How to Make a Octopus Cake

Looking for a cool cake for a birthday party? Need a creative dessert to serve at a party? A octopus cake is a great way to express your theme, creativity, or entertain a great number of people. For this delicious dessert you will need cake mix (any brand or flavor), vegetable oil, eggs, water, a whisk/ mixer, an oven, a cake pan, and a cupcake sheet. To avoid cupcakes sticking to the sheet you may also want to use cupcake liners. Before you start mixing ingredients you will need to preheat your oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Step 1: Getting Started

Take your choice of cake mix and pour into a large bowl. Once the mix is in a large bowl pour one cup of water in to the bowl. Measure out one third cup of vegetable oil and pour this in the bowl with your cake mix. Next crack three eggs. Make sure you do not get any shells in to your bowl. To prevent this from occurring you can crack your eggs in to a measuring cup and then add them to your mixture. You can mix in the egg, water, and oil in any order as long as you remain true to the rest of the process. 

Step 2: Shake and Bake Baby

After adding all the items in to the bowl, use a mixer on medium speed for two minutes or until all chunks of powder have disappeared. If you do not have a mixer you may use a whisk. Whisk the powder until all chunks are out. Now spray your pan down with Pam. Make sure whatever brand you use has flour in it to insure your cake is not going to stick to the pan. Slowly pour your batter in to the greases pan. Place the pan in the center of the oven. If you are starting with cupcakes set your timer for twenty minutes. If you are starting with the cake pan set your timer for thirty five minutes. Periodically check cupcakes and cake. The batter should rise and turn from white to a golden brown (if working with yellow cake). If concerned about the center you can check by inserting a toothpick and withdrawing it. If cake is done the toothpick will come out clean. If the timer goes off and the cake/ cupcakes are not fully cooked place them back in for five minutes repeatedly until the toothpick comes out clean.

Step 3: Cool and Icing

Let your cupcakes/cake cool for 15-20 minutes. If you are waiting for cupcakes to cool insert cake in to the oven. If you baked the cake insert the cupcakes in to the oven. After the cooling process you may begin icing cake/ cupcakes using whatever color you prefer. To ice cake/ cupcakes simple get a dab of icing with a butter knife and spread evenly. When icing,make sure the whole cake surface is coated and you can not see the cake itself. If desiring texture on the cupcakes you can use a toothpick and repeatedly poke the icing. This brings the icing to make soft peaks on the top of the cake.

Step 4: Cupcakes

After icing all cupcakes and adding texture if desired, place Hersey chocolate melt discs along the edge of one side of the cupcake. Discs should be place side by side. Now arrange cupcakes in tentacle shape. Cupcakes should not be in a straight line. There should also be no more then five to seven cupcakes per tentacle. 

Step 5: The Head

Ice the actual cake or head of the octopus if not done already. You may so use the same toothpick technique to create texture on the head. Once iced completely you may use a different color icing to create eyes. In addition to a different color icing you may also want to use Hersey melting discs as the pupils. Now take original icing and make sure all edges are covered.  If testicles and head are looking disconnected ice the gaps. All Hersey chocolate melts maybe replaced by different colored icings or different candy. After completing the steps previously mentioned your cake should be complete.