Halloween Haunted Tree Cake Recipe

Name: Halloween Haunted Tree Cake Recipe | Recipes
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups sugar (500 mL); 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (425 mL); 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa (175 mL); 1 1/2 tsps baking powder (7 mL); 1 1/2 tsps baking soda (7 mL); 1 tsp salt (5 mL); 2 eggs; 1 cup milk (250 mL); 1/2 cup vegetable oil (125 mL); 2 tsps vanilla extract (10 mL); 1 cup boiling water (250 mL); 2 cans vanilla ready-to-spread frosting, red and yellow food colouring; 1 1/3 cups REESE'S Minis Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Candy (226 g); 2 tbsps HERSHEY'S Cocoa (30 mL)

Details

Timing
Timing
Total:
Bake:: 30 Min.
Prep:: 50 Min.
Skill Level:: Intermediate
Yields:: 12 servings

If you love chocolate and peanut butter, be sure to try this impressive cake that hits all the right notes!

Ingredients & Directions

Prep Time: 50 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes

BAKE MODE:

Prevent your screen from going dark while you bake.

Ingredients

2 cups

sugar (500 mL)
1 3/4 cups

all-purpose flour (425 mL)
3/4 cup

HERSHEY'S Cocoa (175 mL)
1 1/2 tsps

baking powder (7 mL)
1 1/2 tsps

baking soda (7 mL)
1 tsp

salt (5 mL)
2

eggs
1 cup

milk (250 mL)
1/2 cup

vegetable oil (125 mL)
2 tsps

vanilla extract (10 mL)
1 cup

boiling water (250 mL)
2 cans

vanilla ready-to-spread frosting, red and yellow food colouring
1 1/3 cups

REESE'S Minis Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Candy (226 g)
2 tbsps

HERSHEY'S Cocoa (30 mL)

Key Ingredients

HERSHEY'S COCOA Natural Cocoa, 652g can - Front of Package

Where to Buy

REESE'S Minis Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Candy, 210g bag - Front of Package

Where to Buy

Directions

Equipment Needed 

Oven

(2) 9-inch (23 cm) Round Baking Pans

Measuring Cups

Mixing Bowl

Mixer

Wire Rack

Piping Bag or Food Storage Bag

Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch (23-cm) round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely.

Set aside 1/2 cup (125 mL) frosting. Tint remaining frosting to desired shade of orange with red and yellow food colouring.

Coarsely chop 1 cup (250 mL) REESE'S Minis Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Candy; set aside. Place first cake layer on serving plate; frost top of layer with about 3/4 cup (175 mL) frosting. Top with chopped REESE'S Minis Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Candy. Add second cake layer; complete frosting cake.

Add cocoa to reserved frosting; place in heavy-duty (freezer) resealable food storage bag. Cut off tip of bag about 1/4 inch (5 mm) from one corner. Draw leafless tree and branches onto top of cake by piping chocolate frosting in desired design. Add remaining REESE'S Minis Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Candy as few remaining leaves on tree and as leaves that have already fallen to the ground.