Happy Haunting everyone!

I'm having a small get-together this halloween and the theme is along the lines of elegant/haunted (wierd i know, picture attached to give an idea). I've been looking at almost all of the cakes here on CC but haven't found what I have in mind. I don't want anything cutesy, definitely not anything too gory. I want something pretty and elegant with a spooky edge.

Anyone have any ideas? Cakes/cuppies more my thing, I'm not all that fond of cookies. I'm at a loss!

I would do a bucket of candy with a twist maybe a hand coming out or a big roach on top.... make the bucket really ornate that way that is the first thing they see and when they look closer they will see the bugs...

What about a white cake with black and red roses and black and red ribbon??? That could work I think!

If you can make or buy some dark chocolate fondant & color it black (so there's not too much coloring in it) you could make a black tiered cake with some red roses (Or you could do a gray cake with black roses). Then you could take some gray or white fondant & pipe it out of a clay gun so you get some thin threads. Take those, weave them into a spider web & throw over one side of the cake.

Another idea, if you have the time you can make a very gothic looking castle. You could even hide some dry ice behind it so it looks foggy & spooky. I found this one on Google image search......

Here are a few I had saved to my computer. I got them somewhere online... sorry, I can't remember where. Some may be from here, but some are not. By the way, if they belong to you, please let me know so I can label, and give credit where credit is due! HTH!

Edited to add: Found one, the last one (Catacombs) is by ohnoono. Great cake!
The Black one is by RoseCityS u g a r c r a f t.

. . . have you all seen the halloween cake contest . . . http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-606726-.html . . .

When I think of elegance with a slightly creepy edge, I think of New Orleans ...crumbling old houses with big dark empty windows, lots of wrought iron and ivy and spanish moss. Limp lace curtains. Paved courtyards with tattered wicker furniture and fountains overgrown with water plants. The old cemeteries filled with mausoleums like rows of little mansions are quite elegant too.

Elegant and haunted...
Tarnished silver; crackled mirrors; long, flowing, dusty velvet draperies; crystal skulls; wrinkled fruit in a footed bowl; two dusty long-stemmed glasses, one tipped over; a lone white lace glove; a guttering candle...

I like the marbled cake with the skull and the red roses, but you could do a variation of that.

Black and white marbeled fondant, deeeep red roses, dusted lightly with PS to give them an old dusty look, tied with a equally "dusty" red ribbon, like they have been dried for sometime. Lacy cobwebs, you could use the sugarveil to drape the cobwebs. A cracked glass mirror, with gold filagree around the edges. A worn slightly sagging top hat, maybe with a small spider crawling on it, and a lacy glove yellowed with age, and maybe some drops of blood on it.

Just an idea...

Thanks so much everyone for your replies, suggestions, and pictures! Sorry I haven't been on in a few days to respond sooner. This definitely gave me a HUGE boost and a jumpstart to say the least.

Looking at the pictures, I had an idea but I'm not sure if it would work--- maybe someone else has tried this? I thought of using waxed paper on a cake pan and piped either chocolate or RI cobweb "swags" (that would hang over the edge, bent in the middle). Would they be too delicate when it came time to pull them off? I've never tried anything like it. What does anyone suggest? I also like the idea of "velour" drapes/swags (I have this thing with swags, I guess, LOL) and I feel like any combo of the two could make a nice combination. Thanks again!

That one with the marbled frosting with the skull and red roses was on the Amazing Wedding Cakes show...and that is what came to mind to me when I read the post...I would skip the skull if that is too much though...although that cake was certianly beautiful. Her web was made out of, what she called, "flexible royal icing"???? I have been wanting to find out what that is...we could all use that at one time or another...I almost wonder if it is more of a gummy texture???

Its called Sugarveil, its like a flexible RI.

http://www.sugarveil.com/gallery/sugarveil_cakes.htm

A good example is the spider web a picture or so down on the left.

I love the spiderweb on one of the tiered cakes. You should do a red cake with black roses and spiderwebs. It would classy and wouldn't require a ton of fondant work or anything.

I've been looking through the galleries, and this one, to me, says elegance.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1158191

HTH

what about frankenstien and his bride done out of fondant on top a really fancy web covered cake or the first example toodles put up i think would be awsome

Hi! New to this site, just joined a few hours ago. Love it already. I am making a Halloween cake this weekend for a birthday party. The cliet wanted Halloween themed, but not covered in it. I came up with a 3 tiered topsy turvy with each layer a different color-dark purple, orange, and green. Tie them together with black fondant cutouts. Circles for one layer, stripes for one, and curly q's or swirls for the last. For an added punch, I am putting wire in the top with little jack-o-lanterns and cats on them, masked of course.

Welcome to CC, toricp! Prepare to be addicted!
Be sure to click on the warning in the upper left corner ...it says it all!

Sounds like a cute cake! Be sure and post a pic, we'd love to see it!

So Cupcakeco! What did you end up doing? We need pictures!

I ran out of time !

Ha Ha, I was SO looking forward to my elegant cake, too. I even did a digi-sketch, so I'll attach that at least, here.

Also here's a few pics of my decor. Thanks for all the help, to everyone, anyway!

Looks like a great sketch, and great decorations! I totally know what you mean about running out of time! I always plan much more than I actually have time to finish. My husband is always telling me to quit making things so hard on myself... but... I never learn. LOL! Hope you had a great time and didn't stress too much in the preparations!

I hope I'm not the only one who thought the books and pumpkin picture would make a great cake...

Well... now that you mention it...


I'm diggin' the cake cake sketch as well!


Oh yeah, and cupcakeco... no such thing as too many details when it comes to stuff like this!

Well. it sounds like you had fun and that is the most important thing. Your decorating looks great and so does your sketch!