PEEPS HALLOWEEN RED VELVET LAYER CAKE

I'm very fond of PEEPS, and I love that there are different PEEPS for different holidays. This year for Halloween, PEEPs has Ghosts, Green Monsters, Pumpkins, and Skulls (no tombstones or black cats ?? this year).  

The PEEPS website also has recipes for the different holidays. Here's a PEEPS recipe for a spooky PEEPS Halloween Red Velvet Layer Cake that 'will be the showstopper at your Halloween party!' Frost Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese frosting with a gory red glaze drizzled over and dripping down. Decorate with spooky PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts and red candy to make a scary scene!

As always, you can make your own cake and icing. And, in this case, you can also decorate with other PEEPS, such as Green Monsters, Skulls or Ghosts..probably not pumpkins!

PEEPS HALLOWEEN RED VELVET LAYER CAKE

Ingredients

Baking Spray 

1 pkg (15.25 oz each) Duncan Hines Signature Red Velvet Cake Mix 

1 cup lowfat buttermilk (or water) 

3 eggs 

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

1 container (16 oz each) Duncan Hines Cream Cheese Creamy Home-Style Frosting 

12 PEEPS Brand Marshmallow Ghosts 

2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream 

1/2 cup white baking chips 

red food coloring 

1/2 cup HOT TAMALES Brand Candies 

red, black and eye ball sprinkles 

red or white lollipop sticks PEEPS 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round pans with baking spray.

Blend cake mix, buttermilk or water, eggs, and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. 

Pour batter evenly into pans. Bake 24 to 28 minutes, until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes, remove from pans and cool completely. 

Place one cake layer on serving plate and frost the top with about 1/2-cup cream cheese frosting. Tear 6 PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts into small pieces and press into frosting. Top with second cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting, leaving the sides of the cake exposed so you can see the red cake through a very thin layer of frosting. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes, until frosting is cold and firm. 

Pour heavy cream into a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave 30 seconds. Pour hot cream over white chips in another small bowl and whisk until smooth. Microwave in 5 second increments if needed to finish melting the chips. Add enough red food coloring gel to dye it bright red. 

Pour glaze over the cold cake and push it to the edge of the cake with an offset spatula so that it drips down the sides. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set the glaze. Place 3 PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts on lollipop sticks and remaining 3 PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts on toothpicks. When glaze has set, insert PEEPS into the top of the cake. Decorate with HOT TAMALES and sprinkles, pressing gently into the glaze. Slice and serve!