Marbled Eyeball Cake

A dessert that doubles as decor for your Halloween celebration.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• For the cake

• 6  large  egg whites
• 1 1⁄2 cups  whole milk, divided
• 1  tablespoon vanilla
• 2 1⁄4 cups cake flour
• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 2  tablespoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1  cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
•  assorted gel paste  food coloring, for tinting batter (Electric Green, Orange, and Royal Purple)

• For the frosting

• 5  large  egg whites
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  pinch kosher salt
• 1  lb unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• For the ganache

• 4  ounces heavy cream
• 8  ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  malted milk balls, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  miniature peanut butter cup, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  red  candy covered plain chocolate candies, chopped
•  assorted red  candy sprinkles
•  gummy worms, for serving
•  crushed chocolate sandwich  cookie crumbs, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a cake pan or heatproof bowl and dust with flour, tapping out excess.  Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, lightly whisk together egg whites, ¼ cup milk, and vanilla.  Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Mix together on low speed for 30 seconds.  Add butter and remaining milk to bowl and continue beating on low speed until just combined.  Increase speed to medium and beat until batter is light and fluffy, 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Reduce speed to medium-low and add egg mixture in three batches, beating for 30 seconds after each addition.
4. Divide batter into three medium bowls.  Using gel paste food coloring, tint one third of batter electric green and another one third orange.  Spoon batters into prepared pan, set on a half sheet tray in an aluminum foil ring to steady the base, randomly alternating colors in an approximate checkerboard pattern.  Using a butter knife or wooden skewer, make swirls through the batter to marble.
5. Transfer to oven and bake until the top of the cake springs back lightly when touched, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour & 15 minutes to 1 hour & 30 minutes.  Allow to cool 15 minutes on wire cooling rack, then turn cake out of pan, return to cooling rack, and allow to cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, make frosting.  In the metal bowl of a stand mixer set over a pan of simmering water, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt until mixture is warm and completely smooth to the touch, 2-4 minutes.  Transfer bowl to stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beginning on low speed and increasing to medium-high, beat mixture until stiff, glossy peaks form and the bottom of the mixing bowl is cool, about 15 minutes.  With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter to mixture a few tablespoons at a time, completely incorporating after each addition.  Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla.  Set aside.
7. In a medium bowl, stir together chopped malted milk balls, mini peanut butter cups, and candy-coated chocolate pieces and set aside.  Using a long serrated knife, level top of cake.  Invert and split cake horizontally into three layers.  Anchor widest layer, bottom side down, to a 8” cardboard cake round with a dab of reserved frosting.  Spread a layer of frosting evenly over cake.  Scatter ¾ cup chopped candies over frosting and top with assorted red sprinkles.  Place middle layer, bottom side down, onto cake.  Spread another layer of frosting evenly over cake and top with remaining chopped candies, along with assorted sprinkles.  Add the final layer to the cake.  Use remaining frosting to crumb coat cake and then spread a second thin layer of buttercream over.  Transfer to refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, heat cream to a bare simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add white chocolate to a medium bowl.  When cream is hot, carefully pour over chopped chocolate.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then stir with a rubber spatula until ganache is completely smooth (if small chunks of chocolate remain, microwave in 15-second intervals until smooth when stirred).  Allow to cool somewhat and thicken slightly at room temperature, stirring occasionally, 10-15 minutes more.
9. Remove cake from refrigerator and set on a wire rack over a half sheet tray.  Pour ganache over cake to coat completely.  Return to refrigerator and allow to set, at least 1 hour.
10. Meanwhile, mix assorted petal dusts with small amounts of vodka to make edible paints.  Once ganache is set, use brushes to paint cake to look like an eyeball.  Serve cake on a black platter scattered with gummy worms and chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs.