Melted Witch Cake

Melted Witch Cake

Chocolate Cake:

• • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

  • 1 cup boiling water

Peanut Butter Buttercream:

• • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

  • 4 cups powdered sugar

  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • 4-5 tablespoons milk

Ganache:

• • 3/4 - 1 cup heavy cream

  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Other:

• • 1 small sugar ice cream cone

  • candy or edible garnishes (I molded the witch's broom, legs, shoes and bucket out of gum paste)

Make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare three 8-inch round pans by spraying the bottoms only with non-stick spray. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, then spray the parchment with non-stick spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt on low speed with the paddle attachment, to combine. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine, then beat for three minutes on medium speed. Scrape the bowl down and gently stir in the boiling water – the batter will be very thin.

Divide batter between the pans. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until the center of each cake springs back when gently touched and a toothpick comes out clean. Set the pans on wire racks and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Cool completely in the pans.

Make the Buttercream:

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the butter and peanut butter on medium low speed until smooth and combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the powdered sugar with the meringue powder. With the mixer on low, add by spoonfuls, mixing to combine. Add the vanilla and milk; increase speed to medium high and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl down once or twice, whipping until very light and fluffy. Set aside.

Frost the Cake:

Level the tops of the cakes and peel the parchment paper off the bottom. Place one layer of cake on a 10-inch cake board (or directly on a serving pedestal). Spread a ¼ inch layer of peanut butter buttercream on the cake. Top with the second layer of cake, more buttercream, and the 3^rd layer of cake. Frost the cake all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Finish frosting the cake with the buttercream, swirling the sides as desired (the top of the cake will not show).

Make the Ganache:

Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a bowl and set aside.

In a saucepan, heat the cream gently over medium low heat, just until the edges begin to bubble. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let stand for 3 minutes, then stir with a spatula until smooth. If the ganache is too thin, let stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to thicken.

Final Assembly:

Place the sugar cone upside down, centered on top of the cake, gently pressed into the frosting. I first placed a wooden skewer down the center, with the cone on top of the skewer, just to be sure that the cone wouldn’t topple over.

Pour the warm ganache over the cone and the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides of the cake. Let the ganache set for a few minutes at room temperature before garnishing with candy or other edible garnishes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to finish setting the ganache, then store, covered, at room temperature before serving.

If you have any leftover ganache, you can refrigerate it until firm, then roll it into balls and coat in cocoa powder or melted chocolate for truffles.

Recipe and Design from Curly Girl Kitchen