Edible Arachnids

Last night was our Boo Bash 2016 and here is another treat that was made.  This turned into a pinned it, did it recipe for me.  Epic failure with the chocolate.  If you know how to melt chocolate so that you can dip in the items, you will have much better luck than me.  This recipe is brought to you by Taste of Home.

Ingredients:

1 Package chocolate cake mix (Regular Size)
3 Tablespoons butter, softened
6 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons 2% milk
Pretzel sticks, halved
4 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
M&M minis

 

Preheat oven to temperature on cake box.

 

Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using a greased 13X9-in. baking pan.  I used a Super Moist cake mix, I recommend not using this sort of cake mix because the spiders didn’t freeze right or stay on sticks in later steps.

     

TIME TIP:  While the cake is baking you can work on other things around the house or work on another treat.  I made the Ghost and Pumpkin Marshmallows while the cake cooked.

Once cake is done cooking, let the cake completely cool down.  Once cake has cooled down, start mixing other ingredients into a mixing bowl: 3 tablespoons butter softened, 6 tablespoons cocoa, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar, and 3 tablespoons 2% milk.  Crumble cake into mixture and mix well.

     

Shape the cake into two size balls, large for the body and small for the head.  You are suppose to be able to make 16 with this mix, but I had 12 slightly larger spiders.

 

 

 

 

 

To assemble spider, insert a skewer through one small cake ball and then halfway through one large cake ball; repeat with remaining balls.  Place on baking sheet; insert eight pretzel halves into each large ball to form legs.  Freeze 2 hours or until firm.

After spiders have frozen.  In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and stir until smooth.  Dip each spider in chocolate (again I can’t figure out the melting thing, so I had to use spatula and coat the spiders in chocolate.)  Allow excess chocolate to drip off or use a spatula like I did to get excess off.  Place on baking sheet, remove skewers, and attach M&Ms for eyes.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  As I said earlier, this was a “Pinned It, Did it” treat for me.  I just told everyone that I made different species of spiders which is why they all looked so different.  Enjoy!