Cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray your cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes (or according to cake pan directions on package)
• Let cake cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, cream room temperature butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until nice and smooth.
• Next add in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. I like to add my powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments to make it easier.
• Beat the mixture on low speed for 30 seconds and then increase to high and mix for 1 minute. Frosting will be creamy and smooth.

Cake Decorations

• Frost your cake with the homemade chocolate buttercream on the top and sides using a cake icing spatula until completely covered.
• Cut Pocky sticks in half or thirds and place evenly spaced apart on the side of the cake, alternating which end faces up and staggering if desired. Make sure you leave an opening for your graveyard entrance.
• Next, crush up your oreos (with filling removed)  and sprinkle all over the cake and cake plate.
• Next, make your tombstones using Milano cookies and black decorator icing. Carefully write the letters RIP on each cookie.
• To make the graveyard sign, coat a half of a graham cracker in white chocolate and lay on top of two full-length Pocky sticks. Place in the fridge to harden, and once the chocolate has set, write the word “Grave” on the sign with black decorating icing.
• Create bones for your cake by breaking pretzels up into small pieces and coating in white chocolate. Create ghosts, by cutting a large marshmallow into thirds and twisting the top to look like a ghost. Add three dots on each with decorating icing to create the face.
• Gently press the tombstones down into the cake and decorate with ghosts, bones, pumpkins, eyeballs, and any other decorations you desire. Gummy worms, spiders, bats, sprinkles, and candy corn all would be great too!