Description
Create an adorable ghost-themed cake perfect for Halloween or festive occasions featuring moist chocolate layers, rich ganache frosting, and decorative flexible candy sheets with colorful sprinkles. This creative dessert combines baking, candy crafting, and artistic assembly for a stunning centerpiece.
Ingredients
Cake Layers
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine-grain salt
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 cups brewed coffee (cold) or cold water
Ganache
- 3 cups semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or chips)
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
Pink Candy Sheet
- 24 oz pink candy melting wafers (Wilton recommended)
- 6 oz white vanilla candy melting wafers (Wilton recommended)
- 2/3 cup light corn syrup
White Candy Sheet
- 30 oz bright white candy melting wafers (Wilton recommended)
- 2/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1 oz melted white candy (for attaching sprinkles)
- 1 cup assorted large multicolor candy sprinkles
Instructions
- Make the Cake Layers: Preheat your oven and grease five 4-inch and one 5-inch springform cake pans with flour-based baking spray. In an electric mixer bowl, combine all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk vanilla, almond extracts, vinegar, vegetable oil, and cold brewed coffee or water. Add wet ingredients to dry and beat until well mixed; the batter will be thin. Fill each pan 3/4 full. Bake 4-inch pans for 45 minutes, 5-inch pan for 55 minutes, or test with a toothpick. Cool cakes 10 minutes in pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Level 4-inch cakes to about 1 1/4" tall; keep 5-inch pan cake whole.
- Make the Ganache Frosting: In a heatproof bowl, microwave heavy cream and chopped semisweet chocolate for 1 minute, then sit 1 minute more. Whisk until smooth and glossy. Let cool until thickness spreads easily, refrigerating and stirring periodically if needed.
- Build the Ghost Cake: Stack and frost the leveled 4-inch cakes with ganache, smoothing the sides to form a tall tower. Trim the 5-inch cake down to 3 inches width without removing its dome shape, then cover with ganache. Refrigerate both pieces until ganache firms.
- Make the Pink Candy Sheet: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt pink and white candy wafers in 30-second intervals stirring after each until smooth. Stir in corn syrup until thick dough forms. Knead until pliable on parchment, then roll dough to about 1/8" thickness approx. 18" diameter. Cut into an 18" circle and let set until firm but flexible enough to drape.
- Make the White Candy Sheet: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white candy wafers similarly with 30-second intervals and stirring. Add corn syrup, knead into a dough, roll to the same thickness and diameter as pink candy sheet, and cut an 18" circle. Let cool until firm yet pliable for draping.
- Drape the Ghost: Carefully drape the pink candy sheet over the 4-inch cake stack, forming gentle pleats with your fingers. Place the dome-shaped trimmed 5-inch cake on top and insert a wooden dowel through all layers to anchor, trimming flush with the top. Then drape the white candy sheet over the dome, arranging natural folds to mimic the ghost’s sheet.
- Add the Eyes & Sprinkles: Using a teardrop fondant cutter or piping tip, cut out eye shapes through the white candy sheet down to the ganache layer to reveal dark chocolate “eyes.” Remove cutouts. Dab melted white candy on the white candy sheet surface and attach large multicolor sprinkles evenly around for a 360° vibrant look. Use a sprinkle placement tool if available for precise placement.
Notes
- If new to candy clay, practice with 12 oz Wilton candy wafers and 1/3 cup corn syrup using the same method; candy clay firms after setting but can be re-kneaded and molded like fondant.
- To keep candy clay pliable for shaping, knead small portions until workable; if too soft, cool briefly at room temp or refrigerate. Use cornstarch on surfaces to prevent sticking when rolling out.
- A sprinkle placement grabber tool facilitates precise placement of large sprinkles but is optional.