Haunted House Cake Recipes

TOWERING HAUNTED HOUSE CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease parchment.
• Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add eggs, oil, vanilla, and milk. Whisk on medium-low until smooth, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
• Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake, rotating once, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack, 15 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack, right side up, and cool completely. Make a second cake. Wrap cooled cakes in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Make buttercream: Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well and scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in vanilla and salt. (Use within 2 hours or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat until smooth.)
• Transfer 1 2/3 cups buttercream to a separate bowl, stir in 10 crushed cookies. Color remaining buttercream gray with black food coloring; transfer 1 cup to a zip-top bag and snip a small hole in one corner (or to a piping bag fitted with a #16 open star tip).
• Set fence template on a baking sheet; top with parchment paper. Melt black candy melts per package directions; transfer to a zip-top bag and snip a very small hole in 1 corner. Pipe melted candy on to parchment, following template; chill.
• Cut cake according to template. Place 1 base layer on a platter; frost top with about 2/3 cup cookie buttercream. Repeat with remaining base layer; frosting only the left- hand side. Place second-story layer on frosting; frost top with about 1/3 cup frosting; top with remaining second story layer. Place tower pieces next to the second story, frosting between the layers. Top with roof pieces, frosting between layers. Frost outside with gray buttercream. Use a cake comb to create siding texture.
• Roll black fondant to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using templates, cut windows and door; gently press a butter knife onto the windows to create panes. Brush windows and door lightly with luster dust; attach to house. Roll together some black and white fondant and make small marbled stones for the walkway.
• Using the gray frosting in the piping bag as "glue," decorate the roof, windows, and all outside with candies. Add the Chocolate Fence. Use remaining 7 crushed cookies to create a path.

HAUNTED-HOUSE CAKE

Steps:

• To assemble the cake: Secure one 11-inch cake layer to corresponding-size round foam board with a dab of chocolate buttercream. Spread 2 cups buttercream on top. Stack another 11-inch cake on top of buttercream, and frost as before. Top with remaining 11-inch cake. Spread 1 cup buttercream over top and sides of tier, scraping lightly to create a thin layer, or crumb coat, and refrigerate until frosting is firm, about 30 minutes. Spread 2 cups buttercream over entire tier until smooth.
• Repeat with 9-inch cake layers on second foam board, using 1 cup frosting between layers, 1/2 cup for crumb coat, and 1 cup for the final coat.
• Trim 5 dowels to height of 9-inch tier and 6 to height of 11-inch tier. Insert dowels in corresponding tiers in a circle, 2 1/2 inches from the edge of cake. Center 9-inch tier over 11-inch tier, pressing gently to secure. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip (#806) with remaining buttercream. Pipe pearls around bottoms of tiers for a border, as shown below. (Cake can be refrigerated up to 3 days before proceeding.)
• Make the steps: Fill a small bowl with cocoa powder. Cut torrone into 2-to 2 1/2-inch-long blocks. Cut toothpicks in half (1 for each block). Roll torrone in cocoa powder to coat. Insert toothpicks into torrone blocks, and push blocks into cake, starting from top of 9-inch tier and curving to bottom of 11-inch tier. Using a vegetable peeler, shave milk chocolate; sprinkle over tops of tiers.
• Finish the cake: Carefully transfer assembled cookie house to top of cake. Press cookie doors into cake in front of house. Decorate cake with cookie tree, tombstones, and candy cats, if desired. Press caretaker cutout onto top of cake, behind door. Arrange a flashlight behind cake to shine through door and windows.

