Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to creating a perfect, hollow chocolate shape that doesn't break?

The secret is to use two thin coats of the melted candy. After you have swirled your first layer of the chocolate mixture in your mold and let it set, it is crucial to go back and add a second layer . This is the key that will make your final chocolate shell thick and sturdy enough to be handled and unmolded without cracking or breaking.

Q2: What is the best way to get the dramatic "lava" melting effect to work?

The key is a significant temperature difference . Your white chocolate skull should be very cold , straight from the refrigerator, and your red strawberry sauce should be very hot , just off a gentle simmer on the stove. When the hot sauce hits the cold chocolate, it will begin to melt it instantly for the most dramatic and gory reveal.

Q3: Can I make this cake ahead of time for a Halloween party?

Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead centerpiece! You can fully assemble the entire cake , with the skull on top, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Then, on the night of your party, you can simply reheat your strawberry "blood" sauce just before you are ready for the grand reveal.

Q4: Do I really need to use a plastic skull mold?

For this specific, show-stopping recipe, a 2-piece plastic skull mold is highly recommended , as it is the key to the dramatic, melting reveal. You can find them easily online, especially around the Halloween season.

Q5: Can I use real white chocolate instead of the candy melts?

You can, but it is much more challenging. For the best result with real white chocolate, it would need to be tempered , which is a more advanced process of heating and cooling it to specific temperatures to ensure it sets up hard and shiny. White chocolate melting wafers or candy melts are a fantastic shortcut that will give you a perfect, sturdy shell with no tempering required.

Gory 'Melting' Skull Cake (The Ultimate Halloween Cake!)

Gory ‘Melting’ Skull Cake (The Ultimate Halloween Cake!)

An elaborate and dramatic Halloween-themed strawberry shortcake, designed to look like a melting skull. The dessert features a from-scratch, three-layer vanilla butter cake that is filled with layers of macerated fresh strawberries and sweetened whipped cream. The showstopper is a hollow, white chocolate skull, made using a special mold, which is also filled with sliced strawberries and placed on top of the cake. For a gory, theatrical presentation, a hot, red-colored strawberry and white chocolate sauce is poured over the skull at the table, causing it to melt and reveal the ‘bloody’ strawberry brains inside.

Author: Evelyn

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Skull:
4 ounces white chocolate melting wafers
1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil
4 ounces strawberries, sliced
For the Cake and Filling:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
8 ounces strawberries, sliced
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
For the Strawberry Sauce:
8 ounces strawberries, finely chopped
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 ounces red candy melting wafers

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Skull: Melt the white chocolate and coconut oil. Pour the mixture into a 2-part plastic skull mold, coating the inside completely. Freeze for 5 minutes, add a second coat, and freeze for another 5 minutes. Fill one half of the set skull with sliced strawberries. Use the remaining melted chocolate to ‘glue’ the two skull halves together. Refrigerate.
Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 6-inch round cake pan. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, soda, salt). In a separate bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and egg. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let it cool completely.
Make the Sauce and Filling: Toss 8 ounces of sliced strawberries with 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar and let them sit for 30 minutes to release their juices. For the sauce, cook 8 ounces of chopped strawberries and 2 tablespoons of sugar until thickened. Strain the mixture, then return the liquid to the saucepan. Add the heavy cream and red candy melts, and whisk over medium heat until smooth and hot.
Assemble the Cake: Cut the cooled cake into 3 layers. Place the bottom layer on a cake stand, top with half of the macerated strawberries and 3/4 cup of whipped cream. Repeat with the second layer. Top with the final cake layer and the remaining whipped cream.
Place the chilled chocolate skull in the center of the cake.
To serve, pour the hot, red strawberry sauce over the center of the chocolate skull to melt it and reveal the strawberry ‘brains.’

Notes

Special Equipment: A medium 2-piece plastic skull mold is essential for the signature decoration.
This is a showstopper dessert with a theatrical serving element, perfect for a Halloween party.
The hot strawberry sauce melting the white chocolate skull is a key part of the ‘lava cake’ presentation.
The article references a ‘Cook’s Note’ that is not provided in the text.

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/gory-melting-skull-cake/