Monstercake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with deep cake cases. Put all the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat together with electric hand beaters until smooth. Spoon the mix into the cases, then bake for 20 mins until risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out dry. Cool completely on a rack. Can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container, or frozen for up to 1 month.
• For the frosting, work the butter, milk and vanilla into the icing sugar until creamy and pale. Colour with food colouring, if using, then create your own gruesome monster faces using sweets and sprinkles.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms and sides of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray.
• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 8-inch rounds, using water, oil and eggs. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cakes 30 minutes to 1 hour or until firm.
• In medium bowl, mix 2 containers frosting and orange food color. On serving plate, place 1 cake layer, rounded side down. Spread with 1 cup of the orange frosting. Top with second cake layer, rounded side up. Spread thin layer of orange frosting over cake to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Frost top and side of cake with orange frosting, using back of spoon to create texture.
• Spread large circle of vanilla frosting for eyeball. Unroll 1 fruit snack; cut out small circle for eye and teeth for mouth. Place circle in center of eye. Top with gumdrop. Spread vanilla frosting for mouth; add fruit roll-up for teeth. Outline each with black licorice; add eye lashes.
• Unroll remaining fruit snack; wrap around ice cream cone. Insert skewers at top of cake; attach cones to look like horns.

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes, blending dry pudding mix into batter before spooning into paper-lined cups. Cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and food coloring in medium bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.
• Arrange cupcakes on platter or tray as shown in diagram to resemble a monter's head; spread with frosting. Use decorating gel to outline the eyes, mouth, scars and hairline on cupcakes. Fill in hair with cookie crumbs. Place 1 marshmallow half in center of each eye; place remaining marshmallow halves in mouth for teeth. Keep refrigerated.

Steps:

• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on cookie sheet. Freeze until firm; refrigerate.
• In microwavable bowl, microwave blue candy melts and shortening uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 minute, then in 15-second intervals, until melted; stir until smooth. Dip tip of 1 lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into melted blue candy and insert stick into 1 cake ball no more than halfway. Repeat. Return to cookie sheet. Refrigerate 5 minutes. Remove from refrigerator a few at a time. Dip cake balls in melted blue candy; tap off excess. Poke opposite end of stick into foam block. Immediately attach 2 candy straw pieces to top of pop for antennae, holding in place until set. Let stand until set.
• Spoon melted purple candy into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off small corner of bag. Squeeze bag to pipe mouth and teeth onto cake pops. Use remaining melted candy to attach candy eyes to antennae.