Spider Cake

This Halloween showstopper is all about the gross-out factor, and kids absolutely love it. You bake a standard cake mix in two metal bowls to get dome shapes, hollow out the bigger one, fill it with set green Jello, and frost the whole thing black. Licorice sticks become the legs, gumdrops become the eyes, and when someone cuts into it, green goop oozes out like spider guts. Gross? Yes. Memorable? Absolutely.

The trick to pulling this off is letting the Jello set just enough to hold its shape but stay wobbly. You want it firm enough to stay in the cavity when you reattach the cake halves, but loose enough to spill out dramatically at serving time.

Scoop out the cavity carefully so you don’t crack through the bottom of the cake. Leave at least half an inch of cake wall on all sides for structural support. The smaller bowl-cake becomes the spider’s head and sits right up against the body on the platter.

Chef Tips

• Use a serrated knife to level the flat side of each dome so the pieces sit stable on the platter.
• Whip the Jello with a fork once it’s partially set for a gooier, more disgusting ooze effect. Solid cubes won’t flow as dramatically.
• Black frosting can be made by adding black gel food coloring to chocolate frosting. Start with chocolate as a base since you’ll need less coloring.
• Assemble the spider on the serving platter. Once frosted and decorated, this cake does not travel well.

Variations

• Use red Jello and call it a black widow for an even creepier look.
• Add crushed Oreos around the base of the platter for a “dirt” effect.
• Replace licorice sticks with pretzel rods dipped in black candy melts for sturdier legs.