Ingredients
Cream cheese icing
Method
1.Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan-forced). Grease 2 deep 22cm round cake pans; line bases and sides with baking paper.
2.Beat butter, extract and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined between additions. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in sifted flours and cocoa and then combined buttermilk and food colouring, in 2 batches.
3.Combine vinegar and soda in a cup; allow to fizz then fold into cake mixture. Divide mixture between pans.
4.Bake cakes for about 30 minutes or until cooked when tested. Stand cakes 10 minutes before turning top-side up onto a wire rack to cool. Freeze cakes 40 minutes to make splitting and decorating easier.
5.Meanwhile, make cream cheese icing: beat cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add butter and vanilla, beat until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in the sifted icing sugar. Place ¾ cup of the Cream Cheese Icing in a small bowl. Tint black.
6.Split cold cakes in half. Place one layer on serving plate, cut-side up; spread with 2/3 cup Cream Cheese Icing. Repeat layering, finishing with remaining icing spread over top and side of cake.
7.Place black icing into a small piping bag fitted with a small plain tube. Pipe cobwebs over cake. Decorate with spiders and sweets, if desired. Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.
To make your own buttermilk equivalent, combine 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice with enough reduced-fat milk to make 1 cup. Stir until thickened.
Note
