Marbled Eyeball Cake Food

EYEBALL CAKE

Steps:

• For the pupil and iris: Spray a 3-quart mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the blue gelatin with the boiling water in a small bowl and mix until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour 1/4 cup of the gelatin into a second bowl and mix in the black food coloring. Set the remaining blue gelatin aside. Pour the black gelatin into the prepared bowl.
• Place in the refrigerator to set, about 30 minutes. Use a 2 1/4-inch round cutter to cut the gelatin into a circle and carefully remove the excess gelatin from around the outside of the cutter to leave a "pupil" in the bottom of the bowl. Discard the excess gelatin.
• Pour 1/4 cup blue gelatin into the bowl over the black pupil (if the blue gelatin has set before pouring, pop it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to loosen it). You will have some excess blue gelatin. Place the bowl back in the refrigerator to set another 30 minutes.
• For the eyeball and crust: Combine the cheesecake mixes and milk in a large bowl. Blend with an electric mixer until thick but still pourable, about 2 minutes. Pour the batter into the bowl over the pupil and iris. Gently drop the bowl on your counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place in the refrigerator and let set for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, mix together the melted butter and red gel food coloring and whisk to ensure that the food coloring is completely blended into the butter. Combine the sugar, red melted butter and 2 bags of the crushed graham crackers that came with the no-bake cheesecake mix in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until the graham cracker crumbs are colored red, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the eyeball from the refrigerator and press the crust on top. Place the entire eyeball cake back in the refrigerator to let the crust harden, about 1 hour.
• To plate and garnish: Place a large round plate or platter over the bowl with the eyeball cake. Flip the bowl over so the bowl is on top of the plate. Gently tap the bowl and plate on the counter to help release the eyeball. Gently remove the bowl to reveal the eyeball cake (if the cake does not release from the bowl, dip the bowl in warm water to help it loosen).
• Use the red writing gel to make branching lines around the eye to resemble the veins of a bloodshot eye. Spoon the cherry pie filling around the entire base of the eyeball (you may not use the whole can).

CAKE EYEBALLS

Steps:

• Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions for a 9-by-13-inch cake or two 9-inch cakes. Allow to cool slightly in the pan, then remove to a rack, cover with a dish towel and let cool completely.
• Break off sections of the cake and crumble in a large bowl. When finished, you should have a bunch of very fine cake crumbs. Using a rubber spatula, work the frosting into the cake until it is no longer visible. (Even if you use white frosting with red velvet cake, the white will eventually blend in entirely.)
• Next, roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (a small ice cream scoop helps with this) and set on a parchment-lined baking sheet. This is important: Pop 'em in the freezer, uncovered, for at least an hour. The cake balls need to be very firm before coating them.
• When the cake balls are nice and firm, place the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (Don't let the bowl touch the water.) Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan. Add the cake balls one at a time to the melted white chocolate and gently roll to coat. Using a fork, lift out the cake balls, then tap the fork against the side of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate. With a toothpick, push the ball off of the fork and back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Let set at room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes. Decorate with gel icing to look like eyeballs.

MARBLE BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat the inside of a Bundt pan with nonstick spray, or butter and flour every nook and cranny well. Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. Beat in the vanilla and sour cream until smooth, then add the milk. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over batter, and mix until thoroughly combined. Add 2 cups of the flour to the batter, and mix until just combined.
• Scoop half of the batter-you can eyeball it-into a separate bowl, and stir the melted white chocolate into it until fully combined; then stir in 1/3 cup flour.
• Stir the cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate into the other half of batter.
• Drop or dot large spoonfuls of the white chocolate batter into the bottom of your prepared cake pan. Drop or dot large spoonfuls of the dark chocolate batter over that, checkerboarding it a little. Continue until all the batter is used. Use a skewer to marble the batters together in figure-8 motions.
• Bake the cake until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out batter-free, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Let cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, then invert onto a cake plate.
• To finish:
• Heat the cream and chocolate together, and stir until just melted. Spoon over the fully cooled cake, and use the back of a spoon to nudge the drippings down in places. Refrigerate cake to set the chocolate coating; leftovers keep best in the fridge as well.

CAKE EYEBALLS

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Cool completely on a wire rack., Crumble cake into a large bowl. Add frosting and mix well. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place on baking sheets. Chill cake balls until firm, at least 2 hours in freezer or at least 3 hours in refrigerator., In separate bowls, heat candy melts in the microwave until melted; stir until smooth. Dip each cake ball in coating; allow excess to drip off. Decorate as desired. Let stand until set.

