Best Haunted House Recipes

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 CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in whole egg, yolk, and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in three additions. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours (or up to 1 day).
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove 1 disk of dough from refrigerator, and let stand until room temperature. Lightly dust two large sheets of parchment with cocoa powder, and roll out disk of dough between sheets to a 1/4-inch thickness. Transfer to a baking sheet, and freeze until very firm, about 15 minutes. Remove top parchment sheet, and place haunted-house template on dough. Using a craft knife, cut out house. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough and templates.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer parchment with cookies to wire racks, and let cool completely.
• Decorate the cookies: Place a large sheet of parchment on a baking sheet, and lightly butter parchment. Transfer cookie house and doors to parchment.
• For the windows, prepare an ice-water bath. Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue to cook, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until syrup comes to a boil. Boil, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup turns medium amber. Immediately remove from heat, and place pan in ice bath. Working quickly, carefully pour some caramel into haunted-house windows, doorway, and door windows, filling each flush with top of cookie. Let stand until cool and hardened.
• For the roof, fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip (#802) with melted bittersweet chocolate. Starting at base of roof, pipe 1 line of chocolate along entire edge, then press shelled sunflower seeds into chocolate in a straight row, pointed edges down. Repeat with chocolate and remaining seeds, "tiling" both roofs, and slightly overlapping rows of seeds.
• Decorate the windows and doors: Cut remaining licorice laces to match dimensions of windows. Halve each lace lengthwise. Pipe thin lines of melted chocolate along window panes. Press licorice into chocolate. Pipe a thin line of chocolate over doorway, and press 4 shelled sunflower seeds into chocolate, centering the unshelled seed in middle. Let set.
• Make the chimney and spires: Cut 1 licorice lace diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a fine plain tip (#1) with royal icing. Carefully flip house over. Make a vertical 1/2-inch cut in bottom half of licorice twist, then cut off 1 flap; insert a piece of licorice lace into top hole of licorice twist. Pipe a 1/2-inch-long vertical line of icing just below edge of top roof, and press flat end of licorice twist against house into icing. Pipe a horizontal line of icing just below top edge of lower roof. Press 1 end of each halved licorice lace into icing to form a row of spires. Let stand until set, about 10 minutes.
• Assemble the cookie house: Using a small offset spatula, spread a thick line of royal icing along the long, straight edge of haunted-house triangle stand. Gently press triangle against back of haunted-house cookie on left-hand side, supporting cookie between two large cans. Repeat with second triangle on right-hand side, and let stand until icing is set, about 30 minutes. Cookie house will keep at room temperature up to 1 week.
• Make the windows and doors: Cut remaining licorice laces to match dimensions of windows. Halve each lace lengthwise. Pipe thin lines of chocolate along window panes. Press licorice into chocolate. Pipe a thin line of chocolate over doorway, and press 4 shelled sunflower seeds into chocolate, centering the unshelled seed in middle. Let stand until set.
• Using a small offset spatula, spread a thick line of royal icing along long, straight edge of haunted-house triangle stand. Gently press triangle against back of haunted-house cookie on left-hand side, supporting cookie between 2 large cans. Repeat with second triangle on right-hand side, and let stand until icing is set, about 30 minutes. (Cookie will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week.)

BROWNIE HAUNTED HOUSE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line a 13x9-in. baking pan with foil, letting ends extend up sides. In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugars, butter, water and, if desired, coffee granules; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Cool slightly., Whisk eggs until foamy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla; gradually whisk in chocolate mixture. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; stir into chocolate mixture., Pour into prepared pan. Bake on a lower oven rack until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake), 30-40 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack., Lifting with foil, remove brownies from pan; let cool completely. Discard foil. Cut off corners of brownie to resemble a house. If desired, cut scraps into pumpkins and ghosts using cookie cutters. Tint frosting as desired with paste food coloring. Decorate brownie house with frosting and candies.

