Halloween Cat Cake

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly oil two 10-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment rounds, and oil the parchment as well.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, stir together the sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
3. In a food processor, pulse the butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar until blended, roughly 1 minute. Add the eggs individually, pulsing after each until fully incorporated. Then pour in the sour cream mixture and pulse to combine.
4. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternately with the milk, pulsing just until each addition is combined. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let them rest in their pans for 10 minutes. Then turn them out onto the rack to cool thoroughly.
6. Put the chopped chocolate into a large bowl. Warm the cream in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, allow it to sit for 3 minutes, then stir until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Let it cool until it thickens a bit. Mix in a few drops of black gel food coloring to achieve a black tint.
7. Using a 3½-inch round cutter, cut out the center from each cake layer, making sure the cutouts align. Set these small rounds aside for later.
8. Spread 2 cups of buttercream frosting between the two large cake layers to stack them. Use ¼ cup of buttercream to sandwich the two small rounds together. Slice off the bottom third of this small stacked round and set it aside for another use. Stand the large cake on its cut side and place small pieces of cardboard under the cut edges to level it. Insert a plastic straw into the side of the large cake and attach the small stacked round to it to form the cat's head.
9. Place the cake in the freezer until it is thoroughly chilled, about 30 minutes. Apply a thin coating of chocolate ganache over the entire cake, scraping off any extra to create a smooth finish. Return the cake to the freezer or fridge for at least 10 minutes to set. Apply a second layer of ganache and freeze once more. Repeat the process with a third layer of ganache.
10. Twist orange cotton candy around a skewer and insert it into the back of the cake to make a tail. Cut two triangle shapes from black fondant for ears and attach them to the head with a dab of leftover ganache. Roll out white fondant and cut out small bone shapes, a skull, and ear inner shapes. Roll out orange fondant and cut small circles for eyes and toes. Use a brush with a tiny amount of water to affix all fondant decorations to the cake. Finally, use a black food-safe marker to draw the cat's whiskers and mouth.