Diyflavorshack contest - halloween fun- take a peek dont be scared

[Reddhott]

Candy Bucket Cake

Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 18 .25-ounce boxes spice cake mix
8 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 16 -ounce tubs vanilla frosting
Orange gel food coloring, for tinting
Cornstarch, for dusting
12 ounces orange rolled fondant (available at craft stores)
1/2 cup dark chocolate frosting
2 long black licorice strings
Snack-size candy, for topping
Directions
Spray one 8-inch-round cake pan and two 6-cup Bundt pans with cooking spray. Beat the cake mixes, eggs, buttermilk and oil with a mixer; divide among the pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes for the round cake and 30 to 35 minutes for the Bundts; let cool.

Tint the vanilla frosting with orange food coloring. Trim the flat sides of the Bundt cakes and the top of the round cake to make level. Turn 1 Bundt cake upside down; spread with frosting. Top with the round cake, more frosting and the other Bundt cake, then frost the whole cake and chill 30 minutes.

Lightly dust a sheet of wax paper with cornstarch. Roll out the fondant on the paper into a 21-by-8-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 12 strips, 8 inches long and 1 3/4 inches wide, tapering the ends as shown.

Attach the fondant strips to the cake, lightly pressing and smoothing them from the base of the cake upward. Refrigerate the cake 30 minutes.

Draw jack-o'-lantern eyes, a nose and a mouth on paper and cut them out; attach to the cake with toothpicks. Score around the cutouts with a paring knife, then remove the toothpicks and paper.

Trace the scored lines with the knife, cutting through the fondant and slightly into the cake. Pry out the pieces with the tip of the knife.

Cut a 1-inch-deep circle out of the top of the cake. Put the dark chocolate frosting in a resealable plastic bag; snip the corner and pipe the frosting into the cutouts.

Twist the 2 strings of licorice together and insert into the top of the cake to make a handle. Fill the top of the cake with snack-size candy.

 

[Reddhott]

Pull Apart Graveyard Cupcakes

Ingredients
Cupcakes:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup grape jelly
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk
Frosting:
10 ounces (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, spooned and leveled
3 tablespoons milk
10 chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely crushed
Decorations:
15 large white marshmallows
1/4 cup finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (about 3 cookies)
1 tablespoon black or dark green decorating sugar
One 6.4-ounce tube black decorating icing, with tips
5 oval-shaped vanilla and chocolate sandwich cookies
One 7-ounce tube marzipan
3 round lollipops, wrapped
1/4 cup orange decorating sugar
One 6.4-ounce tube green decorating icing, with tips
Seven 8-inch pieces black licorice
Directions
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup standard muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Warm the grape jelly in the microwave until loosened, 20 to 30 seconds, and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Beat together the sugar and eggs in another medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla.

While mixing slowly, add half the dry ingredients and then all of the milk. Follow with the rest of the dry ingredients, taking care not to over mix the batter.

Remove 2 cups of the batter and stir in the grape jelly. Evenly fill the liners about two-thirds full, alternating with yellow and grape batter.

Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean and the tops spring back lightly to the touch, 20 to 22 minutes. Place the pan on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, and then remove the cupcakes to the rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

For the frosting: Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl until fluffy and combined. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the milk one tablespoon at a time until the frosting has a nice spreadable consistency. Add the crushed cookies and continue to beat until any large chunks are crushed to smaller bits and the frosting has a speckled, greyish look.

For the decorations: Arrange the cupcakes in 4 rows on a large serving plate or cutting board. Fit a marshmallow between each cupcake, 5 marshmallows per row, to fill in the gaps between the cupcakes. Spread the frosting over the whole rectangle so it looks like one cake. Sprinkle with the cookie crumbs and black decorating sugar.

To make the tombstones: Use the black decorating icing and a small round tip to write "RIP" or other one-word epitaphs on the top half of the oval sandwich cookies and stick into the cupcakes randomly around the graveyard.