GINGERBREAD HAUNTED HOUSE

Steps:

• First make the dough. Put the butter, sugar and syrup into a large saucepan and melt gently together. Cool for 5 mins then beat in the egg. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt, then sift into the pan. Stir to make an even and shiny dough. Spread two sheets of clingfilm on the work top, tip half the dough onto each, then wrap and cool. Once cold, chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
• Cut the template (available to download in tips, below left) from sheets of paper, following the pattern here. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Lightly flour the work surface and dough, then roll one block of dough to just thicker than a £1 coin. Place the gable end template on top, then cut around with a sharp knife. Cut away the front door from one piece. Carefully lift the walls to a lined sheet, leaving some room for spreading, then bake for 12 mins, until risen and dark golden. When the biscuits are just out of the oven, carefully trim the dough back to its original size if needed, using the templates as a guide (an adult should do this). Cool, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Keep in an airtight tin until you are ready to build. Repeat with the rest of the dough and trimmings, baking the door and other smaller pieces for 10 mins only, until you have cut out and baked the entire house. Cut small shapes from the leftovers, to give away at the door.
• Make the icing for the 'glue' and decoration. Beat the egg whites and icing sugar together in a large bowl, to make a smooth thick icing. Set aside a couple of tablespoons of white icing for later. Cover well so that it doesn't dry out. Colour the rest purple, or grey, or whatever horror-house colour you like. Spoon it into a disposable piping bag and snip a few millimetres from the end. Practice piping; the line should be about 5mm across.
• Stick the back of the house to the board first. Make sure that the smooth side of the biscuit is facing you, or the wall will be the wrong way around. Pipe a generous line of the purple icing along the bottom edge of the wall, then stick it to the board. Hold it there. Smooth any excess that has squished out at the bottom. The rest of the walls can go up smooth-side out. Now place one of the side walls up against the back and fix that to the board and the back wall using plenty of the icing as glue. When all of the main walls are standing, clean up any messy bits, then pipe a decorative but also structure-firming wiggly line (or rows of dots if you find that easier) over the wall joints and dry overnight. Meanwhile, fix the back, front and vertical panels of the dorma together and leave to dry.
• Next day, fix the roof panels onto the house, right hand panel first, then the left. Once dry, attach the dorma window and then fix on its flat roof. Note that the back piece of the dorma will have to be rough-side outwards, or it won't fix together. While these firm up, colour the coconut with a little green colouring and splash of water; mix well with your hands until evenly green. Knead together the red and yellow fondant icing to make orange, then roll into balls of different shapes and sizes. To shape into pumpkins, score lines down the outside of each ball with a cocktail stick, then squash the ball to make it pumpkin-shaped. Use the green fondant icing to make leaves and stalks. Roll out and cut windows from the black icing.
• When the roof is stable, you can cover it in button 'tiles'. Overlap the giant buttons, using a little blob of the purple icing on each one as glue. Cut to fit around any awkward bits, and attach a row of half-moon tiles around the front roofline.
• Now you can fill any gaps in the roof with blobs of the purple icing, fix on the windows, the door, decorate their frames and fix on the Smartie decorations and door knob. Slice the Mars bar at an angle and affix the chimney. Loosen the leftover white icing with a few drops of water to make it pipe-able, then pipe on cobwebs (I used a size 2 nozzle, but you could snip off the end of the piping bag instead), then add the ghostly eyes at the windows. Loosen the white leftovers further, then spread over the board. Sprinkle with the coconut grass, then top with the pumpkins. For the finishing touch, add a dot of colour to the eyes, then leave to dry.

