2prepared 9-inch round cakesfrom a mix or your own recipe
Instructions
To make eyeballs, line a baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl tint ½ cup of the Royal Icing black with the gel past food coloring. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a #5 plain tip. Wrap tip in a damp paper towel so the icing doesn't dry.
Put remaining icing in a piping bag fitted with an open coupler or ½-inch plain tip. Pipe various-sized white circles onto parchment. While icing is still wet, pipe a black "pupil" into the center of each white circle. Allow eyes to dry completely, about 48 hr.
When ready to assemble and build the cake, make chocolate ganache. Heat heavy cream to steaming and pour over the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl. Let stand for 2 to 5 minutes then stir until smooth.
Chill half the ganache in a separate bowl over an ice bath, stirring occasionally until spreadable like frosting, about 20 min. Trim domed tops from cakes. Transfer 1 cake to a 9-inch cardboard cake round; set on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Spread with a layer of chilled ganache, then a second cake. Frost entire cake with an even layer of chilled ganache, squaring of sides and top.
Use remaining soft ganache to pour over the cake. (Gently reheat ganache for just a minute over a pot of simmering water if it has solidified too much. Don't get it hot, just smooth). Pour ganache over cake, letting it drip down the sides. Use a spatula to spread ganache if necessary. chill cake until firm; transfer cake to serving plate and decorate with candy eyeballs.
Notes
Eerie Eyeball Cake is looking right at you! It's no trick, just a delicious treat with chocolate ganache and homemade candy eyeballs.