Name: Halloween Witch Cake
Prep time: 75 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter, softened; 2-1/2 cups packed brown sugar; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled; 3 teaspoons vanilla extract; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 3 teaspoons baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1-1/2 cups sour cream; 1-1/2 cups water; FROSTING:; 1-1/4 cups butter, softened; 10 cups confectioners' sugar; 3 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 to 2/3 cup 2% milk; Green and black gel food coloring; 4 ounces black candy coating disks, melted; Assorted black sprinkles, sanding sugar and pearls

If you're looking for an extra-special dessert to serve for Halloween, this witch cake will delight all the ghouls and goblins at your party. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened

2-1/2 cups packed brown sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups sour cream

1-1/2 cups water

FROSTING:

1-1/4 cups butter, softened

10 cups confectioners' sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 2/3 cup 2% milk

Green and black gel food coloring

4 ounces black candy coating disks, melted

Assorted black sprinkles, sanding sugar and pearls

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in water.

2 Pour into prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

3 For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, salt and enough milk to reach desired consistency; remove 1-1/2 cups frosting and set aside. Tint remaining frosting with green gel food coloring until desired color is reached. Tint reserved frosting with black food coloring.

4 If cake layers have rounded tops, trim with a serrated knife to make level. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 2/3 cup frosting. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake.

5 For decoration, place melted candy coating in piping bag fitted with a small round tip; pipe witch hat shapes onto waxed paper. Let stand until set. Top cake with assorted sprinkles. Place black frosting in piping bag fitted with large star tip; pipe onto top of cake. Just before serving, gently stand 1 witch hat on top of cake. Adhere remaining witch hats and black pearls to sides of cake by gently pressing into frosting.