Ghostly Pirate Cake Recipes

GHOSTLY PIRATE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely. , Cut two pieces from the lower edges of each cake, forming a pirate's head (save small pieces for another use)., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla; beat until smooth., Place one cake layer on a serving platter; top with 1/2 cup frosting; top with second cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. , For pirate's bandanna, place Fruit Roll-Ups over top edge of cake. Tint coconut with black food coloring; sprinkle over chin for goatee. Decorate pirate's features with assorted candies.

PIRATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray bottoms and sides of one 8-inch and one 9-inch round cake pan. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour into pans.
• Bake as directed on box. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes or until firm.
• Use serrated knife to cut 9-inch cake in half and cut hat as shown in diagram (template can be found under the Tips below). Remaining half of 9-inch cake will form body of pirate. Cut 8-inch cake as directed in diagram. On tray, place cake pieces. Cut ears and nose from small pieces of cake; attach to cake with small amount of frosting.
• In small bowl, stir 2 teaspoons chocolate frosting into 1 1/3 cups of the vanilla frosting. Frost cake with thin layer of frosting to seal in crumbs; use the tinted frosting on the head, ears and nose, the chocolate frosting on the hat, and the white frosting on the shirt of the pirate. Refrigerate or freeze 30 to 60 minutes to set frosting.
• Frost entire cake, using the same frostings. Add mint patty for eye patch, marshmallow slice and gum ball for eye, and ring-shaped candy for earring. Cut fruit snack into shapes for shirt stripes, mouth and strap for eye patch; place on cake. Cut licorice to fit hat. Add gum for teeth and chocolate decors for whiskers. Store loosely covered.

GHOST CAKES

Steps:

• Make the angel food cake batter according to package instructions. Place in the mini Bundt pan and bake according to package instructions.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, liqueur and vanilla until very smooth.
• Place the angel food cakes on a cooling rack set atop a sheet tray. Using a spoon, pour enough glaze over the top of the cakes to drip partly down the sides. Sprinkle with raw sugar to garnish. Allow the glaze to set about 30 minutes before removing the cakes from the rack to serve.
• Special equipment: 12 count mini Bundt pan.

GHOST-BUSTED PIñATA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 8 x 3-inch cake pans line the bottom of each pan with parchment.
• Whisk flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.
• Place oil and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. With machine on low, very slowly add red food coloring and vanilla (Take care: it may splash.) Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.
• Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add the mixture to batter with the machine running. Beat for 10 seconds.
• Divide batter among cake pans, place in oven and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until soft. Add the powdered sugar, cream cheese, salt and vanilla. Beat on medium high until light and fluffy about 5 minutes.
• Once the cakes are cooled, cut the tops of the cakes level, reserve the scraps. Divide each cake evenly into two layers. Using a 3 or 3 ½-inch cookie cutter, punch out the center of two of the cake layers. Reserve the scraps.
• Place 1 of the whole cake layers on the cake board or plate and spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top. Place the second whole cake layer on top. Pipe or spread a ring of frosting on the outside of the top layer and add one of the punched layers on top. Pipe or spread a layer of frosting on top of the ring of cake and add the final punched layer. Apply a thin coat of frosting around the sides of the cake.
• Line the bowl with plastic wrap letting it come up over the sides. Add a little bit of cream cheese frosting to the bottom of the bowl and spread it up the sides. Place pieces of the cake scraps into the bowl to approximate layers, adding frosting as needed. Make a 3 to 3 ½ inch hole in the center of the bowl (to match up with the hole in the center of the layer cake). Place the bowl in the freezer for 3 hours. Place the cake in the fridge. Keep the remaining frosting covered at room temperature until ready to finish assembly.
• Remove the cakes from the fridge and freezer. Using the plastic wrap to help, pull the cake dome out of the bowl. Remove the plastic wrap.
• Fill both holes with the candy. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top ring of the layer cake. Flip the dome of cake on top. To prevent the candy from falling out of the top, I recommend placing a piece of cardboard over the bottom of the cake dome, flipping it upside-down, using the cardboard to prevent spillage then sliding the cardboard out once the dome is almost touching the base cake.
• Use the remaining frosting to smooth out and even the entire cake. Place cake in the fridge or freezer to firm while you get the decorations ready.
• Roll out the black fondant to ¼ inch think, spread the top with sanding sugar then use the rolling pin to press it inches Cut out desired eyes and mouth.
• Roll the white fondant, using cornstarch to prevent sticking, to ¼ inch thick in a roughly 16-inch circle.
• Remove the cake from the fridge. Roll the fondant around the rolling pin and place over the cake. Using corn starch on your hands, work the fondant down from the top, letting it drape and form ghost-like pleats.
• Use water to adhere the eyes and mouth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

GHOSTS IN THE GRAVEYARD CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 13x9-in. baking pan and an 8-in. square baking dish with foil, and grease the foil. Prepare brownie batter and bake according to package directions, using prepared pans. Cool on wire racks., Break pretzel rods into various sizes; dip into melted chocolate. Arrange into a tree shape on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet., Place melted white candy coating in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Outline three small ghosts on waxed paper. Fill in ghost outlines, adding a lollipop stick to each for support. Place unmelted chocolate chips on ghosts for eyes. Let dry completely., Using foil, lift brownies out of pans. Discard foil; place 8-in. square brownie on a large serving plate for graveyard. Spread chocolate frosting over top and sides., Cut remaining brownie into 3-in.x1-1/2-in. tombstone shapes. Combine confectioners' sugar and cocoa; sprinkle over tombstones. With black food coloring, tint vanilla frosting gray; decorate tombstones., Using toothpicks, insert three tombstones into graveyard. Insert tree into graveyard (support as needed with brownie scraps). Insert ghosts into graveyard; sprinkle with wafer crumbs for dirt and coconut for grass. Place remaining tombstones on a serving platter.

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.

PIRATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms and sides of 1 (8-inch) and 1 (9-inch) round cake pan with shortening or cooking spray. Make cake as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Pour into pans.
• Bake as directed on box. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Use serrated knife to cut 9-inch cake in half and cut hat as shown in diagram. Remaining half of 9-inch cake will form body of pirate. Cut 8-inch cake as directed in diagram. On tray, place cake pieces. Cut ears and nose from small pieces of cake; attach to cake with small amount of frosting. Cover; freeze 1 hour or until firm.
• Reserve 2 teaspoons chocolate frosting. Frost hat with remaining chocolate frosting. Mix 2/3 cup of the vanilla frosting with reserved chocolate frosting. With tinted vanilla frosting, frost head, ears and nose of pirate. Add mint patty for eye patch, marshmallow slice and gum ball for eye, and ring-shaped candy for earring.
• Frost body with remaining vanilla frosting. Cut fruit snack into shapes for shirt stripes, mouth and strap for eye patch; place on cake. Cut licorice to fit hat. Add gum for teeth and chocolate decors for whiskers. Store loosely covered at room temperature.