To make the ghosts: Remove two-thirds of the tube of marzipan and place between 2 sheets of wax paper or parchment. Roll about 1/8-inch thick and cut into 3 rounds using a 4-inch biscuit cutter. You may need to gather and reroll the scraps for all 3 rounds. Drape over the wrapped lollipops and stick into the cupcakes around the tombstone. Using the black decorating icing and the same round tip, dot eyes and a mouth on the ghosts.

To make the pumpkins and leaves: Divide the remaining marzipan into 4 small pieces and roll each into a ball. Roll in the orange sugar until coated and place around the graveyard. Use the black icing to pipe a small stem. Fit the tube of green decorating icing with a leaf or ribbon tip to dot bits of green grass poking through the dirt around the graveyard and pumpkins.

To make a border: Use 6 pieces of the licorice, trimming to fit, to make a border around the cake, leaving the middle of the front side open. Bend the seventh piece into an upside down "U" and stick into 2 cupcakes in the front to make an arched gateway.

Cook's Note: If your decorating icing does not come with tips, you can squeeze some icing into a small plastic bag or piping bag fitted with a small round metal tip or a small metal leaf or ribbon tip.

 

[bellastarr]

Witch Cupcakes​

Witch Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate frosting
• 1 4 3/4ounce package chocolate cones (Nabisco Oreo Cones)
• Orange nonpareils
• 1 16 ounce can vanilla frosting, divided
• Neon-green food coloring
• 12 cupcakes, removed from paper liners
• Chocolate chips
• Green tube icing
• Red tube icing
• Mike and Ike Tangy Twister candies
• Chocolate Jimmies

Make It

1. Place chocolate frosting in a freezer-weight zip-top bag and snip off a small corner. Pipe base of cones, dip in orange nonpareils, and set aside.

2. Place 1/2 cup vanilla frosting in a another zip-top bag and snip off a small corner. Tint remaining frosting green and frost cupcakes.

3. Turn cupcakes on sides, then place decorated cones on top. Using vanilla frosting, pipe eyes on cupcakes. Attach chocolate chips for pupils and pipe a dot onto chips. Use red icing for mouths, green icing for warts; shape candies into noses. Pipe chocolate icing onto cupcakes for hair and sprinkle with chocolate jimmies.

 

[bellastarr]

Monster Mash-Mallow Treats​

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup green melting wafers
• 1 cup orange melting wafers
• 1 cup purple melting wafers
• Lollipop sticks
• 24 large marshmallows
• Sprinkles, candy corn, and candy icing decorations
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips, melted

Make It

1. Place melting wafers in separate small bowls. Microwave for 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Insert one end of lollipop sticks into melted green wafers. Push green-colored end of each stick into a marshmallow. Let set 3 minutes.

2. Dunk marshmallows into orange or purple melted wafers, shaking off any excess coating. Place on a sheet of wax paper, and top with assorted sprinkles or decorations.

3. To make faces, place melted chocolate in a resealable plastic bag, and snip off one tiny corner. Pipe face designs onto marshmallows.

 

[bellastarr]

Hocus Pocus Hats​

Ingredients

• 12 chocolate cones
• 1 pint premium ice cream, softened
• 12 candy icing decorations
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 12 chocolate wafers
• Sprinkles

Make It

1. Using a small spoon, fill cones with softened ice cream. Place an icing decoration in each, facing up. Freeze for 3 hours to set.

2. Microwave chocolate chips for 15-second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Spread 1 teaspoon on each wafer, and top with a filled ice-cream cone. Coat edge with sprinkles. Freeze immediately.

