Boris the Spider Cake

In honor of Boris the Spider, I decided to make this cake today, Halloween. I don’t like spiders, but the Boris song (by the WHO) is pretty cool.

The cake itself is pretty easy to make, so is the decorating. I am disappointed that I resorted to using plastic spiders, but I couldn’t find the large gummy spiders I had originally seen at the bake shop. I bought little gummy spiders but they just looked like a little gummy glob of nothing. Now, if I had read Jenn’s left-over queen’s blog before completing this, I could have made my spiders out of prunes like she did. They look really cool – so life-like. Be sure and check out her blog to see for yourself.

Anyway, back to the cake. No recipe really, just a devil’s food cake mix, some Hershey’s fudge frosting or chocolate frosting of your choice. I used the Wilton Cookie Icing Ready to Use frosting in a bottle to create the web.

The spider eggs on top are brownie bites covered in melted chocolate and sprinkled with some black and orange sprinkles. If you have white cotton candy, you can wrap some around the eggs to make it look like a sack. I didn’t, maybe next time. The sides of the cake are just shaved chocolate from a Ghirardelli Bittersweet bar.

Making a holiday like Halloween fun for your family isn’t difficult. It’s fun with a little imagination. I love Halloween. It’s different now with the kids gone, but it doesn’t mean I can’t still have some fun.

Yeah, it’s a big cake for Bob and me, but I think sharing with our next door neighbors kids will be cool.

Happy Halloween everyone. Here's a clip of the Boris the Spider song just for you.

Other Halloween posts you might enjoy:
Rat’s, Cat’s and Witches Hats

Mexican Chocolate Capirotada

Mexican Chocolate Drizzled Caramel Popcorn

Marble Magic Brownie Cake

Marble Magic Brownie Cake
(from “A Passion For Baking” by Marcy Goldman)

Marcy Goldman’s baking book is one of those books I bought on a whim. I wasn’t very familiar with her work as a pastry chef, but in skimming through her book, all the delicious bread and dessert recipes really caught my attention.

I’ve swallowed up her gorgeous photographs and have gone back to imprint some of her baking secrets into my mind. She is the first one I’ve read who talks about double sheeting –using double cookie sheets instead of one to keep from browning the bottoms of your cakes, cookies, breads, etc., from baking too quickly before the center is ready. After trying her tip the first time, I’ve never gone back. I use this method in all my baking. It really works.

One of the most mouth-watering recipes I read about in her book (well, actually an additional little booklet called, what else (?) “CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE” that came with my cookbook) was called Marble Magic Brownie Cake. It’s rich, it’s dense, it’s amazingly delicious and it’s not for the faint of heart, meaning if you can serve yourself a sliver, you’re OK, if not, expect a couple of pounds to be added on.

When I first try out a new recipe, I try and follow it to the letter. After that, I tweak it and make I my own. Aside from maybe making it in 2 smaller pans or maybe even as cupcakes, I’m leaving this one as is. This is a great recipe to have on hand for the upcoming Holidays. Enjoy everyone.

Look at those beautiful swirls of fudgy brownie and cake.

Marble Magic Brownie Cake

1 box yellow or white cake mix

Brownies:
2 cups unsalted butter, melted
2 cups white sugar
1 ½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs
1 ½ cups cocoa powder, measured and then sifted
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Generously spray a 1 x 9-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray and line bottom with a sheet of parchment paper.

In a large food processor, prepare cake mix according to directions. Spoon cake mix batter into a bowl. Do not wash food processor bowl.
(I did do this differently. I don’t have a very large food processor, so I used 2 mixing bowls and a hand mixer.)

For brownies, using food processor blend butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs. Add cocoa, flour baking soda and salt. Blend well to a thick smooth batter. Spoon half of brownie batter into prepared pan. Spoon half of cake mix batter over the brownie batter.
Dollop the remaining batters of the top of the cake mix batter and swirl with a knife.

Bake until done, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes (Mine took about 1 hour and 10 minutes.) It’s ready when cake has risen and springs back when lightly pressed with your fingertips.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Allow to stand 15 to 20 minutes and then spread the chips evenly over the top with a metal spatula. Cool completely and cut into squares.

FREE CHOCOLATE!

OMG! Can you believe it? Someone's giving away FREE CHOCOLATE! Sure, it's an advertising ploy, but who cares? It's FREE.

Haydee Chocolatier is having a promotional GIVEAWAY. All you have to do is click onto their site, fill in your name and address and they will send you an 8-count sample of their delicious truffles. No shipping and handling charges either. What a bargain. Now, the only sad thing about this is that it is only valid in the US., but hey, if you can get it why not? I found this wonderful offer while surfing through some of my favorite Chocolate Blogs. This particular one is one of my favorites. Heather at Chocolate Bytes, is a blog I check regularly. She finds these amazing Giveaways and Promotions as well as post some pretty good chocolate recipes.

So if you want some FREE chocolate, click on the Haydee Chocolatier site, fill in your information and then wait patiently by your mail box. I am!
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Meanwhile, here's my giveaway for today. A delicious and easy to prepare Kahlua Cake recipe. There is nothing difficult about this cake other than trying to keep yourself from slicing up another piece to devour.









It starts out with the gorgeous aroma of melting chocolate pieces in the batter, Kahlua (just for you Gloria) and hints of cinnamon and almonds. Ends with a divine flavor that will leave your mouth asking for more.

You can make this as a bundt cake, cupcakes, a loaf, mini-bundts, or even in rounds. Whip up some whip cream flavored with some additional Kahlua (or not) and sit back and enjoy.

I like to make mine in a regular bundt pan with a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top. But I also compromise with my daughter with the flavored whipped cream.

Making this recipe into small loaves or mini bundts, makes a great little gift for neighbors and friends for the holidays. This coming week I'll be putting out some more inexpensive gift giving ideas. Time's running short. And there's nothing that says Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, or I Love You, than a gift of CHOCOLATE.

Kahlua Cake

1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
½ cup Kahlua
1 bag (12 ounces) chocolate chips or 1 disk of chopped Mexican chocolate
Powdered sugar
Freshly made whipped cream, optional

Mix first six ingredients then add chocolate chips and blend in well. Grease and flour bundt pan. Pour in batter and bake in 350º F. oven for 1 hour. After cake is cooled, sift powdered sugar on top. Top with whipped cream if desired.
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Quote:
Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite and you'll eat less.