Serves 12-16
adjust servings:

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For the cake:

For the buttercream 

For the ghosts

For the eyeballs

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ gas mark 4. Line four 20cm cake tins with non-stick parchment paper.
  2. Make the Dr. Oetker Chocolate Cake according to package instructions. 
  3. Divide the mix evenly between the tins. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool fully. 
  4. Once cooled, use a serrated knife to level the tops of the sponges. 
  5. To make the buttercream, beat together the icing sugar, cocoa powder, unsalted butter, chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Stir in a little hot water to loosen the buttercream if needed. 
  6. To assemble the cake, place the first sponge layer on a cake board or serving plate. Spread over some of the buttercream and place the next sponge on top. Continue to stack and spread each of the sponges.
  7. Use a palette knife or offset spatula to spread the buttercream over the top and sides of the cake, making sure to fill in any gaps. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set.
  8. Once set, spread over more buttercream to cover any crumbs and smooth the icing. Allow the cake to set in the fridge for five to 10 minutes.
  9. To make the ghosts, melt the white chocolate according to package instructions. 
  10. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spoon small blobs of the melted chocolate onto the lined tray and use the back of a teaspoon or a paint brush to spread the chocolate to make teardrop shapes. You can make a variety of different sizes to add to the affect. 
  11. Continue until all the chocolate is used. Place in the fridge to set for five minutes.
  12. Once set, use a toothpick or small paint brush to add eyes and a mouth using the Dr. Oetker Extra Strong Black Food Colour Gel. 
  13. To make the eyeballs, roll small pieces of fondant into small balls. Using a toothpick or small paint brush, add a dot of Dr. Oetker Extra Strong Black Food Colour Gel to the centre for the pupil. 
  14. To decorate the cake, use an angled pallet knife to gently lift the ghosts off the parchment paper. Press them gently onto the side of the cake and stagger them around the sides. 
  15. Add the eyeballs in pairs of two and dot them around the sides of the cake. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Top tips

  • If you don’t have time to make buttercream, use Dr. Oetker Rich Chocolate Icing. 
  • To make the ghosts whiter, use a paint brush to paint with white food colouring which can be found in cake supply shops. 
  • Store your remaining fondant in an air tight container to use it again. 

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