Halloween Eyeball Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp premium flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

White chocolate domes

• 6 discs of black confectionery icing
• 60 g of blue confectionery glaze
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp unrefined coconut oil
• 220 g chopped white chocolate

Pudding eyes

• 0.5 cups of sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Dark red gel food coloring, for pudding
• 1/4 cup raspberry jam
• Special equipment: round cookie cutter with a diameter of 6 cm; 1 small pastry bag; silicone mold with 6 hemispheres with a volume of 90 ml.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 20cm square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cake:
   
   In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and egg until smooth.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 7–10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then turn out onto a cutting board. Using a 2.5-inch cookie cutter, cut 6 circles from the cake (reserve the scraps for another use or to eat); set aside.
4. Pupils:
   
   Meanwhile, place 1 disk of black frosting on the bottom of each half-sphere in a silicone mold. Microwave until the frosting is melted, about 1 minute. Transfer the mold to a baking sheet to ensure it stays stable and tap the baking sheet on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Freeze for about 5 minutes until the black frosting sets. These will be the pupils of the eyeballs.
5. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the blue frosting with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. Microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 1 minute.
6. Transfer the mixture to a small piping bag. Pipe blue icing around each pupil to create an iris, then freeze for about 5 minutes to set.
7. White chocolate domes:
   
   In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine 110g of white chocolate with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and coconut oil are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
8. Pour the white chocolate mixture over the pupils and irises and, tilting the mold, swirl it until each hemisphere is coated with chocolate (you can also stir the chocolate with your finger). Pour off any excess chocolate and freeze until the hemispheres are firm, about 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining 4 oz. of white chocolate and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to create a second layer of white chocolate. Some chocolate may spill over the top of the mold, which is normal; it will chip off when you remove the domes from the mold. Pour off any excess chocolate and freeze until the chocolate is firm, about 5 minutes.
9. Milk Pudding Eyes:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles begin to form around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add the dry mixture to the saucepan in 3 additions, mixing well after each addition. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil; adjust the heat if necessary. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, and 5 drops of gel food coloring. Stir. Transfer the pudding to a medium glass bowl, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
10. Assemble the cake and refrigerate.:
    
    Spoon 3 tablespoons of pudding into each cavity of a white chocolate hemisphere in the mold. Use the back of a small spoon to make a well in the center of each portion of pudding, about halfway full. Spoon 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam into each mold. Place a cake layer on top of each hemisphere, pressing gently into the pudding to ensure it adheres to the pudding. Freeze until the pudding is set, about 30 minutes.
11. Carefully remove the cakes from the pan, trimming the edges with a knife if necessary. Place the cakes, cake side down, on a serving platter. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes and serve.