When the candles glow and cake frosting gleams, may luck be yours this Halloween. Take part in a flavorful ritual by making our Black Magic Cake, a wickedly delicious recipe made with pumpkin Simple Mills baking mix, charcoal kefir frosting made with Vanilla Organic Whole Milk Lifeway kefir, an easy marshmallow webbing, and frosting ghosts. This recipe is a fun one to make with kids or other adults, so don’t miss out!
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for optimal digestion and gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir is packed with a variety of vital nutrients important for overall health, including bone and muscle health; these include vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our probiotic-rich kefir, Lifeway also offers artisan-made Farmer Cheese, a creamy, high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support healthy muscles and a healthy microbiome. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is easy to spread, free of gums and thickeners, and contains no added salt or sugar for optimal health benefits.
Prep Time: 30 mins Servings: 1 double layer cake - 12 slices
Ingredients
Simple Mills Cake Recipe
- 2 boxes of pumpkin baking mix (or vanilla mix works)
- 6 eggs
- 2/3 cup Lowfat Plain Kefir
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
Kefir Cream Frosting
- 8 cups powdered sugar
- 4-6 tbsp. Organic Whole Milk Vanilla Kefir
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup butter, softened
Additional Ingredients
- 1 bag of large marshmallows
- 2-3 tbsp. of edible charcoal powder (look for this online)
Directions
- Bake your Simple Mills cakes by following the box instructions. Once baked, remove from the oven and let them cool. Place in the refrigerator as you begin to prep the frosting.
- In a large bowl with a standing mixture, whisk together softened butter until smooth.
- Slowly add in vanilla extract and whole milk kefir and mix until smooth.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add in powdered sugar (1/2 cup at a time) until all mixed together.
- If needed, add more whole milk kefir to get a smoother consistency.
- Scoop some of the white frosting into a pastry bag to create the frosting ghosts. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pipe a 2- to 3-inch mound of frosting. This will be a ghost body. Top with a second 1-inch mound of frosting for the ghost head. Repeat the piping process, varying the sizes of ghosts for visual interest. Finish by placing two chocolate chips for the ghost eyes on the ghost head.
- Take the remaining bowl of frosting and add in activated charcoal to get the natural dark coloring. Use the standing mixture to make sure there are no clumps.
- Place the first layer of cake on the rotating cake stand and place a dollop of frosting on top, smoothing out before you place the 2nd layer on. The frosting should be 1/2 inch thick between the layers.
- Begin the rotating your cake stand as you pipe the frosting around the sides of the cake. Once you get to the top of the 2nd layer, place the rest of the frosting on top and begin smoothing everything out.
- Place the cake in the fridge as you prep the marshmallow webbing. Empty your bag of large marshmallows into a large bowl and place in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time till the marshmallows being expanding and softening to the point you can mix it together into a silky fluff. Let it cool slightly as you get the cake back out of the fridge. Put medical gloves on your hands and immerse them in the marshmallow fluff. Pull your hands out and expand your fingers into a starfish and begin stretching out a web-like texture and blanketing it over the cake.
- Once you are done decorating the cake you can place the frosting ghosts on top and enjoy!