HAUNTED GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Sift 3 cups of flour, the ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and molasses. Mix until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until a thick dough forms. If the dough is sticky, mix in the remaining flour a little at a time until the dough can easily be handled without it sticking to your fingers. You may not have to use all of the flour.
• Gather the dough into a ball; divide in half. Roll each dough piece flat to 1/4-inch thickness between parchment paper sheets. Transfer the dough inside the sheets to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Print the Haunted Gingerbread House Walls and Roof Template (link below) and cut the shapes out with scissors. When the dough is well chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and peel back the top sheets of parchment. Lay the templates on the dough and cut around them using a flat-edged knife (do not discard the templates). Transfer the dough shapes to the prepared baking sheets. Leftover dough can be re-rolled and cut into cookies, or you can shape it into a baton and store it in your freezer for up to 1 month.
• Bake the shapes for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. While the cookies are still warm, lay the templates on top of the baked cookies and re-cut them using a knife. This will help the shapes fit together perfectly when you are assembling the house.
• Assemble the house: Place the white candy wafers in a heatproof bowl and cook at 100 percent power in the microwave at 30-second intervals. Stir well after each interval until the candy is smooth (this should take about 1 minute total cook time). Transfer the candy to a disposable piping bag with a small hole in the end snipped (you may also use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped). Use cans from your pantry to help prop the house pieces up as you work. Glue the sides, front and back of the house together using the white melted candy. Let stand until dry, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the landscape: Spread half of the chocolate frosting over a 14-inch cake board or serving platter. Sprinkle the surface with the cookie crumbs and press them down slightly with flattened palms. Save leftover cookie crumbs and frosting for later use.
• When the candy holding the gingerbread walls together is dry, gently lift the assembled house and place it in the center of the prepared board. Pipe white melted candy along the top edges of the house and attach the roof; hold the pieces steady with your hands until they hold on their own, about 2 minutes. Pipe extra candy around the roof edges and walls to fill in any visible gaps.
• Place the corn cereal in a bowl or zip-top bag and add the cocoa powder. Mix together until the cereal pieces are well coated with cocoa. Pipe a line of candy on the bottom edge of a roof piece and place cereal pieces end-to-end in a single layer to make roof tiles. Pipe another line of candy just above the first row of cereal and add another row, slightly overlapping the first. It's okay to use broken cereal pieces, as this will add to the character of the haunted house. Cover the entire rooftop with cereal. Pipe candy on the front and back top edges of the house and line with cereal squares. Allow the house to stand at room temperature until the candy is set, about 15 minutes.
• Make the windows and door: Print the Haunted Gingerbread House Windows Template (link below). Place the template on a flat work surface and cover it with a large sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Melt the black candy wafers in a heatproof bowl and cook at 100 percent power in the microwave at 30-second intervals. Stir well after each interval until the candy is smooth (this should take about 1 minute total cook time). Transfer the candy to a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped. Pipe the candy over the black boxes (windows and doors) on the template. Use a toothpick to push the candy into small corners and to fill in gaps. Make as many windows as you wish for your haunted house by moving the template under a new sheet of parchment paper. Place candy buttons in each of the smaller windows before the candy is set. Use a food color marker to draw on eyeballs. Allow the candy to stand until set, about 15 minutes at room temperature or 5 minutes in the refrigerator. Peel the candy boxes with eyes off of the parchment and use a little melted candy to attach them to the top front of the house. Position each window tilted inward slightly. Attach the larger candy rectangle below the 2 windows to create the door. Use the white melted candy (reheat if necessary) to pipe dots on the top and bottom edges of the door. Use a toothpick to pull the melted candy into points to create fangs.
• Make the monster arms: Melt green candy wafers as previously directed with the white and black candy wafers. Transfer the candy to a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped. Lay a sheet of parchment on a work surface. Pipe a 4-inch L shape on the parchment paper with the green candy. Use a toothpick to smooth the candy into an arm shape. Use the toothpick end to pull the bottom of the L shape into fingers. Pour green sanding sugar over the top portion of the arm, leaving the hand uncovered. Place a chocolate sprinkle on each finger to create long claws. Allow the shapes to set until firm. When the candy is firm, peel it off of the parchment and shake the excess sugar off of the arm. Repeat this process with a backwards L shape so that you have 2 monster arms. Attach a candy window with melted candy to each side of the house and hold until set, about 2 minutes. Attach an arm to each window and hold until set. Further decorate the sides and back of the house with more windows.
• Create boards for the windows: Knead 2 chocolate chews together and roll flat with a rolling pin (if the chews are too firm to flatten, heat them in the microwave for 5 seconds). Cut small board shapes (about 1/4 inch by 1 inch) from the candy using a knife. Use the end of a toothpick to striate the pieces. Use the pointed end of the toothpick to poke 2 small holes in each end, creating nail holes on the boards. Attach the pieces over the windows using melted candy.
• Make candy pumpkins: Carefully poke holes in the gumballs using a metal skewer or knife, and thread them onto the pointed ends of toothpicks. Melt the orange candy wafers as previously directed. Dip the gumballs into the candy and place them on parchment paper. Remove the toothpick. Use leftover chocolate chews to fashion small pumpkin stems. Place them standing upright on top of the pumpkins. Allow to stand until set, about 15 minutes.
• Make scary trees: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use the black melted candy (reheat as needed) to pipe 3 well-spaced lines on the cookie sheets. Place a rolled wafer cookie on top of each line. Use the black candy to completely cover the wafers. Draw tree branches with the candy coming off of both sides and the top ends of the wafers. Cover with black sanding sugar. Let stand until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the pretzel ladder: Break 2 of the pretzel sticks in half. Place 2 whole pretzel sticks parallel to each other. Attach the broken pretzel rungs to the whole pretzel sticks using melted candy. Let stand until set. When firm, lean the ladder against the house, preferably leading up to a window with eyeballs peering out.
• When the trees are firm, lift them from the parchment and shake away excess sugar. Place each snack cake on the cake board upside-down and press a candy tree in its center. Cover the snack cakes with leftover cookie crumbs, if desired.
• Make tombstones: Place leftover chocolate frosting in a piping bag. Break the chocolate bars at their perforations. Pipe a small dot of frosting onto the crumb-covered cake board and press an upright turned chocolate piece into the frosting. Repeat with remaining chocolate pieces to create a graveyard.
• Finishing touches: Use melted white candy to pipe spider webs onto the house. Use the food color marker to draw cracks on the house, and spiders near their webs. Place the pumpkin decorations on the landscape and around the house as desired.

