Fire burn, and caldron bubble...

With Halloween just around the corner, just two and half weeks away, it’s a great time to have a party and to dress yourselves, your children AND your pet up! You don’t want to spend a fortune on a great outfit do you? No well neither do I. But George at ASDA has some rather funky outfits. In fact for both the boys I chose a gorgeous top and jumper which can be worn all autumn not just on All Hallows Night!

I did wonder if Daisy would actually allow me to dress her up without deciding to chew her outfit but I was rather impressed. She wore it no problem. Whoever designed them obviously has dogs and knows there’s no chance you’d get their legs down sleeves and so they Velcro lightly round their tummy. Doesn’t she look fabulous in it? A bargain at £4.

They have a huge selection of outfits and I have to admit I’m rather taken by the blow up wings! Now just to see if I can smuggle them in the boot with me to go on holiday or not! Asda also have some wonderful decorations and even a Pumpkin Pinata! We’re having a huge party this year on holiday and I cannot wait to try these all out! Why not use some of your left over decorations to make this gruesome cake?

FOR THE CAKE

Vegetable-oil cooking spray

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)

1 teaspoon baking soda

Salt

1 stick plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

FOR THE GANACHE

2 cups heavy cream

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups chocolate malt balls, coarsely chopped

Rubber cockroaches, for garnish 

Method

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Coat two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment, and coat with spray. Dust with all-purpose flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flours, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

STEP 2

Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat in melted chocolate. Divide batter between pans, and smooth tops using an offset spatula.

STEP 3

Bake cakes until a toothpick inserted into the centres comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans set on wire racks for 30 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks, remove parchment, and let cool completely.

STEP 4

Make the ganache: Bring cream to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over chopped chocolates and butter in a bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth and shiny. Let stand until thickened, about 40 minutes. Transfer 1 3/4 cups ganache to a bowl, and fold in malt balls; reserve remaining ganache.

STEP 5

Transfer 1 cake to a serving platter (top side up). Spread ganache-malt ball filling on top, and top with remaining cake (top side up). Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. Cut a large wedge from cake to serve on another plate. Pour remaining ganache (reheat if necessary) over cake and wedge, and let drip down sides and into cut centre of cake. Garnish cake and platter with rubber cockroaches.