 

[carrielsal]

Witches' Hats

INGREDIENTS:
2 (16 ounce) packages fudge stripe
cookies
1/4 cup honey, or as needed
1 (9 ounce) bag milk chocolate candy
kisses, unwrapped
1 (4.5 ounce) tube black decorating gel
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place a fudge stripe cookie with bottom side up onto a work surface. Smear a small dab (about 1/8 teaspoon) of honey onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss, and secure the candy piece to the center of the cookie, covering the hole. Use decorating gel to pipe a small bow onto the cookie at the base of the candy piece. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

 

[bellastarr]

Quick Spooky Snack​

Ingredients

• 1 package Chex Party mix
• Candy Corn
• Black M&Ms
• orange M&Ms

Make It

1. Combine Chex Party Mix with candy corn and M&Ms.

 

[carrielsal]

Magic Wands

NGREDIENTS:
1 (15 ounce) package pretzel rods
1 (16 ounce) container prepared vanilla
frosting
1/2 cup sprinkles or colored sugar for
decoration
DIRECTIONS:
1. Dip each pretzel rod into frosting, not quite half way. Roll in sprinkles to coat the frosting. Abracadabra, you have a magic wand!

 

[bellastarr]

M&M's Pumpkin Cake​

Ingredients
Cake:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs

Decoration:

• 1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
• Orange gel food coloring (such as Wilton)
• 2 bags (7 ounces each) orange M&M's candies (about 2 cups)
• 34 yellow or brown M&M's
• 1 chocolate-covered candy bar (such as Snickers)

Make It
Cake::

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 1.5-liter Pyrex bowls with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix the pumpkin, milk and vanilla in a small bowl to blend.

3. Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the pumpkin mixture, ending with the flour mixture. Beat just until smooth.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared bowls. Bake at 350 degrees in the center of the oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean. Transfer bowls to a wire rack and cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks and remove bowls; cool completely (about an hour).
Decoration::

5. Trim the top of the cakes with a serrated knife to make level. Tint the frosting orange with the food coloring. Place one cake layer, cut-side up, on a serving platter. Spread the cut side with 1/2 cup of the frosting. Place the other cake layer on top, cut-side down. Trim any excess to make round.

6. Spread a thin layer of frosting on half the cake, from top to bottom. Start with the nose: In the center of the frosted area, place 3 yellow or brown M&Ms (see photo) -- 2 on the bottom and 1 on the top -- to make a triangle nose. Place 2 orange candies above the nose, then begin the eyes: Attach 3 yellow candies along the same line as the orange candies above nose, to the left. Then place 2 yellow candies above that row, and end with a single yellow candy. Repeat on the other side of the nose. Below the nose, make an upside-down triangle using 6 orange candies. Make a yellow candy mouth, beginning with 7 candies arranged in a V around the orange triangle. Then use 12 additional yellow candies to finish the mouth. Fill in with more orange candies close together on the frosted area. When that area is covered, spread another area with the frosting and add more candies. Repeat until the entire cake is covered with orange candies.

7. Cut the candy bar in half crosswise on the diagonal to fashion a stem. Make a small hole in the top of the cake and press the candy bar half, cut-side down, into the top of the cake, for the stem. Refrigerate to firm frosting.

 

[carrielsal]

Caramel Corn Treat Bags

INGREDIENTS:
4 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Karo® Light or Dark Corn Syrup
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla
Extract
Treat bags or bowls
Halloween candies, nuts, dried fruits, etc.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Spray a large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Add popcorn and place in preheated 250 degrees F oven while preparing caramel.
2. Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Boil 5 minutes WITHOUT STIRRING. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla.
4. Pour syrup mixture over warm popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.
5. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cool; break apart. Store in tightly covered container.
6. To serve, set out small bowls of your favorite candies, nuts or fruits and let your guests individualize their own Halloween treat.

 

[bellastarr]

Creepy Creature Cake​

Ingredients

• 1 18 1/4ounce box devil's-food cake mix
• 1 16 ounce can chocolate frosting
• 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
• Red decorating icing
• Gummy worms
• Candy bugs
• Candy body parts
• Mini marshmallows

Make It

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan. Prepare cake according to package directions and bake. Cool 15 minutes and invert cake onto wire rack; let cool completely.

2. Frost cake and cover with cookie crumbs. Pipe red icing to look like dripping blood. Place worms and candy bugs and body parts around cake.

3. For bloody hand, fill a rubber glove with mini marshmallows, close the wrist with a rubber band, then use red markers for blood and black markers for fingernails. Place hand inside center of cake and cover wrist with crumbs.