HAUNTED HOUSE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter and bake in 13x9-inch pan as directed on package, beating the dry pudding mix into the batter before pouring into prepared pan. Cool cake 10 min.; invert onto wire rack. Remove pan; cool cake completely.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package; cool 5 min. Pour into large bowl. Add sugar, butter and vanilla; beat with mixer on low speed until well blended. Gradually beat in milk until well blended and of spreading consistency.
• Transfer cake to cutting board; cut into pieces as shown in diagram. Arrange cake pieces on tray or platter as shown in diagram, securing pieces together with some of the frosting.
• Frost cake with remaining frosting. Decorate with remaining ingredients as shown in photo.

HAUNTED HOUSE CAKE FOR HALLOWEEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Grease and flour 1 (8-oz.) ramekin and 1 each of the following round pans: 6-inch, 8-inch and 10-inch. Cover bottoms of ramekin and all pans with parchment.
• Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mixes; beat 2 min. Pour 2/3 cup batter into prepared ramekin, 1-2/3 cups batter into prepared 6-inch pan, 2-1/4 cups batter into prepared 8-inch pan and remaining batter into prepared 10-inch pan.
• Bake cakes 30 to 34 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, removing cakes from oven when they are done. (Smaller cakes should be done at about 30 min., while the larger 10-inch cake should be done after about 34 min. Cool cakes in pans 10 min. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with knife. Invert cakes onto wire racks; gently remove pans and parchment. Cool cakes completely.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package. Beat butter in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Blend in milk, then melted chocolate. Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition.
• Stack cake layers, from largest to smallest, on plate, securing layers to each other with small amount of the chocolate frosting. Frost top and sides of cakes with remaining chocolate frosting. Frost sugar cones with green decorating icing; place on cake pieces as shown in photo. Decorate with remaining ingredients to resemble haunted house as shown.

HAUNTED CASTLE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine cookie dough and flour. Press into a 15x10x1-in. baking pan lined with nonstick foil or parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely before carefully removing to a cutting board., Trace full patterns onto waxed paper; cut out. Arrange patterns over baked cookie. With a serrated knife and a sawing motion, cut out castle pieces and tombstones. Set cutouts aside., To make icing: In a large bowl, combine the first three icing ingredients; add water and vanilla. Beat on low speed until blended. Beat on high for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Remove 1/4 cup icing and tint orange. Place a damp cloth over bowl and cover tightly between uses., To decorate: Place all castle pieces on a parchment paper-lined work surface. Insert #4 tip into a pastry bag; fill with orange icing. Pipe a window outline on piece A and a door outline on piece B (do not fill in). Pipe and fill in two windows on piece B and one window on each C piece. Press Tic Tacs around all windows., Remove 1/4 cup icing and tint black. Insert #4 tip into pastry bag; fill with black icing. Outline castle pieces and tombstones in black. Fill in window on piece A and door. On parchment paper, pipe 2-1/2-in. bat and cat shapes. Place a damp paper towel over pastry tip, place in a small resealable bag and set aside. Add pearl dragees for cat and bat eyes; add pupils if desired., Insert #4 tip into pastry bag; fill with 1/4 cup white icing. Carefully pipe white icing "mortar" between Tic Tacs. On parchment paper, pipe 2-in. ghosts. Tint some white icing gray and thin if necessary; fill in tombstones., Remove 3/4 cup reserved icing and tint violet. Insert #46 tip into pastry bag; add 1/3 cup of the violet icing. On waxed paper, pipe 12-15 fence sections. (Each section has three strips, about 1 to 1-1/2-in. long.) Set aside 1 tablespoon violet icing for bricks. Thin remaining violet icing with 1-2 teaspoons water. Insert #6 tip into pastry bag; fill with thinned icing. Fill in castle pieces with thinned icing., Tint remaining icing brown. Using tips #4 and 6, pipe a tree onto parchment paper. Let all pieces dry for 24 hours., With a paintbrush and reserved dark violet icing, add brick designs to castle pieces; let dry., Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Tint buttercream frosting green. Spread frosting between layers and over the top and sides of cake., To assemble: Just before serving, add each castle piece to cake and support with skewers. Just behind the center of the cake, make a 3-in. wide x 1-in.- deep cut into the cake; gently insert castle piece B. About 1 in. behind piece B, make a 1-1/2-in. wide x 1-in.-deep cut into the cake; insert piece A. For C pieces, make 1-1/2-in. x 1-in.-deep cuts in front and on each side of piece B; add remaining pieces., Finishing touches: If desired, add phrases and a bunch of flowers to the tombstones; arrange on cake. Add faces on the ghosts; attach ghosts and bat with icing. Add the cat, trees and fence.