Halloween Graveyard Cake

Now I know Halloween was on Wednesday but I saw this recipe the other day and I couldn't resist making it! The brilliant thing about this cake is that the messier the presentation the better, it takes a little bit of the pressure off this time round.

Ingredients

The Cake:

250g/9oz butter

250g/9oz caster sugar

4 free-range eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g/7oz self-raising flour

50g/2oz cocoa powder

Ginger Biscuit Tombstones:

350g plain flour

½ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

100g/3½oz butter

175g/6oz light soft brown sugar

4 tbsp golden syrup

1 free-range egg

For the decoration:

White icing (such as royal icing.)

125g/4½oz butter, softened

250g/9oz icing sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp milk

½ pack Oreo cookies or bourbon biscuits

1 pack chocolate sticks (such as Matchmakers or Fingers)

 Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Grease and line a 20x30cm/8x12in rectangular cake tin with baking parchment.

3. Beat together the butter and sugar with a hand-held mixer until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition, adding the vanilla extract with the last of the egg.

4. Sift together the flour and the cocoa powder into a bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.

5. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

6. Bake for 30 minutes until firm to the touch (a wooden skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean).

7. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

8. For the ginger biscuit tombstones, place the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

9. Add the sugar, syrup and egg and mix together until it forms a soft dough. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

10. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out your shapes – you will only need a few for the cake so cut out some other Halloween shapes for extra biscuits.

11. Place the shapes on to greased baking sheets and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the sheets with a palette knife and place onto a wire rack to cool completely before decorating with white icing.

12. For the buttercream, beat the butter in a large bowl with a hand held mixer until creamy then add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time beating well between each addition. Add the cocoa powder and milk and beat again for a further five minutes until light and fluffy.

13. Blend the Oreo or bourbon biscuits to fine crumbs in a food processor.

14. Spread the buttercream over the cooled cake, covering the top and sides don’t worry if it’s not smooth, a few lumps and bumps will make it more mud-like.

15. Break the chocolate sticks in half unevenly, then stick around the sides of the cake to form the fence.

16. Sprinkle the biscuit soil over the surface before sticking in the tombstones.

I really enjoyed making this cake and I think it would be the perfect thing to make with children. I hope you don't mind two Halloween related posts. If you would like me to bake anything specifically please leave me a comment below. 

Chloe xo

Spooky Halloween Cupcakes

So today my mum asked me if I would mind making some cupcakes for her to take into work tomorrow, and of course I happily agreed. Now most Halloween cupcakes I see are gorgeous to look at but I personally wouldn't want to eat, due to the vast quantity of fondant icing used. So I decided to go for a simple yet chic take on the Halloween cupcake. 

Ingredients:

4oz/125g butter

4oz/125g caster sugar

3oz/100g self raising flour

1oz/25g cocoa

2 medium eggs 

1tsp vanilla extract

Buttercream:

5oz/125g unsalted butter

10oz/250g icing sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

Orange gel food colouring
Piping Nozzle
Piping Bag

Optional:

Popping Candy

Halloween Cupcake Decoration Kit

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 160° C fan , 180°C , 350°F/ gas mark 4.

Put 12 muffin cases into a muffin tray.

Cream together the butter and sugar, then gradually add the eggs, about a tablespoon at a time and beat after each addition.

Mix in the vanilla extract. 

Using a large metal sieve sift the flour and cocoa into the bowl then gently fold the flour and cocoa into the mixture until thoroughly mixed.

Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about two thirds full.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cupcakes are golden and slightly raised.

To check they are cooked insert a skewer into the centre of one of the cakes – it should come out clean. If the mixture is stuck to the skewer return the cakes to the oven and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and leave in the tins to cool for approx 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Whilst the cakes are cooling make the buttercream, place butter in a large mixing bowl, and beat until soft. Gradually sift in the icing sugar mixing well after each addition.

Then add the food colouring a little at a time to the buttercream until you get the colour you desire.

Then place the buttercream into a piping bag and pipe your preferred design onto your cupcakes.

For the final touches add some popping candy to leave a little surprise for the cupcake eater, and use halloween decorations if you wish.

And there you have some spooky halloween cupcakes! 

I am tempted to make some different ones with fondant icing just to practice the technique of using that particular icing. Have you made any baked goodies for Halloween this year? If so I'd love to hear what you've made in the comments below.

Hope you have a ghoul filled Halloween!

Chloe xo