 

[carrielsal]

Spiced Spider Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:
Spice Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups water
2/3 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese,
softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, or
more as needed

Decorations:
1 (.68 oz. tube) black decorating gel
24 large spiced gumdrops
black shoestring licorice
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Combine flour, white sugar, baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in bowl; whisk to mix. In separate bowl, mix water, canola oil, vinegar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Pour liquids into dry mixture and stir until smooth. The batter will be very thin.
3. Transfer batter into a measuring cup or pitcher; pour batter into prepared cupcake pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven until tops spring back when gently pressed with a fingertip and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Beat cream cheese, butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually mix in confectioners' sugar until frosting is creamy and spreadable. Frost the cooled

 

[carrielsal]

Cupcake Graveyard

INGREDIENTS:
1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake
mix
2 (16 ounce) packages vanilla frosting
3/4 cup chocolate sandwich cookie
crumbs
24 chocolate covered graham cracker
cookies
DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes.
2. In a medium bowl stir 1 package of frosting with the cookie crumbs. Frost cooled cupcakes.
3. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a plain tip, with remaining white frosting. Write R.I.P. on each chocolate covered graham cracker cookie. Stand a decorated cookie on top of each cupcake so that it looks like a tombstone. Place the cupcakes on a large cookie sheet that has been covered with green paper. Place paper ghosts and bats randomly through the graveyard. Serve!

 

[Reddhott]

Spiky Candy Corn Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 can white frosting
Yellow food coloring
1/2 dozen store-bought un-iced vanilla cupcakes
1 large bag yellow, orange, and white candy corn
Directions
In a bowl stir together the white frosting with enough yellow food coloring to match the color of the bottom of the candy corn. Ice the cupcakes with the yellow frosting.

Starting from the center and working your way outwards in a circular pattern, put the candy corn on the icing of each cupcake.

Arrange the cupcakes on a platter and serve.

 

[Reddhott]

Cyclops Brownies
For these cyclops brownies, press a gummy eyeball into the center of each frosted brownie, then cover the rest of the brownie with sprinkles. Try using purple and black candy pearls, and orange and black jimmies from Williams-Sonoma's Halloween decorating kit. Remember to save one 4-inch brownie per person for the next recipe.

 

[liblue1]

Spooky spider eggs

After making deviled eggs, cut pitted black olives in half lengthwise and nestles one half on top of an egg for the body, and then cut the other half crosswise into thin slices to form the creepy legs.

 

[Reddhott]

Deviled Chicken Lollipops

Ingredients
12 chicken drumettes, skin on
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3 slices sandwich sourdough bread, crusts trimmed, torn into pieces
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 scallions, green and white part, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup honey mustard
Hot sauce, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F or a convection oven to 425 degrees F.

Stand a drumette on its wide end and, holding the narrow bone at the top, use a paring knife to push and scrape the skin and meat downward to expose the bone and make a plump "lollipop" of chicken at the bottom. Repeat with the remaining drumettes. Season generously with salt and pepper and set aside.

Pulse the bread in a food processor to make coarse bread crumbs, (about 12 times). Add the garlic, parsley, scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, to taste, and continue to pulse until finely chopped but not a paste. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl and toss with melted butter.

Brush each drumette with some honey mustard. Then press and roll each one in the bread crumbs to coat. Arrange the drumettes (standing up if you can) on a rack set over a baking sheet. Roast until chicken is cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve drumettes hot or at room temperature with hot sauce, if desired.

 

[Reddhott]

Pumpkin Cake Pops

Ingredients
Cake:
Unflavored nonstick cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup nonfat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup pecan halves, for decorating
Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 pounds finely chopped white chocolate (or two 11-ounce bags white chocolate chips)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the cake: Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugars together. Stir in the milk and vanilla, and then add the oil. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and pour the liquid mixture over the dry mixture. Use a wooden spoon to stir the batter together, and then switch to a whisk and give the batter a good 3 or 4 beats before pouring it into the prepared baking dish. Use a rubber spatula to smooth out the batter and place it in the oven until the cake is golden and springs back to light pressure, 25 to 28 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile, place the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast them until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a large plate to cool, then transfer to a cutting board and finely chop. Place the nuts in a medium bowl and set aside.

