Description
Witches Brew Halloween Cake Jars combine rich, moist chocolate cake layered beautifully with creamy buttercream frosting dyed an eerie electric green. These festive treats are creatively assembled in jars, adorned with whimsical handmade fondant witch legs and shoes, making them perfect for a spooky celebration or Halloween party.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 330 g self raising flour
- 360 g granulated sugar
- 360 g butter
- 6 eggs
- 30 g unsweetened black cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 90 ml milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Buttercream Frosting and Decoration
- 400 g salted butter
- 800 g powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 1¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon milk or cream (optional; if the buttercream is too stiff)
- Electric green food coloring (a few drops)
- 250 g orange fondant
- 200 g black fondant
- 1 tablespoon CMC powder
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- The Witches’ Black and Orange Fondant Legs: Knead half a tablespoon of CMC powder into the orange fondant until it becomes soft and pliable. Roll it into long strips about 5mm in diameter, then cut into 10 cm lengths to make 18 witch legs. Keep covered to prevent drying. Next, roll black fondant into thin 2-3mm strips without CMC, cut into 25-30 cm lengths. Using a damp cake decorating brush, apply water to the orange legs and attach five black stripes evenly spaced on each leg, trimming excess and smoothing as needed.
- The Black Fondant Shoes: Knead the remaining half tablespoon of CMC into the black fondant until soft. Make 18 balls roughly 2 cm in diameter, roll each into short sausages, and shape by pinching ends to form heels and curled toe tips. Create an opening on the side of each shoe using a small rounded tool big enough to insert the leg.
- Attaching the Shoes to the Legs: Lightly moisten the shoe openings with a damp brush, then gently attach each shoe to a leg and press lightly to secure. Stand the assembled leg and shoe upright on a flat surface and allow to dry overnight until firm.
- The Cake: Preheat oven to 170℃. Grease and flour a 9-inch square cake tin. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping halfway. Add eggs two at a time, beating well after each. Whisk flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt; sift into creamed mixture in thirds alternating with milk, folding gently. Fold in vanilla extract. Pour batter into tin and bake 45-50 minutes. Test doneness with a skewer; it should come out clean. Cool cake completely after removing from the tin.
- Buttercream Frosting: Cream butter until smooth. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and mix with a spatula before whipping to avoid sugar fly. Add vanilla extract and beat till smooth. Add milk if buttercream is stiff. Add a few drops of electric green food coloring and mix well. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (1M).
- Assembling the Halloween Cake Jars: Level the cake top and slice horizontally into two layers. Use a round cutter to cut 9 circles from each layer. Optionally, place sprinkles at the jar bottoms and press to the sides for visibility. Insert one cake circle per jar, pipe green buttercream around the sides and center, add sprinkles around sides, then add another cake circle. Top with a final swirl of buttercream, more sprinkles covering the top. Use a long wooden skewer to make two holes in each jar’s frosting top and insert the witch legs to complete the decoration.
Notes
- You need 18 fondant legs (9 pairs) prepared at least a day ahead to harden and prevent bending.
- Using a fondant smoother instead of hands helps create strips free of dents or marks.
- In humid conditions, add CMC powder to help fondant firm; working in an air-conditioned room also helps. Alternatively, wrap fondant around dampened lollipop sticks for support.
- Dampen the brush lightly to avoid soggy fondant and color bleeding when applying water for stripes and assembly.
- Keep fondant balls covered while forming shoes to prevent drying; re-knead if dry.
- The first fondant shoe takes longer, but speed improves with practice.
- Start buttercream coloring with a small amount and add gradually for desired shade; gel colors are concentrated.
- Plan cuts carefully to maximize 9 cake circles per layer.
- Adding sprinkles at jar bottoms fills gaps if jars are uneven and adds visual interest but is optional.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 jar
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
