake to within 1-inch from sides and bottom. Unwrap cookies and creme bars. Line inside of "coffin" with bar pieces. Place frosting in bowl. Stir in cocoa until well blended. Frost entire outside of coffin and top of cookie lid. Fill center of coffin with assorted wrapped candies. Unwrap some candies and decorate lid. Prop up one side of lid with wooded skewer or popsicle sticks wrapped with Pull-n-Peel candy
• CANDY CRITTERS Create "spooktacular" critter by using products such as nuggets candy, peppermint patties miniatures, chocolate drops, peanut butter cups as bodies. Then add licorice candy legs, candy whiskers, and candy and chocolate covered peanut butter candy eyes.