When it comes to Halloween goodies, the best desserts are those that reflect the chilling traditions of this spooky holiday—a night when frightening characters prowl neighborhood streets, ringing doorbells, and then giggling maniacally as they threaten, “Treat or treat!”
Granted, there are the old standbys like candy apples, orange-colored fruit punch, and cupcakes iced in hues symbolic of the season, but what about trying something a bit different this year, for example, Orange-Glow Jack-o-Lantern Cake and Chewy-Creepy-Crawly Sugar Cookies?
Recipe for Halloween Orange-Glow Jack-o-Lantern Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 box spice flavored cake mix (Use another flavor if desired)
- 1 can whipped vanilla frosting
- Orange food coloring (If orange isn’t available, mix red and yellow)
- Light corn syrup
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Mini ice cream cones
- Chocolate chips
- Two large plastic eyes from a crafts store
Preparation:
- Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package.
- Pour the mix into a Bundt pan and cook, following suggested temperature settings.
- When the cake is cooked thoroughly (an inserted toothpick will come out clean), remove the cake from oven and allow it to cool.
Decorating the Orange-Glow Jack-o-Lantern Cake
In order to decorate the cake, mix the orange food coloring with the frosting until the desired shade is obtained; however, if a two-toned pumpkin is desired, mix two batches of tinted frosting, one lighter than the other. Then, follow these directions:
- Frost cake with icing (If creating a two-toned pumpkin, frost cake with one shade then use the other shade to create random patterns).
- Brush mini ice cream cone with corn syrup, sprinkle with brown sugar until thoroughly coated, and place on top of cake to create the pumpkin’s stem.
- Coat a wooden skewer or plastic straw with vegetable oil, roll in brown sugar, then press it lightly along sides of cake to create vertical lines about one inch apart.
- Coat another cone in brown sugar to create the Jack-o-Lantern’s nose.
- Use chocolate chips to create a mouth.
- Place plastic eyes in position (Be sure to remove them when the cake is sliced)
Recipe for Halloween Chewy-Creepy-Crawly Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 egg
- 2 heaping teaspoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 can thick vanilla frosting
- Small orange candies, green gummy sticks, black jellybeans, and other candies to use for decorating
Preparation:
- Blend shortening and flour until mixture resembles course corn meal.
- Blend in egg, milk, and vanilla.
- Roll out on floured board.
- Cut with cookie cutter.
- Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 8 minutes.
(Yield: 3-dozen cookies)
Decorating Chewy-Creepy-Crawly Sugar Cookies
In order to decorate the cookies, first divide the frosting into several small bowls. Next, tint one batch orange, another green, another red, and another black (yes, there is a black food coloring available in many stores), and leave one batch white. Finally, ice individual cookies in different colors and decorate, and although there are no set guidelines for decorating the cookies, some suggestions include the following:
- Ice a cookie in black and use white to draw a skull’s head.
- Ice a cookie in green and use black to draw a mouth, nose, and eyes.
- Ice a cookie in white and use black to draw a spider or black cat.
- Ice a cookie in black and use red to form a swirling vortex.
- Use orange candies on a green-and-black cookie to create eyes.
- Cut gummy sticks into appropriate lengths and use to form eyebrows above eyes made from sliced black jellybeans.
These frighteningly delicious desserts are certain to be big hits at parties in the home or at school and enjoyed by ghosts and goblins, both young and old.
Readers might also want to check out Halloween Decorating Ideas for some tips on creating easy homemade Halloween decorations, and Halloween Party Ideas for some tips on having a party people will still be talking about next year..
Reference:
Sugar Cookie Recipe modified and adapted from Favorite Recipes of America: Desserts (1968) Favorite Recipes Press: Louisville, Kentucky.
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