We've got the perfect glow in the dark Halloween project for you, taken from our October issue of CD&S! Now with or without its hidden Halloween surprise, this is a cake that’ll make even a zombie smile. Light up the cake using a black UV light bulb (available from most electric stores or online) and the glace icing becomes fluorescent. The secret ingredient that makes it glow is the quinine in the tonic water. You can use diet or regular tonic water, the important thing is that it contains quinine - an all natural product safe to use! If you’re having a very big party you could sit your witch on a tiered cake, drip the icing down the sides of the cake, switch on your UV light and wo0o0ho0o0ooo!
Hungry Witch By Carol Deacon
Edibles:
- 12.5cm (5in) round cake
- buttercream
- 130g (4 1/2oz) sugarpaste: white
- 25g (1oz) sugarpaste: green
- 75g (3oz) sugarpaste: black
- 30g (1oz) sugarpaste: purple
- food colour: black
- 250g (8oz) icing sugar
- 30ml (6 teaspoons) tonic water
Equipment:
- 25cm (10in) round cake board
- Paintbrush
- Small sharp knife
- Small rolling pin
- Smile tool (optional)
- Drinking straw
- Piping bag
- Star nozzle (optional)
- UV light bulb
Secret natural ingredient: Did you know quinine transformed sugarpaste to glow in the dark?
1. Work out where your cake will sit on the board and make the witch so she fits into the left over space. Roll about 75g (3oz) white sugarpaste into a ball for her body. Make a 10g (1/3 oz) white lozenge shape and stick on top.
2. Roll about 5g (1/8oz) green sugarpaste into two strings for her legs and stick in place on board. Make two black carrot shapes for her feet. Tweak
3. Roll out about 30g (1oz) purple sugarpaste for her dress. Cut out a sort of tapering rectangle shape then cut points along the base.
4. Stick the dress over the body and gently press it into place. It does not matter if it meets at the back as this will be hidden.
5. Make a 15g (1/2oz) green carrot shape for the head and two thin green strings for the arms. Flatten on end of each arm and make four cuts to create fingers. Poke a smile tool (or drinking straw) into the head and pull downwards to create a smile. Press two little curves into the edges of the mouth with the drinking straw to make her cheeks.
6. Stick the head and arms in place. Her hands should be resting contentedly across her tummy! Stick a tiny green carrot shape onto her face for her nose. Stick another two either side of her head for her ears. Poke the end of a paintbrush into each ear to add a little detail.
7. To make her hat, roll about 10g (1/3oz) black sugarpaste into a carrot shape. Pinch around the base to create the brim of the hat and tweak the tip of the hat so it bends to one side. Stick the hat onto the head.
8. Thinly roll out 60g (2oz) black sugarpaste. Cut out two triangles. Cut the tip off each triangle. Stick one strip either side of the body to create the cloak. Allow the thinnest part to bend over to create a collar. It does not need to meet at the back.
9. Place your buttercreamed cake into place on the board. Pipe around the base of the cake with buttercream. You could substitute sweets, a gummy snake or even eyeball sweets if you wanted. Then cut a chunk out of the cake to represent the section the witch has eaten. Place the cut out bit to one side.
10. Roll about 45g (1 1/2oz) white sugarpaste into an oval for the ghost. Pinch two arms out of the sides and place the ghost onto the cake.
Make ‘glow in the dark’ glace icing:
1. Place 250g (8oz) icing sugar in a bowl and add 30g (6 teaspoons) of tonic water. Mix it to a thick creamy consistency adding more sugar or tonic water as necessary. Make a larger amount if you’re covering a bigger cake.
12. Carefully spoon the icing over the ghost and over the cake top, allowing it to drizzle down the sides and onto the board. Sprinkle a few cake crumbs around the witch and stick two tiny black sugarpaste dots onto the ghost for the eyes. Finally... turn off your lights and switch on your UV lightbulb!
For more spooktastic projects and ideas, pick up the October issue of CD&S magazine here!
