Halloween is fast approaching – and any baking fans might be wondering which spooky treats to whip up for the big day.
If you really wanted to push the boat out, you can take inspiration from Aussie baking sensation Tigga Mac.
This is the work of Tegan MacCormack (AKA Tigga Mac), who’s in charge of decorations, alongside her friend Katie Scoble – who is responsible for the baking.
And for Halloween, you can get in on the action with two of Tigga Mac’s most impressive bakes – a ghastly ghost and a bloody brain, all made from cake…
You will need:
25cm round cake board
1 piping bag
1 round piping nozzle
Ingredients:
(Makes 1 ghost cake)
For the chocolate mud cake (you will be making 2x15cm round cakes):
2tbsp canola oil
375g caster sugar
250g self-raising flour
25g cocoa
¾tsp baking powder
225g unsalted butter
140g dark chocolate
300ml boiling water
1tsp instant coffee granules (de-caf, if you like)
2 large eggs
For the buttercream:
180ml pasteurised egg whites
300g caster sugar
240g icing sugar mixture
620g unsalted butter
1tsp vanilla extract
To decorate:
Purple gel food colouring
Icing sugar
3 Oreo or similar chocolate biscuits
Method:
1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Using cooking spray, grease your two cake tins and line the base and sides with baking paper. In a mixing bowl, combine the canola oil and caster sugar. Set aside. In another bowl combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Set aside. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and then add the dark chocolate, then stir until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and set aside. Carefully measure the boiling water in a heatproof jug, then add the coffee and stir. Add to the mixing bowl containing the oil and sugar. Using a whisk, mix until the sugar has dissolved. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then mix again for one minute. Add the eggs and mix until combined. Add the melted butter/chocolate mixture and give it one last mix to combine. The mixture should be smooth and easy to pour. Pour the cake batter into the lined tins. Cover the tins with foil before placing them in the preheated oven. The baking time will vary depending on the size of the cakes you are making and your oven. We suggest setting the timer for one hour, then testing the centre of the cakes with a skewer. If the skewer does not come out clean, this means your cakes are not fully baked. Keep checking at regular intervals until the skewer comes out clean. Once the cakes have been removed from the oven, wait 15 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack. Wrap the cakes in cling film while still warm, then place in the fridge or freezer. This will keep the edges soft and maintain maximum moisture!
2. Make the buttercream: Using an electric stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and caster sugar to make a thick meringue. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the meringue has reached stiff peaks (about 15 minutes). Turn off the mixer and add the icing sugar mixture to the bowl. Whisk on low until just combined and then increase speed to high until fully incorporated. Soften the butter in the microwave. It should be soft but not melted. Add the butter and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat for 10 minutes. (Optional: Switch your whisk attachment for a paddle attachment to beat out air bubbles and achieve a smoother consistency.) The buttercream is now ready to use!
3. Cut the cake: Okie dokie, slice each cake in half horizontally to create four even layers.
4. Stacking: Spread a little buttercream on the cake board where the cake will sit. This will be the glue that stops the cake from moving around while you are decorating it. Stack the four layers on top of each other on the board, layering with approximately 105g of buttercream in each layer as you go. Chill the cake in the fridge for at least 10 minutes or until firm
5. Carving: To make a ghostly shape, you need to round off the top of the cake. Using a sharp serrated knife, carefully carve the edges of the cake away in a downward motion to create a dome shape. These trimmings are yours to enjoy!
6. Buttercream time: Add a single drop of purple gel colouring to the buttercream to help neutralise the yellow and make it appear whiter. Roughly pipe over the entire cake, smoothing out using a palette knife. This is the crumb coat. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes or until firm. Add a second coat of buttercream, this time making short strokes with the palette knife to create a textured finish.
7. Arms: This next step will work best with firm buttercream. If you find your buttercream is too soft, pop it in the fridge for five minutes to firm it up. Give it a stir before placing it in the piping bag with a round piping nozzle. You will note in the picture that the ghost’s arms are thicker at the base and thinner at the top. To create this look, pipe in an upwards motion using more pressure at the base and reducing the pressure as you move upwards. Once the arms are in place, chill the cake in the fridge for at least 10 minutes or until firm.