MARBLED EYEBALL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cake pan or heatproof bowl and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, lightly whisk together egg whites, ¼ cup milk, and vanilla. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix together on low speed for 30 seconds. Add butter and remaining milk to bowl and continue beating on low speed until just combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until batter is light and fluffy, 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to medium-low and add egg mixture in three batches, beating for 30 seconds after each addition.
• Divide batter into three medium bowls. Using gel paste food coloring, tint one third of batter electric green and another one third orange. Spoon batters into prepared pan, set on a half sheet tray in an aluminum foil ring to steady the base, randomly alternating colors in an approximate checkerboard pattern. Using a butter knife or wooden skewer, make swirls through the batter to marble.
• Transfer to oven and bake until the top of the cake springs back lightly when touched, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour & 15 minutes to 1 hour & 30 minutes. Allow to cool 15 minutes on wire cooling rack, then turn cake out of pan, return to cooling rack, and allow to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make frosting. In the metal bowl of a stand mixer set over a pan of simmering water, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt until mixture is warm and completely smooth to the touch, 2-4 minutes. Transfer bowl to stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beginning on low speed and increasing to medium-high, beat mixture until stiff, glossy peaks form and the bottom of the mixing bowl is cool, about 15 minutes. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter to mixture a few tablespoons at a time, completely incorporating after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together chopped malted milk balls, mini peanut butter cups, and candy-coated chocolate pieces and set aside. Using a long serrated knife, level top of cake. Invert and split cake horizontally into three layers. Anchor widest layer, bottom side down, to a 8" cardboard cake round with a dab of reserved frosting. Spread a layer of frosting evenly over cake. Scatter ¾ cup chopped candies over frosting and top with assorted red sprinkles. Place middle layer, bottom side down, onto cake. Spread another layer of frosting evenly over cake and top with remaining chopped candies, along with assorted sprinkles. Add the final layer to the cake. Use remaining frosting to crumb coat cake and then spread a second thin layer of buttercream over. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat cream to a bare simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add white chocolate to a medium bowl. When cream is hot, carefully pour over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then stir with a rubber spatula until ganache is completely smooth (if small chunks of chocolate remain, microwave in 15-second intervals until smooth when stirred). Allow to cool somewhat and thicken slightly at room temperature, stirring occasionally, 10-15 minutes more.
• Remove cake from refrigerator and set on a wire rack over a half sheet tray. Pour ganache over cake to coat completely. Return to refrigerator and allow to set, at least 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, mix assorted petal dusts with small amounts of vodka to make edible paints. Once ganache is set, use brushes to paint cake to look like an eyeball. Serve cake on a black platter scattered with gummy worms and chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs.

EYEBALL LAVA CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake the cake in a 10-cup Bundt pan according to the package directions. Let cool completely, then transfer to a large serving platter.
• Microwave the jam until pourable, about 2 minutes. If there are seeds, strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Pour enough jam into the hole of the cake to fill it to the top. Reserve the remaining jam.
• Microwave the taffy until soft and pliable, about 10 seconds. Put the taffy in between two 8-inch-long pieces of parchment sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Roll it out to a 1/8-inch-thick circle using a rolling pin, then cut it with a 5-inch biscuit cutter. Warm the black gummies and roll into a marble-sized piece. Place in the middle of the blue taffy circle and roll out to create a pupil.
• Stir together the gelatin and 1/3 cup cold water in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and 2/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved. (If any granules of sugar stick to the side of the pan, brush them back into the sugar-water mixture with a wet pastry brush.) Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and increase the heat to medium high. Cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on low, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the softened gelatin. Once all the syrup is added, increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is very thick and holds soft peaks, about 15 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
• Coat a rubber spatula with cooking spray and while still warm, spread the marshmallow frosting all over the bundt cake. Let sit at room temperature until the frosting is completely cool and set, about 1 hour.
• Place the blue taffy piece centered on top of the cake. Use the red decorating gel to draw bloodshot lines on the outside of the cake. Serve with a butcher's cleaver.

CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper.
• If you want to make life easy, simply put 225g butter, 225g caster sugar, 4 eggs, 225g self-raising flour, 3 tbsp milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract into a food processor and whizz for 1-2 mins until smooth.
• If you prefer to mix by hand, beat 225g butter and 225g caster sugar together, then add 4 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Fold through 225g self-raising flour, 3 tbsp milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
• Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Stir 2 tbsp cocoa powder into the mixture in one of the bowls. Take 2 spoons and use them to dollop the chocolate and vanilla cake mixes into the tin alternately.
• When all the mixture has been used up (and if young kids are doing this, you'll need to ensure the base of the tin is fairly evenly covered), tap the bottom on your work surface to ensure that there aren't any air bubbles.
• Take a skewer and swirl it around the mixture in the tin a few times to create a marbled effect.
• Bake the cake for 45-55 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.