HAUNTED HOUSE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture. Divide dough into thirds. Chill for 1-2 hours. , On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Position house side pattern on dough. With a sharp knife, cut one side piece. Reroll scraps; cut another side piece. Score and cut out window outlines; set window pieces aside. Transfer side pieces to an ungreased baking sheet. , Roll out second portion of dough. Position house front pattern on dough. Cut out house front; remove scraps. Cut out door and windows pieces; set aside. Reroll scraps; cut out house back. Cut out window piece; set aside., Roll out remaining dough into two 5-1/2-in. x 4-in. rectangles for roof pieces. Transfer front, back and roof pieces to ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , Cut reserved window pieces in half for shutters. Place shutters and door on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 5-7 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool. , To make icing: In a bowl, combine the first three ingredients. Add water and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Beat on hight for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Set aside 1 cup white icing. Tint remaining icing gray, using blue, green and black food coloring; set aside 1/2 cup. Thin remaining gray icing with 2 tablespoons water. Cover icing between uses., To decorate: Place front, back, side and roof pieces on a work surface. Insert #6 tip into a pastry bag; fill with 1/2 cup gray icing. Outline windows, doors and edges of house and roof with icing; let dry. Fill in outlines with thinned gray icing. , To assemble: Transfer remaining thinned gray icing to a bowl. Beat in 1-2 tablespoons confections' sugar until stiff peaks form. Pipe icing along sides of front and one side section. Position at right angles to each other on board. Press into place; prop with cans. , Pipe icing along inside edge of added stability. Repeat with second side piece and back; let dry. Pipe icing along top edge of house. Position one roof piece; repeat. Pipe icing along top edge of roof pieces. Let dry completely. , To make decorations: Divide reserved white icing into thirds. Tint one portion black and one orange; leave remaining icing white. Using #3 tip and white icing, outline two large and three small ghosts on waxed paper; let dry. Thin remaining white icing with 1-2 teaspoons water. Fill in ghost outlines. Let dry completely. , Use orange icing to make three pumpkins; use black icing for three bats. Let dry. Thicken remaining black icing with 1-2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar; pipe faces onto pumpkins and ghosts. Let dry completely. Use a toothpick and thinned white icing to make bat eyes; let dry. , Finishing touches: To remaining gray icing, add black coloring to make a darker gray. Using #6 tip and dark gray icing, pipe U-shaped designs on roof for shingles; let dry. Thin remaining icing if necessary with water, then spread over shutters and doors; let dry. , With remaining thickened black icing, pipe a tombstone and "RIP" on the door; let dry. Attach the door, shutters, ghosts, bats and pumpkins with icing. Attach Spree candies to roof.

BROWNIE HAUNTED HOUSE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F Butter and flour the bundt tin thoroughly.
• Place the butter and chocolate into the small bowl and microwave until melted. Stir until smooth.
• Pour into a large bowl and add the sugar. Stir well.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
• Add the flour and stir well until smooth.
• Pour into the prepared tin, tap to get rid of any air bubbles. Place on a flat baking sheet and bake for 1hour.
• Leave to cool for 20 minutes in the tin before turning it onto a wire rack. Leave to cool completely.
• Mix up your icings and place into small piping bags. Decorate your house as desired.
• Melt the marshmallow in the microwave for 15 seconds. Leave to cool for 10 seconds and then start stretching it between your fingers and over the house to make the spider webs. Leave till set.

HAUNTED GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup icing in small bowl and tint purple (see Decorating Tips).
• Place 1/2 cup icing in small bowl and tint green (see Decorating tips).
• Place 1/4 cup icing in small bowl and tint orange (see Decorating tips).
• Using small offset spatula or knife, spread purple icing in thin, even layer on roof.
• Cut black licorice laces into shorter pieces, then arrange in crisscross pattern on right side of roof to create spiderweb. Gently press into icing to secure. Arrange gummy spiders on roof, gently pressing to secure. Arrange candy corn along seam where left and right sides of roof meet. Arrange candy corn in three vertical lines on left side of roof.
• Using small offset spatula or knife, spread green icing in thin, even layer on base of house. Arrange green apple sour belts around base of house to form grass.
• Using small offset spatula or knife, spread small dollop of orange icing on bottom of one Mellocreme pumpkin, then place in front of house. Repeat with additional pumpkins if desired.
• Using small offset spatula or knife, spread white icing in thin, even layer across surface of door. Gently press sugar candy bats onto door. Place small dollop of white icing on 1 sugar bat and attach to left side of roof. Repeat as desired.
• Using small offset spatula or knife, spread small dollop of white icing on marshmallow ghost then gently press it onto front of house.
• Using small offset spatula or knife, spread thin line of orange icing along seam where roof meets front of house. Arrange candy corn along seam, gently pressing to secure.
• Arrange candy corn along sides and back of house to form fence. If necessary, secure with additional icing.
• Continue adding candy as desired.

