Happy Halloween witches! We are in the final countdown of every child’s 2nd most awaited holiday. Mairead has been test driving a few different looks over the last week. I swear this kid has had more costume changes than Madonna! She was all for being a witch until she tried on her costume again tonight, only this time I put on the Halloween spooky sounds CD and she everything but jumped out of her skin. She ran upstairs, dug out her princess costume from last Halloween and was done with spooky for the year. I’ll see if I can convince her before heading out trick-or-treating tomorrow to join Mommy in a haunting witch affair.
As if all the candy Mairead will haul in tomorrow won’t be enough, I of course had to make some Halloween treats of my own. I knew Janna and sweet baby Piper were coming by for a visit today so I wanted to have something to nibble on. This may have been overboard for just the three of us that had teeth to eat it , but I’ve never been one to settle for less, especially when it comes to food.
If Morticia Addams baked a cake, this would be it! It’s spooky, it’s sexy and it’s got black candy apples on top! I have great memories of my Mom making candy apples at Halloween growing up and something I looked forward to every year. I really wish our world wasn’t so shady so I could hand these out to the trick-or-treater’s if I didn’t think their parents would throw them in the garbage when they got home. So until we can all eat candy freely, the neighbourhood kids are stuck with stale suckers and we’ll be enjoying black velvet cake and apples ourselves. Happy Halloween!
Spooky Black Velvet Cake
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 bottle (1 oz) black food coloring
Preheat oven 325 degrees. Lightly grease three 8 inch cakes pans, set aside.
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
In a separate large bowl whisk together oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, vanilla extract and food coloring until well blended.
Gradually add the dry ingredients with the wet and mix until fully combined.
Pour evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake for 18-22 minutes until the middle has set and a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Black Buttercream Icing *makes enough to frost a 3 layered 8-inch cake
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
6 cups icing sugar
4 tbsp milk
1/2 bottle (1 oz.) black food coloring
Combine butter, sugar and milk into a large bowl.
Mix with an electric mixer until fully blended and light and fluffy.
Add food coloring and continue to mix until the color has been fully incorporated and no white is showing. Now frost away!
Marshmallow Web
20 – 30 marshmallows
Melt marshmallows 4 at a time in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until soft.
Working quickly, squish the marshmallows in your hands and string over the cake. Continue with remaining marshmallows working in different directions.
*The marshmallows harden quickly which is why you should only do a few at a time until your desired web look is achieved.
Black Candy Apples
8-10 apples
8-10 sticks of your choice
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup (light or dark will work fine)
1 cup of water
3-5 drops cinnamon extract (optional)
1/2 tsp black food coloring
Directions
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare apples by inserting the sticks and set aside.
In a medium sized saucepan on medium-high heat, stir sugar, corn syrup and water until the sugar has dissolved and bring to a boil.
Insert a candy thermometer into the syrup and boil until temperature reaches 300 degrees.
Promptly remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon extract and food coloring.
Once the syrup has stopped bubbling, dip apples one at a time coating the apple by swirling it in the candy and allowing the excess to drip off then place standing up on the baking sheet. Continue until all apples are coated or all the candy has been used.
Allow to harden and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
By Three Happy Folk
Adapted from Betty Crocker and Say It With Cake
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