8. Eyes and mouth: Now it’s time to make your ghost scream! Split apart your three Oreo cookies and use the cookie halves with no icing. Feel free to eat the icing halves! Using scissors, shape your Oreos into oval shapes.
9. Finishing touches: Carefully put the Oreo eyes and mouth onto the cake, gently pushing them into place. This will help give the illusion of black holes in your ghost’s face.
Tigga Mac's Bloody Brain Halloween cake recipe
You will need:
25cm round cake board
1 piping bag
1 large round piping tip
1 sieve
Ingredients:
(Makes 1 brain cake)
For the velvet vanilla cake (you are making 1x20cm round cake):
25ml canola oil
375g caster sugar
2tsp vanilla extract
1tsp vinegar
300g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
½tsp salt
200ml boiling water
2 large eggs
200g unsalted butter
250ml buttermilk
For the buttercream:
180ml pasteurised egg whites
300g caster sugar
240g icing sugar mixture
620g unsalted butter
1tsp vanilla extract
To decorate:
Red gel food colouring
1 375g jar raspberry jam
Method:
1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Using cooking spray, grease your chosen cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper. In a mixing bowl combine the canola oil, caster sugar, vanilla extract and vinegar. Set aside. In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Carefully measure the boiling water in a heatproof jug and add to the mixing bowl with the oil and sugar. Using a whisk, mix until the sugar has dissolved. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then mix again for one minute. Add the eggs and mix until combined. In a saucepan, melt the butter and remove from the heat. Add to the mixture, then mix until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until smooth. You may be concerned about the consistency of your batter, but it is meant to be runny! Pour the cake batter into the lined tin. Cover the tin with foil before placing it in the preheated oven. The baking time will vary depending on the size of the cake you are making and your oven. In our oven, a 20 centimetre vanilla velvet cake takes one hour 10 minutes. We suggest setting the timer for one hour, then testing the centre of the cake with a skewer. If the skewer does not come out clean, this means your cake is not fully baked. Keep checking at regular intervals until the skewer comes out clean. Once the cake has been removed from the oven, wait 15 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack. Wrap the cake in cling film while still warm, then place in the fridge or freezer. This will keep the edges soft and maintain maximum moisture!
2. Make the buttercream: Using an electric stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and caster sugar to make a thick meringue. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the meringue has reached stiff peaks (about 15 minutes). Turn off the mixer and add the icing sugar mixture to the bowl. Whisk on low until just combined and then increase speed to high until fully incorporated. Soften the butter in the microwave. It should be soft but not melted. Add the butter and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat for 10 minutes. (Optional: Switch your whisk attachment for a paddle attachment to beat out air bubbles and achieve a smoother consistency.) The buttercream is now ready to use!
3. Cut the cake: Okie dokie, cut the cake in half down the middle.
4. Colour: First make the coloured buttercream – remember to add the food colouring a little at a time until you are happy with the result. Colour the buttercream pale pink.
5. Assembly: Spread a little buttercream on the cake board where the cake will sit. This will be the glue that stops the cake from moving around while you are decorating it. Sandwich the two cake halves together with a layer of buttercream and stand the cake upright on the board.
6. Buttercream time: Using a palette knife, cover the entire cake in pink buttercream. This is the crumb coat. It doesn’t have to be perfect as you will be piping over it! Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes or until firm.
7. Brains: Pop the round piping tip into your piping bag and fill the bag with pale pink buttercream. Using a palette knife or skewer, mark out a line down the centre of your cake, to create the two hemispheres of the brain. Pipe squiggly lines on either side until the entire brain is covered. Chill the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or until completely firm. It is important to make sure the cake is fully chilled before moving on to the next step.
8. Blood: For the blood, we are going to use jam. Place it in a bowl and stir in a little warm water. If your jam is not red enough, add some red gel colouring to the jam to make it look more like BLOOD. Strain the jam through a sieve to remove any seeds and lumps. Using a pastry brush, carefully apply the jam all over the brain until it is covered and add some splatters to the cake board to create a terrifying blood-soaked scene!
