Candy Corn Chocolate Cakes

I have yet to buy my Halloween costume. Gasp! I know! Halloween is a mere six days away and I have yet to pick my gown for the grand galloping gala of Halloween night. I can't help it...Whenever Halloween approaches, I begin waffling and can't decide what I want to be. Do I want to be Little Red? Maybe a princess of sort? Perhaps something scary! It's too hard!

I had finally decided on something until I saw the weather forecast for the next week. It's supposed to snow on Thursday and Halloween night is going to climb to a sweltering 50 degrees. A viking it is in then.

You know what I have no problem deciding on?

That these little cakes are adorable!

Just in time for Halloween, here are some cute little chocolate cakes decorated to look like candy corn. I was really surprised when I made these-- the recipe for the chocolate cake is fantastic and I wouldn't mind making a simple layered cake out of it some time.

What you need for the cake:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa
1 cup oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup hot water
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the first six ingredients in a large bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Stir in buttermilk.

Stir together 1 cup hot water and baking soda: stir into batter. Stir in vanilla and pour into two greased and floured 9 inch cake pans.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Freeze layers for 30 minutes. Cut each layer into eight wedges. Now it's time to make the frosting!

What you need for the frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
1 (2lb) package powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Orange gel icing color (I used Wilton Orange)
Yellow gel icing color (I used Wilton Lemon Yellow)

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy.

Add milk, beating until spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. Stir orange food coloring into 1 1/2 cups frosting. Stir yellow into 1 1/4 cups frosting.

Pipe buttercream to resemble candy corn. Using a medium star tip, pipe white on small end, yellow in the middle and orange on the wide end. If your frosting is stiff enough (mine was not) you can also frost the sides.

Pretty cute, huh? I think these would be simply darling for a kid's October birthday party. Or, if you're like me, you can make them just because!

Good luck!
Rosie

Source: Southern Living Annual Recipes 2000