Welcome to the Web Checkerboard Cake

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Difficulty: Medium
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Your Halloween guests will certainly be ensnared with this amazing cake. When you slice the cake open, they won’t believe their eyes—a bloody checkerboard pattern! Create this eerie delight with the Wilton Checkerboard Cake Pan Set.

Ingredients:

2 oz. White Ready-To-Use Rolled Fondant
Easy-Add White Ready-To-Use Rolled Fondant Add to shopping list White Ready-To-Use Rolled Fondant
Black Icing Color
Easy-Add Black Icing Color Add to shopping list Black Icing Color
Gum-Tex™
Easy-Add Gum-Tex™ Add to shopping list Gum-Tex™
cornstarch
Thinned Fondant Adhesive
4 boxes (15.25-18.25 oz. each) white cake mix
water, oil, eggs
Leaf Green Icing Color
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Buttercream icing
Kelly Green Icing Color
Easy-Add Kelly Green Icing Color Add to shopping list Kelly Green Icing Color
Violet Icing Color
Easy-Add Violet Icing Color Add to shopping list Violet Icing Color
Rose Icing Color (Combine Violet with Rose for violet shown)
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Red-Red Icing Color
Easy-Add Red-Red Icing Color Add to shopping list Red-Red Icing Color
Piping Gel
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Pattern:

Welcome to the Web Checkerboard Cake - Spider Legs

Makes:

Cake serves 20.

Techniques Used:

Tools:

Instructions
Reviews (1)
Questions (1)

Instructions:

Step 1

One day in advance: make spider legs. Tint 1 3/4 oz. fondant black; knead in 1/8 teaspoon of Gum-Tex. Roll a long, 1/8 in. log. Trim legs following the spider leg pattern—reversing pattern to make left side. Create two front legs, four middle legs and two back legs. Let dry on a cornstarch-covered board.

Step 2

One day in advance: make flies. Tint 1/4 oz. fondant light gray; knead in a pinch of Gum-Tex. Roll out gray fondant 1/16 in. thick. Cut out two hearts per fly using the smallest heart Cut-Out. Overlap points 1/4 in. and attach with fondant adhesive.

For bodies, use remaining black fondant. Mold into a log, 1/2 in. long x 1/4 in. wide. Attach to wings with fondant adhesive. Let dry on cornstarch-covered, smallest curve wave former.

Step 3

Individually prepare three boxes white cake mix following package directions; divide batter into two portions. In one portion of batter, gently stir in Leaf Green Icing Color to desired shade. (Use clean toothpicks to transfer color from jar to batter.) Leave the second portion plain.

Step 4

For bottom layer, place clean divider in the first prepared pan. Pour green-colored batter in the middle section and plain batter in the outer and center sections. Fill sections 2/3 full. Remove ring from pan by carefully lifting straight up on handles. Rinse and completely dry ring.

Step 5

For top layer, repeat step 4 in second prepared pan. Remove ring from pan by carefully lifting straight up on handles. Rinse and completely dry ring.

Step 6

For middle layer, place clean divider in the third prepared pan. Pour plain batter in middle sections and green-colored batter in outside and center sections. Fill sections 2/3 full. Remove ring from pan by carefully lifting straight up on handles. DO NOT PUT RING IN OVEN.

Step 7

Bake and cool checkerboard cake following package directions. Bake and cool mini ball halves following package directions. Prepare buttercream icing. Tint portions black, green and violet; reserve some white.

Step 8

Cut 6 in. board into a 2 1/2 in. circle. Cover with remaining black fondant.

Step 9

Make spider. Attach mini ball halves with black icing and spatula. Position seam vertically.

Use tip 3 and white icing to pipe large eye. Use tip 3 and green icing to pipe small eye. Use tip 3 and black icing to pipe dot pupils. Use tip 3 and white icing to pipe zigzag smile. Use tip 14 and black icing to pipe stars over entire body.

Place on fondant-covered board.

Step 10

Tint gel red. Use tip 12 to pipe gel into cake. Insert tip into cake at even intervals and squeeze gel into cake. Pipe in all three sections of all three layers.

Step 11

Ice cake with violet icing and tip 789, smoothing with spatula.

Step 12

Divide top of cake into 10ths using cake dividing chart.

Cut a parchment circle 9 in. to match top of cake. Place on cake dividing chart and mark 10ths using pencil. Place on iced cake and mark with toothpick.