Witch Cake

Decorations:
Orange frosting
Green gumdrops
Chocolate graham crackers
Chocolate ice-cream cones
Regular and chocolate peanut butter sandwich cookies
Black licorice twists
Chocolate kisses
Mini chocolate chips
Green hard candies
Black shoestring licorice
Mini marshmallows
Chocolate-covered raisins

Devil's Food Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups milk
5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Mud Frosting, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan, an 8-inch ovenproof bowl and a 6-inch loaf pan. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and the vanilla extract, then gradually stir in the milk. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans, about two-thirds full (begin with the loaf pan, followed by the bowl and then the baking pan). Bake the 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan and the bowl for 45 to 50 minutes, and the loaf pan for 35 to 40 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center to see if the cakes are done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: To make the project more manageable, bake the cake one day and decorate it the next.

Witch Cake Continued