Divide the cake into quarters and crumble it into a large bowl. Once all of the cake is crumbled, drag 2 forks through the cake in opposite directions to crumble it into a very fine crumb (you can also use a food processor to pulse the cake into fine crumbs). Set aside.

For the frosting: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and set aside. Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until airy, about 3 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stir the cream cheese frosting into the cake crumbs and, once the mixture looks like wet graham crackers crumbs, roll it into ping pong-size balls. Place the cake balls on the prepared baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour.

Place the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt at 50-percent power, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes (or melt the chocolate over a double boiler, stirring often, until the chocolate is melted).

Remove the cake balls from the freezer and insert a lollypop stick or small appetizer-length skewer into the top of each one (stick it in far enough so it is more than halfway through but doesn't puncture the other side of the ball). Dip each ball into the white chocolate, using a spoon to help coat the underside. Tap the stick against the side of the bowl a few times and swirl the stick to encourage the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Dip the top of the ball into the nuts, and then place the cake pop back on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, nut-side down (so the stick points straight up). Repeat with the remaining cake balls. Let the cake pops stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Serve that day or refrigerate for up to 3 days and then serve.

 

[Reddhott]

Jack Skellington Layer Cake

What You’ll Need
•
1 box white cake mix, plus ingredients needed to prepare
•
6 round sandwich cookies
•
8 oz white almond bark or vanilla candy coating
•
6 lollipop sticks
•
Red, green, and black food coloring
•
Vanilla Frosting: 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) salted butter, softened to room temperature
•
1/3 cup heavy cream
•
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
•
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
•
Chocolate Ganache: 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
•
1/4 cup heavy cream
•
2 tablespoons corn syrup or honey

Helpful Tip
A cold cake is firm, making it easier to frost and level. Plan ahead and don't skimp on chilling time!!

Yields 1 (8 inch) round layer cake.
How To Make It
1Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour two 8 inch round cake pans and set aside. Prepare cake batter according to box directions. Divide batter in half -- color half green and the other half red with food coloring. Pour batter in prepared pans (one color per pan) and bake according to box directions. Let cakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then carefully remove to wire racks to continue cooling. Once cakes are room temperature, wrap and chill for a few hours until firm.
2While cakes chill, start preparing your "Jack Skellingtons". Melt almond bark in the microwave according to package directions. Dip top 1/4 of lollipop sticks in melted candy and attach in the center of each cookie. Place on a wax paper lined baking sheet and refrigerate until firm. Once sticks are firmly attached, dip cookie pop in the melted candy to coat entire cookie. Return to wax lined sheet and refrigerate to set.
3Prepare frosting: In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter, vanilla, and heavy cream on medium low speed until combined. Change mixer speed to low and slowly add powdered sugar, beating until just mixed. Increase speed to high and beat for about a minute, until smooth and fluffy. Set aside a few tablespoons of frosting and color it black -- put in a piping bag fitted with a #2 tip OR a resealable sandwich bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Using a serrated knife, level and frost chilled cake with remaining vanilla frosting, alternating layer colors. Chill cake for another hour or so, until frosting is cold to the touch.
4Prepare ganache: In a microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips and heavy cream, stopping to stir every 20 seconds until smooth. Stir in corn syrup or honey and set aside until thickened and slightly cooled. Pour in the center of chilled, frosted cake, spreading to edges and letting it drip down the sides.
5Using your black frosting, pipe Jack Skellington faces on your cookie pops and insert in cake.

 

[carrielsal]

Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn

6 tablespoons butter
5 cups miniature marshmallows
Directions:
1. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Set aside.
2. Add vegetable oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Put popcorn in prepared pan.
3. Melt butter In a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in marshmallows and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and mix with spoon to coat evenly.
4. Let mixture cool slightly. Smear butter on your hands or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Mix popcorn with your hands so that it is evenly coated.
5. Form popcorn into 8 balls.