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According to tradition Hallowe’en is the night when all the ghosts, goblins, witches and warlocks and the spirits of the dead appear on earth and roam around looking for a living body to inhabit. To ward off these evil spirits bonfires were lit people dressed up in ghoulish costumes.

You can’t serve any old food at a Hallowe’en party. Make sure your table is groaning with some gruesome goodies and toe curling snacks.

Dariole moulds are the ideal shape for these spooky little cakes but you could cheat and use a Twinkie or a Ho Ho under the white icing !

Halloween Cakes Ingredients

One and a three quarter sticks unsalted butter plus extra for greasing
Three quarters cup plus 1 tablespoon Superfine sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 large  eggs
One and a half cups self-raising flour
Cornstarch for dusting

One and three quarter pounds white rolled fondant icing
1  tube of black Writing Icing

Method:

Beat together the butter, sugar  and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.  Add one egg at a time adding a tablespoon of flour with each egg.  Beat well and fold in the remaining  flour.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spoon the batter into 10 greased and floured dariole moulds till just over half full.  Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.  Allow to cool, cut off the top of the cakes to form a flat surface , then turn out onto a board or plate.  Allow to cool completely.

Dust your work surface with cornstarch and roll out the icing . Cut out 8  x 6” circles. You can use a saucer as a guide.  Drape these over the sponge cakes to form ghosts.  From the trimmings either use a mini cutter to cut out some tiny white oval shapes or roll out some tiny balls of white icing into oval shapes . Dampen them with a little water and stick them onto the front of the ghost. Use a blob of black Writing Icing for the pupils of the eyes.

MAKES 10 GHOULISH GHOST CAKES