Spider Web Cake

1. Prepare, bake, and cool Yellow Cake as directed for 8-inch round layers.

2. Tint one recipe Creamy White Frosting with orange food coloring. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread top of cake with orange frosting. Add second layer; spread top and sides with additional orange frosting. If desired, spoon some of the orange frosting into a decorating bag fitted with a small round tip; pipe a border around bottom of cake. Remove 1 cup of the remaining recipe of frosting and tint with black food coloring. Spoon black frosting into a decorating bag fitted with a coupler and a small round tip. Pipe frosting in a spiderweb pattern over top and sides of cake.

3. For spiders, cut the rounded tops off two large cupcakes and one mini cupcake. Place one large cupcake top and the mini cupcake top on cake; place the remaining large cupcake top on plate. Change decorating tip on the bag of black frosting to a small star tip. Pipe stars of black frosting onto tops of cupcakes to cover completely. For eyes, cut marshmallows in half crosswise; use a small amount of frosting to attach a black candy pearl to each marshmallow half. Place eyes on spider cakes. Attach eight licorice pieces to each spider cake for legs. For spiders on cake, secure ends of legs in frosting. For spider on plate, use small dabs of black frosting to secure legs to plate.

Creamy White Frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening, vanilla, and almond extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar. Gradually add milk until frosting reaches a spreading consistency. Makes about 3 cups.

Yellow Cake

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 9x1-1/2-inch or 8x1-1/2-inch round cake pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan(s) aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter in the prepared pan(s).

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes for 9-inch pans, 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch pans, 25 to 30 minutes for 13x9x2-inch pan, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center(s) comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans; cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or place the 13x9x2-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired frosting.

*Tip:

To reduce the amount of black paste food coloring needed, stir in some cocoa powder before tinting the frosting black.