Chocolate And Pumpkin Zebra Cake For Halloween Recipes

CHOCOLATE AND PUMPKIN ZEBRA CAKE FOR HALLOWEEN

Steps:

• Position a rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour cake pans. Whisk cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, ginger, cloves, and remaining 2 1/3 cups flour in a medium bowl. Mix pumpkin purée, milk, and vanilla in another medium bowl.
• Cream sugar and remaining 1 cup butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until pale and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with pumpkin mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
• Transfer 6 cups batter to a large bowl. Whisk in orange food coloring, if using, a few drops at a time until desired color is achieved.
• Add cocoa powder to remaining 3 cups batter and beat with stand mixer on medium-low speed until smooth. Add black gel food coloring, if using, a few drops at a time, until desired color is achieved.
• Spoon 1 cup pumpkin batter into center of each prepared pan. Spoon 1/2 cup chocolate batter directly on top of pumpkin batter. Repeat 2 times with each batter, spooning batter into centers of pans and occasionally tapping pan firmly on work surface to ensure even distribution. Divide remaining chocolate batter into centers of both pans. The batter will look slightly domed at this point; carefully smooth with an offset spatula, being careful not to disturb the layers too much.
• Bake cakes until centers spring back when lightly pressed, 55-60 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool.
• Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium. Bring to a low simmer, then immediately pour over chocolate. Let sit, undisturbed, 5 minutes. Add vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add black gel food coloring, if using, to achieve a scary black frosting. Let ganache cool at room temperature until thick, about 30 minutes.
• Place 2 wooden-handled spoons or spatulas horizontally about 5" apart over a large bowl. Prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl.
• Heat sugar, corn syrup, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small saucepan fitted with candy thermometer over medium, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium heat, without stirring, brushing any sugar crystals down side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Cook until thermometer registers 300°F. Immediately dip bottom of pan in ice bath, stirring with a fork. The sugar is ready once it thickens to the consistency of honey but still flows in a steady stream. Remove pan from ice bath and dip fork in hot sugar. Raise fork about 10" above the wooden spatulas and quickly move the fork back and forth, making thin threads of sugar. Repeat, dipping fork back into hot sugar and layering the strands. Form enough strands to create a loose mass resembling a spider web.
• Spread 1 Tbsp. ganache in the center of a platter. Place 1 cake layer in the center. Evenly spread 1 1/2 cups ganache on top of cake with an offset spatula, pressing outward toward edges. Carefully place second cake layer, top side down, over, gently pressing down to secure. Evenly spread remaining ganache over top and sides. Chill at least 15 minutes to let ganache set.
• When ready to serve, top with spun sugar spider web and plastic spider rings, if using.

CHOCOLATE-AND-VANILLA ZEBRA CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush two 9-inch round cake pans with butter. Line bottoms of pans with parchment rounds; brush parchment with butter.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined, 30 seconds. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and granulated sugar until light, opaque, and foamy, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups milk, butter, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour mixture; whisk until smooth. In another large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 1/3 cup milk, and cocoa. Add 3 1/4 cups of vanilla batter to cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk remaining scant 3 tablespoons milk into remaining vanilla batter.
• Spoon 1/4 cup vanilla batter into center of each prepared pan. Spoon 1/4 cup chocolate batter into each center, directly on top of vanilla batter. Repeat, always spooning batter into centers of pans, and occasionally tapping pan firmly on work surface to ensure even distribution, until all batter is used (batters should appear as concentric rings).
• Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cakes are puffed slightly and a tester inserted into centers comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack; let cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack, remove parchment, and let cool completely.
• Frosting: Meanwhile, whisk together cocoa, espresso powder, salt, hot water, and vanilla until a smooth paste forms. Beat butter with confectioners' sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in chocolate, then cocoa mixture and corn syrup, until smooth.
• Trim tops of cakes flat. Transfer one cake, trimmed-side up, to a cake plate or stand lined with parchment strips. Spread 3/4 cup frosting evenly over top. Place remaining cake layer on top, trimmed-side down. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Remove parchment strips; serve. Cake can be stored, uncovered, at room temperature up to 12 hours, or refrigerated, uncovered, up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 30 x 20cm baking or small roasting tin with baking parchment. Put the flour, sugar, spice, bicarbonate of soda, sultanas and salt into a large bowl and stir to combine. Beat the eggs into the melted butter, stir in the orange zest and juice, then mix with the dry ingredients till combined. Stir in the pumpkin. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30 mins, or until golden and springy to the touch.
• To make the frosting, beat together the cheese, butter, icing sugar, orange zest and 1 tsp of the juice till smooth and creamy, then set aside in the fridge. When the cake is done, cool for 5 mins then turn it onto a cooling rack. Prick it all over with a skewer and drizzle with the rest of the orange juice while still warm. Leave to cool completely.
• If you like, trim the edges of the cake. Give the frosting a quick beat to loosen, then, using a palette knife, spread over the top of the cake in peaks and swirls. If you're making the cake ahead, keep it in the fridge then take out as many pieces as you want 30 mins or so before serving. Will keep, covered, for up to 3 days in the fridge.