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