Graveyard Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• FROSTING:
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 18 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
• Green and brown decorator's icing or gel
• 9 cream-filled oval vanilla sandwich cookies
• 1 cup whipped topping
• Pumpkin candies and gummy worms, optional

Directions

• In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a saucepan, combine butter, water and cocoa; bring to a boil over medium heat. Add to flour mixture; beat well. Beat in sour cream and eggs.
• Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine butter, milk and cocoa; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in sugar and vanilla. Pour over warm cake. Crumble chocolate cookies; sprinkle over frosting while still warm. Cool completely.
• For tombstone, use icing to decorate vanilla cookies with words or faces; place on cake. For ghosts, make mounds of whipped topping; use icing to add eyes and mouths as desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, add pumpkins and gummy worms if desired. Yield: 16 servings.

Graveyard Cake published in Taste of Home October/November 1998, p37