Chocolate Mummy Cake For Your Halloween Celebrations

White plates, Cheesecloth,  Black and White String

I am not a huge fan of Halloween, because I hate creepy and scary things: movies, decorations and even food. I did however make an exception for this mummy cake. It is so easy, it's a chocolate cake, buttercream frosting, a flat pastry tip, 1 Oreo cookie  and 2 brown M&M'S Milk Chocolate candies. It does not get any easier or cute if I do say so myself. 

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9" round baking pans. 

Stir together sugar, flour, HERSHEY'S Cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Note: I used 6" cake pans and I used 3 layers and froze the leftover cake for another day. 

Buttercream Frosting

Recipe: Food.com

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

31/2 cups of powdered sugar

1-3 teaspoons milk or heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Garnish:

1 Oreo Cookie

2 brown M&M plain

In the bowl of a stand mixer mix the butter and the powdered sugar beat until blended, then add salt, mix. Add milk and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy, about another 3-5 minutes. 

Once cake is completely cooled place one layer on  a plate or a round cake board, spread with some of the white butter cream. Add the second layer of cake. Then frost the entire cake with a very thin layer of frosting. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. In the meantime place a flat decorating tip (if you do not have a flat tip the one that makes rose petals is fine too) inside a cake decorating bag and then fill with frosting. Cut off the tip of the bag. Now make "bandages" with the frosting. I went around the cake and then did the top. The good news is that it's frosting, if you do not like how it looks scrape it off and start again. 

Once you have your bandages add the cookies and the brown M&M's for the eyes. The cut and enjoy!

If you are looking for some more Fall inspiration then check out my Fall Baking board or my Fall Boards on Pinterest. 

Linking to:
Between Naps on the Porch
Savvy Souther Style
Make it Pretty
Stone Gable
Ducks in a Row

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Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Frosting

Another day, another brownie. I personally never tire of trying new brownie recipes in my quest for the most "perfect" fudge brownie. I have tasted a lot of brownies and I think this one might be very close to perfect. These brownies are rich, fudgy, moist, studded with chocolate and then topped of with ganache. Could it get any better?

 Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Recipe from Completely Delicious

1  unsalted butter, cubed

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

11/2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon instant espresso

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

For the ganache

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 325. Line a 9" square baking pan with parchment paper. 

In a medium saucepan set over low heat melt the butter and chocolate, stirring frequently. When melted and smooth remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time making to sure incorporate each one.  Stir in the vanilla and the espresso. Gently stir in the flour and the salt, stirring only until the streaks of flour are almost gone. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 30-40 minutes or until the edges are firm, the center should be almost set. Insert a toothpick into the center, remove where there are some crumbs attached. Remove from oven and let cool.

To make the ganache: Place the butter and the chocolate in a glass bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Stir frequently until the mixture melts. When the mixture is melted remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Pour the chocolate ganache over completely cooled brownies and smooth with a spatula. 

Refrigerate for at least an hour. Then remove from refrigerator and cut, serve, enjoy!

Linking to:
Savvy Southern Style