GHOSTLY 'BOO-DAY' CAKE

Ghostly 'Boo-Day' Cake image

THIS CREEPY CONFECTION is fast to conjure up...and it's bound to disappear just as quickly! The delicious birthday dessert starts with a homemade chocolate cake kids find hard to resist. For a festive finish, CT's cooks prepared speedy frosting and spread on a ghoulish design with a "Happy Boo-Day" sign.

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 50m

Yield 12-15 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1-3/4 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar
WHITE FROSTING:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Orange and purple paste or gel food coloring

Steps:

In a saucepan, combine the water, butter, shortening and cocoa; cook and stir until butter and shortening are melted. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the butter mixture; mix well. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; mix well., Pour into a greased and waxed paper-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 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. Gently peel off waxed paper. Transfer to a 17x12-in. covered board. , In a saucepan, heat the cream until bubbles begin to form around sides of pan. Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Place pan in a bowl of ice water; stir constantly until cooled. Gradually whisk in enough confectioners' sugar to achieve spreading consistency. Frost the top and sides of cake., In a small bowl, cream the butter and shortening. Beat in confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Place 1/3 cup in a small bowl; tint orange. Place 3 tablespoons in another bowl; tint purple., Trace a ghost pattern. Cut out with a shape knife, trace the ghost on chocolate frosting. Gently spread white frosting in ghost shape. Place orange frosting in a pastry or plastic bag; cut a hole in one corner. Pipe banner on ghost. Cut a hole in corner of another pastry or plastic bag; insert #2 round pastry tip and purple frosting. Pipe "Happy Boo-Day" on banner.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 576 calories, Fat 29g fat (14g saturated fat), Cholesterol 75mg cholesterol, Sodium 281mg sodium, Carbohydrate 78g carbohydrate (61g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 4g protein.