Spooky Ghost Chocolate Cookie Cake

27 Oct Spooky Ghost Chocolate Cookie Cake

Halloween is around the corner and we are throwing a Halloween party for our friends. I am doing crafts with my daughter Ellie. She is excited about Halloween and the upcoming party and I baked a Halloween cake. A cake with Ghost cookies, chocolate, chocolate ganache, cookies and buttercream. Simple recipe for a 3 layer chocolate cake!

For the Chocolate Sponge (3 x 6″ trays) 

• 335ml Cold Coffee/ can use just water instead
• 290ml Vegetable Oil (or Sunflower)
• 340 Heavy Milk cream
• 4 to 5 Eggs 
• 490gr All purpose Flour 
• 510gr Sugar 
• 45gr Cocoa Powder 
• 45gr Black Cocoa Powder
• 1.5 tsp Baking of Soda 
• a bit of Salt 

For the Vanilla Buttercream 

• 560gr Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
• 975gr Icing Sugar 
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract 
• Pinch of Salt 
• 4-8 Tbsp Heavy Milk cream 

For the Ganache Filling 

• 75ml Heavy Cream 
• 75gr Dark Chocolate Chips

For the Ganache Drip 

• 40ml Heavy Milk Cream 
• 40gr Dark Chocolate Chips

For Meringue Ghost Cookies:

• 2 eggs whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• pince of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of sugar

Extras

• One pack of Oreo cookies
• Chocolate sprinkles
• Black food color gel (for the ghost cookies)
• Purple food color drops or blue and red (for the buttercream)

How to:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease three 6-inch cake pans, place a parchment round in the base, then grease and flour the edges of the pan.
2. Make the cake: Sift together the flour, both cocoa powder, salt and soda into a medium bowl. In a container whisk together the oil, heavy milk, and coffee.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl, using a hand mixer), whip the eggs on medium speed until slightly pale, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and whip the mixture on medium-high speed until it becomes pale and thick and has quadrupled in volume, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Reduce speed to low and add the milk mixture to the mixer in a slow, steady, stream, mixing on low speed to combine.
5. Sprinkle the flour mixture into the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add the remaining flour in 3 more additions, mixing just until incorporated.

6. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and gently spread into an even layer. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cakes are ready 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.
7. Make the buttercream: Bit the soft butter in a mixing bowl until is white. Then combine the sugar, the vanilla extract and gradually add the heavy milk until you have the consistency you need. For the purple color add as many drops of blue and red you need of the food coloring gels to create the color you like. I needed 5 and 5 drops of each color.

8. Assemble the cake: Use a serrated knife to remove the domed top of the cakes, —you should have 3 layers total.
9. Place one layer on a cake turntable, platter, or cake stand. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the outside edge of the cake or use your spatula. Create a pool on the center of the cake for the chocolate ganache that you made on a benmari. Add approximately 3 Tbsp of it. Place another layer of cake on top, and repeat this process. 
10. Apply a thin all over “crumb coat” of the buttercream, and chill the cake for 10 to 15 minutes. Cover the cake with the remaining butter cream. Finish with the chocolate ganache drip and the ghost cookies.

Watch the recipe here:

For the Meringue Ghost Cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 215F (100C)
2. Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, salt and vanilla extract in a large, completely clean, completely grease-free bowl (clean with white vinegar all of the tools you are going to use for the meringue)
3. Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer (with either the whisk or paddle attachment), stir on low speed until mixture becomes foamy.
4. Increase speed little by little.
5. With the mixer on high, gradually add sugar cane, about 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition until sugar is dissolved.
6. Beat until mixture is thick, shiny, and has increased in volume. Mixture should be stiff and the sugar should be completely dissolved (test this by rubbing a small amount of the mixture between your fingers, if it feels gritty, the sugar isn’t dissolved so you need to keep mixing more).
7. Fit a large disposable piping bag with a large tip and pipe onto the prepared cookie sheet. You will want to bake all of the ghost cookies at the same time, so make sure you have enough space since these meringue cookies are not expanded during baking.
8. Bake at 215F (100C) for 1 hour. Turn off the oven once the baking time has passed, and do not open the oven. Allow cookies to cool completely in the oven with the door half open (1-2 hours or during the night, like I did) before removing.
9. Meringue cookies should be crisp and can be stored in an airtight container. Keep away from heat and moisture as it can soften your meringues.
10. Draw the eyes and mouth of ghosts with dark chocolate or black cookie icing and a small round brush

How to Make Chocolate Ganache

1. Place finely chopped chocolate or chocolate chips into a heat-proof glass or metal bowl.
2. Heat cream on the stovetop until just simmering. Once you see little simmers around the edges, turn off the heat and immediately pour the warm cream over the chocolate.
3. Let the two sit for a few minutes before stirring.
4. Stir until smooth.

After you stir the chocolate and warm cream together, use the ganache right away. The ganache can be scooped with a spoon, spread onto desserts, or piped with piping tips.