| Just as the little ones thrill to the
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| | you've used a bundt pan, you already have
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| ultimate night of make-believe, it's a
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| | the well, although you may need to widen
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| thrill for us to see our Halloween cakes
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| | it. Then drop the glass gently down into
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| inspire looks of such surprise and delight
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| | the well.
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| on their faces.
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| | Cover your Halloween cauldron cake with
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| This cauldron cake, a design we created as
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| | smoothed, black buttercream (see tips
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| a spin off from the volcano cake, lends
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| | below) Green gel icing could be added on
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| itself well to a cake decorator's
| |
| | top for an eerie brew.
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| imagination. And if you're not sure what
| |
| | Now comes the fun part! Decorate the top
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| to add to the brew, ask the kids. Then as
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| | of the cake with marzipan or rolled
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| a surprise, just before serving, add a
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| | buttercream figures that you've model or
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| little dry ice for magical steam.
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| | created with gum paste molds. Or you could
|
| Cauldron Halloween Cake
| |
| | use store-bought candies that depict your
|
| What You'll Need
| |
| | typical witch's brew ingredients; eye of
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| - Bundt pan or large, glass oven-safe bowl
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| | newt and so forth.
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| - Dry ice: Check your Yellow Pages for a
| |
| | Another decorating idea: Using a jelly
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| distributor. Follow all safety precautions
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| | roll cake (flat, not rolled), cut out
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| given to you. You can read them now at
| |
| | shapes you want, decorate with icing and
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| wrh.noaa.gov/vef/kids/dryice.php
| |
| | then plop onto your witch's brew.
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| - Sturdy, round cake board
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| | Hint: String licorice makes great spider
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| - Orange or red foil gift-wrap to cover
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| | legs!
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| cake board and miniature red and/orange
| |
| | For added drama, tuck miniature red and
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| lights (optional)
| |
| | orange lights around the base of the cake.
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| Bake a firm cake (such as butter, pound or
| |
| | This will bring a fiery reflection to the
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| pumpkin) inside the greased and floured
| |
| | foil-covered cake board.
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| pan or bowl. If using glass, lower oven
| |
| | Just before serving, put your witch's hat
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| temperature by 25°.
| |
| | on and tell the party guests you have a
|
| To make the removal of your cake from its
| |
| | special cake brewing, but to make the
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| pan easier, here's one of the secrets
| |
| | magic work, you need them to recite from
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| guarded by the pros:
| |
| | Shakespeare: "Double, double, toil and
|
| Professional Baker's Grease
| |
| | trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble!"
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| Mix together equal parts flour, vegetable
| |
| | Ask them to recite each verse louder than
|
| shorteningand vegetable oil. First cream
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| | the last (while you in the kitchen
|
| shortening, and thenadd vegetable oil and
| |
| | carefully and using a pair of tongs, place
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| flour. Mix until well blended.
| |
| | a few cubes or chunks of the dry ice into
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| You will have a bowl of greasy paste that
| |
| | the glass (that's in the cake's well).
|
| isespecially helpful with difficult pans
| |
| | Then carefully pour some hot water down
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| such asbundt pans with their deep crevices
| |
| | into the glass over the dry ice.
|
| and indentations.
| |
| | As the excitement reaches a crescendo
|
| This delightfuly greasy tip comes straight
| |
| | around the dining table, pour an ounce or
|
| from
| |
| | two of water into the well and carry your
|
| "Cake Decorating Made Easy!"
| |
| | steaming cauldron cake out.
|
| Here's what one reader wrote about our
| |
| | When the steam (and applause) fades, you
|
| Video Books:
| |
| | can rekindle it by stirring the dry ice or
|
| "I highly recommend them to anyone
| |
| | adding more hot water if needed. Then it's
|
| whoenjoys baking, decorating and
| |
| | time to serve your creepy Halloween cake.
|
| thefeeling of accomplishment when
| |
| | Be sure not to let the children touch the
|
| everyonecrowds around your cakes for a
| |
| | dry ice!
|
| closer look."
| |
| | And here's that tip for the black in your
|
| Joanne Robitaille,
| |
| | cauldron: While we don't usually have to
|
| Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| |
| | use enough to notice, food coloring can be
|
| While your cake is baking, cover your cake
| |
| | bitter. The amount needed to achieve black
|
| board with the foil. After the cake has
| |
| | can make your buttercream cauldron taste
|
| cooled in its pan or bowl on a wire rack,
| |
| | creepier than it looks!
|
| release it.
| |
| | Here's what you can do to keep that
|
| If necessary, level the bottom so it rests
| |
| | buttercream tasting soft and sweet:
|
| evenly on your cake round.
| |
| | - Use gel coloring. It's concentrated, so
|
| If you used a glass bowl for baking your
| |
| | you won't need as much.
|
| cauldron cake, you may need to slice a
| |
| | - Begin with dark chocolate buttercream,
|
| couple inches off the bottom where it
| |
| | and you'll need even less.
|
| narrows, so that the wide and heavier part
| |
| | - Instead of black icing, cover the
|
| of the cake has a strong enough bottom.
| |
| | cauldron cake with plain buttercream and
|
| Next, carve out a "well" wide enough to
| |
| | then crushed, dark chocolate cookies.
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| hold a small juice glass or jelly jar. If
| |
| |
|
