Instructions

1. Prepare your chocolate cake batter, whether homemade or a box mix. I used box mix since I had it on hand. It required adding vegetable oil, water and eggs You can leave it brown or add some black food coloring, like I did, to make the cake batter black.
2. Coat your cake pans with non-stick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Divide the batter evenly into the 3 cake pans.
3. Bake the cakes per recipe or package directions. My cake was baked at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes. Use a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake to test doneness. It will come out clean when the cake is baked through.
4. Cool the cakes completely before removing from the pans. Use a long serrated knife to slice the domes off each cake layer to flatten them out.4.
5. To mix up the frosting, whip up the softened butter (or butter and shortening combo) until fluffy and smooth.
6. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and heavy whipping cream and mix until smooth and velvety. I added a bit of white food coloring (this is optional) to make the frosting bright white.
7. Start frosting your cake, one layer at a time, with the white frosting. Remember to invert the top layer (bottom side up) for a smoother cake top.
8. Separate about ¾ cup of the remaining white frosting and mix in black food coloring. Transfer to a piping bag and snip off the tip. Transfer the remaining white frosting to another piping bag and transfer that bag tip, too.
9. Start piping in alternate layers the black and white stripes around the cake.
10. Once the frosting is piped on, use your cake scraper to smooth out the layers. Be sure to stop and clean off the scraper a few times to prevent the over smearing of black into the white. Once you are happy with how your cake looks, let it chill in the refrigerator.
11. For the top of the cake, I used the Jack Skellington template I have for my Jack Skellington Pie. For my 6-inch cake, I printed it at 83%. For an 8 or 9-inch cake, just print it at 100%.
12. Cut out the black eyes, nose and most of the mouth and placed it over a rolled out piece of black fondant. Use the tip of a very small sharp knife to trace and cut out the pieces of fondant.
13. Once cut out, very carefully transfer the pieces and arranged them on the top of the cake. Gently press them into the top of the cake to stick.
14. Use the knife tip or the tip of a fondant tool to smooth out the cut fondant pieces and help position it better on the cake.
15. Chill the cake until you are ready to serve.