Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the chocolate cake mix, water and eggs on low
• speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into the
• two halves of a greased and floured sports ball baking pan. Bake at
• 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the
• center comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, in another bowl, beat the white cake mix, water and eggs
• on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into
• two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake for 30-35
• minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool all cakes for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks
• to cool completely.
• For frosting, using a heavy-duty stand mixer, combine the shortening,
• 1/4 cup water and vanilla. Combine confectioners' sugar and meringue
• powder; beat into shortening mixture.
• For base cake: Tint 2-1/4 cups frosting purple. Using a serrated
• knife, level tops of white cakes if necessary. Place one cake layer
• on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining
• cake layer. Spread remaining tinted frosting over top and sides of
• cake.
• Combine 3 cups frosting, cocoa and remaining water until smooth; tint
• black. Combine 1/4 cup black frosting and corn syrup. Using round
• tip #2 and black frosting with corn syrup, pipe webs and spiders
• around sides of cake.
• With 3/4 cup white frosting and shell tip #18, pipe border along
• bottom edge of cake. Insert dowels into center of cake. Cut
• cardboard circle to measure 3-1/4 in.; place over cake.
• For spider cake: Using a serrated knife, level the rounded side of
• one chocolate cake; attach to cake circle with a small amount of
• black frosting. Spread top with 1/3 cup black frosting; top with
• remaining chocolate cake.
• Using grass tip #233 and black frosting, pipe hair over cake. With
• white frosting and round tip # 12, pipe eyes and teeth. Pipe pupils
• with round tip #2 and black frosting.
• For legs, insert a toothpick into the ends of each licorice rope.
• Insert one end into side of spider; insert other end into top of
• purple cake. Garnish with candy corn.
• Yield: 18-20 servings.