2 large gumballs - either green or the "eyeball kind found in gumball vending machines OR decorator frosting of any color
Instructions
Prepare Jell-O according to package and chill to set. Stir occasionally
so that the Jell-O is lumpy looking rather than holding the shape of the bowl.
Bake cake in two 8-inch round cake pans according to directions on box or
recipe.
Cool completely according to box and remove from pans when instructed.
Slice one cake layer in half. Place one half of cake on foil covered cardboard
large enough to hold the 2 cakes side by side. (A platter would work too if
you have one big enough) Cut a circle out of the center of the other cake layer,
leaving about 1 1/2 - 2-inch thick ring. Carefully place ring on top of the
half layer. (You can put a thin layer of frosting or jam on top of solid cake
to help hold the ring in place if you want, but it's not crucial to do so.)
Spoon set Jell-O into hole, as much as it will hold, but not deeper than the
cake itself. Top with other half of layer. (Again, a thin layer of frosting
between layers will help hold it in place.) This is the spider body.
Take the small center piece you cut out and trim a small thin crescent shape
out of one side, just enough to help it fit tightly against the other cake to
form the spider's head.
Mix the food coloring with the frosting to turn it black. Frost cake completely.
Create legs by inserting the licorice into the cake. Place gumballs on face
to make eyes.
Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
When the cake is cut, the Jell-O goo will spurt out.
Footsie Notes: The original instructions for building the body didn't really
work so I had to tweak them a bit. I also only used 4 pieces of licorice and cut
them in half to form the legs. (I thought spiders had 8 legs, but if you want to
give it 6 that's fine.) Since I didn't have any gumballs, I just used red decorating
frosting for the eyes. I added the dots on top to make it resemble a black widow
spider, but it should have been an hourglass shape instead.
I used black paste food coloring in hot fudge frosting. The darker the chocolate
frosting is to start with, the easier it will be to turn it black.
You could also just use chocolate frosting and chocolate flavored licorice if
you don't like black licorice.
* While the effect of the red or green Jell-O is probably better, I can't help
thinking that pudding goes better with cake than Jell-O does. The next time I make
this, I'm going to use pudding as the filling. Perhaps (depending on the flavors
available) even those neon colored snack size puddings instead of instant or cooked
pudding in a box. I've also discovered powdered food coloring which would probably
be the best way to color pudding from a box, next to paste coloring, liquid food
coloring might thin it out too much to set properly.
Posted by FootsieBear at Recipe Goldmine 5:41:37 am 10/5/03