HAUNTED HOUSE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare chocolate cake batter according to package directions. Spoon 3 cups into a greased and floured 8x4-in. loaf pan. Set remaining batter aside. , Bake loaf cake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., Prepare white cake batter and pour into a greased and floured 13x9-in. baking pan. Drop reserved chocolate batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto white batter. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., To assemble, place the marbled cake on a large platter or covered board (about 14x10 in.). Level top of chocolate cake. Cut chocolate cake in half widthwise. Referring to photo above for position, place one half on the corner of the marbled cake for the house., For the roof, cut remaining half of chocolate cake in half diagonally. Position the two halves together so they form a triangular shape on top of house. Cut each cookie in half widthwise and set aside., In a bowl, cream shortening and butter. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Frost house, roof, sides of marble cake and cookie halves. , Break candy bar into rectangles. Place one on front of house for door (save remaining pieces for another use). Place a small dot of frosting on left side of door and attach M&M baking bits for doorknob. Tint remaining frosting orange; frost top of marble cake. , Place cereal on roof of house for shingles. Cut gum in half widthwise and then lengthwise. Place two pieces above the door for shutters. Use sprinkles to outline the window., For tombstones, attach sprinkles to the cookies to read "R.I.P." and "BOO". Place cookies on the cake, lightly pushing them into frosting., Place rock candy in front of door for a walkway.

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.

MINI HAUNTED HOUSE

Steps:

• On work surface or serving plate, assemble house with 8 cinnamon graham crackers as walls and chocolate frosting as mortar. Frost tops of remaining 4 graham crackers; place on house for roof. Place pumpkin seeds on frosted roof for shingles. Use chocolate frosting to attach licorice pieces to outline house. Use more chocolate frosting to attach shortbread cookie crisps on house for windows. In small bowl, mix white frosting and orange food color. Frost shortbread cookie windows. With small round tip, pipe chocolate frosting for window panes. Pipe RIP on remaining shortbread crisps.
• Use chocolate frosting to attach fudge-covered graham cracker to house for door. Use frosting to attach jelly bean for door handle and 3 pieces candy corn above door. Sprinkle plain and chocolate crumbs around house. Place candy rocks in front of house for walkway. Use chocolate frosting to stand RIP shortbread next to house. Use chocolate frosting to stand up chocolate cookie sticks around house for fence. Decorate with candy pumpkins and bone sprinkles.

HAUNTED GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square pan and 15x10x1-inch rectangular pan. In large bowl, mix brown sugar, shortening and molasses until well blended. Stir in cold water. Stir in remaining gingerbread ingredients except candies. Press one-third of dough into square pan; press remaining dough into rectangular pan.
• Bake 1 pan at a time about 15 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched in center. Cool 5 minutes; turn upside down onto large cutting surface. Immediately cut as shown in diagram (cut windows if desired). Cool completely, about 25 minutes.
• In medium bowl, mix 1 cup of the powdered sugar and remaining frosting ingredients until smooth. Stir in enough remaining powdered sugar to make stiff frosting. (If frosting becomes too stiff, stir in additional milk.)
• Decorate front of house as desired using frosting and assorted candies and cookies. For windows as shown in photo, cut yellow tissue paper slightly larger than outline of windows. Brush paper with vegetable oil and "glue" to back side of windows, using frosting. Use frosting to attach supports to back of house, sidewalk to front of house, door and sign to front of house and fence to sidewalk. Complete decorating as desired.

HAUNTED GRAHAM CRACKER HOUSE

Steps:

• Arrange the empty cardboard cereal or cracker box upright on a piece of aluminum foil-covered cardboard (you can tape it down to secure it). Tape the top flaps of the box together to form a pitched roof. Frost the whole box with chocolate frosting and then stick on the graham crackers onto the sides and roof of the box. Fill in the cracks by squeezing the frosting through a pastry bag with plain tip (you can also use a plastic bag with a small hole cut from the corner). Draw crooked windows with the frosting and board them up with graham cracker scraps. Shingle the roof with candy corns. To add a porch, glue with the frosting a graham cracker horizontally to the side of the house and support it with licorice or candy sticks. For a backyard graveyard, flatten the marshmallows, snip off the side with scissors and use frosting to stand them up and decorate with "R.I.P.". Add a crooked walkway of Necco wafers and a "Keep Out" sign with a wafer written in frosting. Sprinkle crushed chocolate cookies to fill in the yard and decorate house with candies.

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.