Description
Create spooky and delightful Witches Brew Halloween Cake Jars featuring rich chocolate cake layers, vibrant green buttercream frosting, and whimsical fondant witch legs and shoes for a festive treat perfect for Halloween celebrations.
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 butter (salted)
- 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
- Prepare Fondant Legs: Knead half a tablespoon of CMC powder into orange fondant until soft and pliable. Roll into long strips approximately 5mm in diameter, then cut into 10 cm lengths. Repeat until you have 18 strips. Keep covered to prevent drying.
- Add Black Stripes: Roll black fondant into thin strips about 2-3 mm diameter and 25-30 cm long. Dampen orange fondant legs with a brush and attach black stripes spaced evenly to create five stripes per leg. Keep covered while working.
- Create Black Fondant Shoes: Knead remaining half tablespoon of CMC into black fondant and form 18 balls about 2 cm diameter. Roll each into short sausages, pinch ends to shape heels and pointed toes, and create a rounded opening with a ball tool for leg insertion.
- Attach Shoes to Legs: Lightly moisten the inside of shoe openings with a damp brush and attach them to the orange legs. Press firmly and set on a flat surface. Let all legs dry and firm overnight.
- Prepare Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 170℃. Grease and flour one 9-inch square cake tin. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping bowl halfway through. Add eggs two at a time, beating well after each.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt together. Sift into creamed mixture in three batches, alternating with milk, folding gently after each addition. Finally, fold in vanilla extract.
- Bake Cake: Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a skewer; it should come out clean and cake surface springy. Cool in tin 2-3 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- Make Buttercream Frosting: Beat butter until soft and creamy. Add sifted powdered sugar gradually, mixing to moisten, then whip using electric mixer until smooth. Beat in vanilla extract and add milk if too stiff. Mix in green food coloring thoroughly. Transfer to piping bag with large star tip.
- Assemble Cake Jars: Level cake and slice horizontally into two layers. Use round cutter to cut nine circles from each layer. Place sprinkles around the bottom inside of each jar to fill gaps. Add first cake layer, pipe green buttercream on top, then add more sprinkles on sides. Repeat with second cake layer and finalize with a large swirl of buttercream on top. Sprinkle liberally.
- Decorate with Fondant Legs: Use a wooden skewer to poke two holes in the buttercream top of each cake jar. Insert two fondant witch legs into the holes to complete the decoration. Let set before serving.
Notes
- Make fondant legs at least one day ahead so they dry and harden properly, preventing bending after assembly.
- Use a fondant smoother instead of hands to roll strips for smooth and uniform legs without finger marks.
- In humid climates, fondant can become sticky and saggy; adding CMC powder and working in air-conditioned rooms helps, or insert lollipop sticks wrapped in fondant for extra support.
- Moisten fondant with a damp brush sparingly; excessive water causes sogginess and color bleeding.
- Keep fondant balls covered while shaping shoes; re-knead if they feel dry before rolling.
- The first shoe takes longer to shape; speed improves with practice.
- Start with a small amount of green food coloring in buttercream and add more as needed; gel colors are concentrated.
- Plan the layout before cutting cake circles to ensure nine equal pieces per layer.
- Sprinkles at the bottom of the jars fill uneven bases and add visual interest but are optional.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 jar
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 60 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
