The Tricks Behind the Treats
Ghosts, witches, spiders, bats and black cats…
Halloween is full of familiar characters, creepy details and plenty of inspiration to fuel your creativity. And when it comes to baking, there are endless ways to bring the spooky season to life.
A Little Halloween Magic in the Kitchen
You don’t need professional decorating skills or a cupboard full of specialist equipment to get into the spirit. A few clever tools, some sprinkles and a little imagination can turn everyday cupcakes, biscuits, brownies and frozen treats into something suitably spooky.
Go dark, dramatic or deliciously over the top. Forget perfect piping and picture-perfect finishes. Wonky eyes, bold colours and playful details are all part of the fun.
Whether you’re baking for a party, making treats with the kids or simply looking for a fun weekend project, here are a few favourite ways to bring a little Halloween magic into the kitchen.
It pays to keep a few tricks up your sleeve…
The Devil's in the Details
No Bones About It
When the bake already has plenty of Halloween character, you don’t need to overdo the decorating.
The Lodge Cast Iron Skull Mini Cake Pan turns individual cakes and brownies into instant centrepieces. Keep the finish simple with icing, melted chocolate or a dusting of icing sugar, or add finer details with a small piping tip.
The Single Skull Silicone Mould is ideal for fondant, chocolate, jelly and other moulded treats, creating a striking three-dimensional topper.
For something more intricate, the Sweet Sticks Day Of The Dead Sweet Stencils add pattern and detail to cakes and biscuits. Or keep things simple with Sprink’d White Bones or RIP Tombstones for a spooky finish and a little crunch.
Boo-tiful Bakes
Caught in the Web
Spider webs are another Halloween favourite, and they’re surprisingly simple to recreate.
Pipe one by hand with melted chocolate or marshmallow, or use the Sweet Sticks Spider Web Sweet Stencil with a dusting of icing sugar for a crisp, delicate finish.
For something more playful, the Wilton Spider Web Silicone Candy Mould turns chocolate into edible webs for cakes, brownies and other treats. Finish with a touch of glitter for an extra hint of Halloween sparkle.
A few simple lines can go a long way when it comes to making things creepy.
The Witching Hour
The Dark Art of Decorating
You don’t need to cover a cake in elaborate decorations to make it feel special. A few bold shapes and well-placed details are enough.
Bakels Pettinice Black, White, Green, Orange, and Red Ready-to-Roll Icing makes it easy to bring classic Halloween shapes to life.
Use edible markers to add fine details once your icing or chocolate has set. There’s no need to decorate every inch. One or two clever touches can give a bake a whole ton of character.
Simple gingerbread men can become skeletons, mummies, vampires, and voodoo dolls…
Candy Corn Blondies offer another easy Halloween bake. Make them with the award-winning Secret Kiwi Kitchen White Chocolate Blondie Mix for a sweet, colourful twist on a classic.
Make It a Halloween Baking Party
The best Halloween baking isn’t necessarily the most polished or elaborate. It’s the kind that gets everyone involved.
Set out your cooled bakes, bowls of icing, sprinkles and edible decorations, then let everyone get creative.
Adults can handle the oven, while older kids can help with mixing, rolling and cutting, and younger children can have fun decorating.
There are no wrong answers when the theme is Halloween. Let everyone choose their own colours, shapes and decorations, then see what they come up with. At the end, you’ll have a table full of homemade treats to share.
Treats Worth Keeping
Once the baking is done, give your creations somewhere suitably festive to live.
The adorable Emma Bridgewater Halloween Biscuit Barrel and Rectangular Tin are perfect for storing biscuits and other homemade treats, or for packaging something special to take along to a festive gathering. A small finishing touch, but one that makes homemade baking feel even more special.
A Little Mischief in the Kitchen
Halloween baking doesn’t need to be complicated to be memorable.
Start with a recipe you already love, and see where your creativity takes you. From skull-shaped cakes and ghostly chocolates to monster cupcakes, spider-web brownies and spooky popsicles, familiar favourites can easily take on a Halloween twist. So put the oven on, gather your favourite baking picks and make a little mischief in the kitchen.
