Graveyard Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup water
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs

FROSTING
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
Green and brown decorator’s icing or gel
9 cream-filled oval vanilla sandwich cookies
1 cup whipped topping

Pumpkin candies and gummy worms, optionalIn a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a saucepan, combine butter, water and cocoa; bring to a boil over medium heat. Add to flour mixture; beat well. Beat in sour cream and eggs. Pour into a greased 13-inch by 9-inch by 12-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 – 38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine butter, milk and cocoa; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in sugar and vanilla. Pour over warm cake. Crumble chocolate cookies; sprinkle over frosting while still warm. Cool completely. For tombstones, use icing to decorate vanilla cookies with words or faces; place on cake. For ghosts, make mounds of whipped topping; using icing to add eyes and mouths as desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, add pumpkins and gummy worms if desired.

Yield: 16 servings