Meringue Ghost Halloween Cake

Ingredients

• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 2 large egg whites (55g each)
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartare
• 120 g caster sugar
• 7 g pure vanilla extract
• 450 g cake flour (see notes)
• 24 g unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp bicarb soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 260 g caster sugar (see notes)
• 600 g buttermilk (see notes)
• 175 g vegetable oil (or canola oil)
• 4 large eggs (room temperature (55g each))
• 14 g vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp red liquid food dye (not food gel (see notes))
• 1 1/4 tsp white vinegar
• 500 g unsalted butter (softened (see notes))
• 500 g full-fat cream cheese block (not spreadable, chilled)
• 7 g vanilla extract
• 300 g milk powder (see notes)
• 600 g powdered sugar (sieved)

Method

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 100C / 210F (120C / 245F for no fan). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Clean the bowl - Pour the vinegar into a metal or glass mixing bowl. Use a paper towel to wipe until dry. This will ensure your meringue whips up properly.
3. Whisk the egg whites - Add egg whites and cream of tartar to the mixing bowl. Use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand-held mixer on a medium-high speed. Whisk until the mixture becomes frothy, about 60-90 seconds.
4. Adding the sugar - With the mixer on medium-high speed, add 1 tbsp of sugar at a time, waiting a few second between each addition. Once all the sugar is added, continue whisking on medium-high speed for 3 - 4 minutes until the meringue is thick and glossy. Stop the mixer, add the vanilla extract, whisk for 30 seconds.
5. Preparing the baking tray - Transfer the meringue to a piping bag, fitted with a large round tip and twist the end to secure. Pipe small dots of meringue on each corner of the baking tray, then press the baking paper on top to hold it in place.
6. To pipe the meringue ghosts - Hold the piping tip 2 cm above the baking tray. Squeeze to create a round base. Lift slightly while easing pressure to form a tall shape. Stop squeezing and lift to create a peak.
7. Bake - Bake the meringues for 1 hour. Once baked, leave in the oven to cool completely with the door slightly ajar, about 3 hours. Overnight is best.
8. Painting the faces - Use a food-safe brush to apply the black food gel for the eyes and mouths on the meringue ghosts. Refer to the notes for storage instructions. Allow them to dry completely before using, about 10 minutes.
9. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140C / 285F (160C / 320F for no fan). Spray two 20cm / 8-inch cake tins with oil spray and line the bottoms with baking paper.
10. Combine dry ingredients - Add the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb soda, salt and caster sugar to a large mixing bowl and use a whisk to combine. Set aside.
11. Combine wet ingredients - To a large jug or medium sized mixing bowl add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, red food dye and white vinegar. Whisk until fully combined.
12. Combine wet with dry - Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until no dry ingredients are showing. Small lumps are ok, the key is to not overmix.
13. Bake - Divide the batter evenly between the two cake tins. Bake in the middle rack of your oven for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
14. Cream butter and cream cheese - Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, you can use a hand-held mixer to make the frosting. Mix on low speed to begin with, to help break up the cream cheese a little, then increase the speed to medium-high for a couple of minutes to help combine the cream cheese and butter.
15. Add sugar and milk powder - After a couple of minutes, stop your mixer and scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula. Add the powdered sugar, milk powder and vanilla. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, then bring the speed back up to high. Continue beating on high speed, about 5 minutes, until your frosting is fluffy and turns pale in color. Scrape down the bowl and beat on high speed for a final 2 minutes. Add to a piping bag.
16. Trim cakes - Start by trimming the tops off your cake layers to give them level on top.
17. Layer cake - Add the first layer of cake to a serving plate or cake board. Pipe some frosting on top and use an offset spatula to spread around flat. Add the next layer of cake.
18. Final layer of frosting - Cover the cake in frosting and even off the sides and top as neatly as you can.
19. To finish decorating - Drizzle with chocolate sauce and allow to set before placing the meringue ghosts on top right before serving.