In a mixer whip the butter until it is fluffy. Add in the vanilla and salt and mix until combined.

Add in powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream. Alternating between the two. I like to add in 1 cup of powder sugar followed by 2 tbs of heavy whipping cream, let it combine and then add the next round of powdered sugar and heavy cream.

Once everything is added, mix on high for 20-30 seconds. Then add in the orange food gel and mix on medium low until full incorporated.

In a mixer whip the butter until it is fluffy. Add in the espresso powder, dark cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt and mix until combined.

Add in powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream. Alternating between the two. I like to add in 1 cup of powder sugar followed by 2 tbs of heavy whipping cream, let it combine and then add the next round of powdered sugar and cream.

Once everything is added, mix on high for 20-30 seconds. Then add in the black food gel and mix on medium low until full incorporated.

In a mixer whip the butter until it is fluffy. Add in the vanilla and salt and mix until combined.

Add in powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream. Alternating between the two. I like to add in 1 cup of powder sugar followed by 2 tbs of heavy whipping cream, let it combine and then add the next round of powdered sugar and heavy cream.

Once everything is added, mix on high for 20-30 seconds. Then add in the green food gel and mix on medium low until full incorporated.

Using a stand mixer, mix sugar and butter until fluffy. About 5 minutes.

While mixing the butter and sugar microwave water for 30 seconds then add espresso to it, stirring until dissolved.

Whisk cocoa powder, then buttermilk and vanilla into water/espresso mixture.

In a separate bowl sift flour, baking soda and salt together.

Once butter and sugar are lighter color and fully mixed, add each egg and the yolk, one at a time, into the butter mixture, letting each one fully mix into the batter before adding the next. Add in oil and mix until fully combined. Then beat mixture on medium high speed for a minute- the mixture will be light and fluffy.

Fold in ½ of the flour and then fold in ½ of the buttermilk mixture to the batter. Then fold in remaining flour and then remaining buttermilk mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Try baking the cakes on the same rack, or baking them one at a time. This will ensure even baking.

Once the cakes are done let them cool completely, level if needed, then wrap in saran wrap and freeze.

Crush Oreos (I like to use a food processor because it’s easy but crushing them in a ziplock baggie works too)

Add tape to the bottom of your 8 in cake board and stick to your cake turntable. Then add tape to the bottom of your 6 in cake board and stick to the center of the 8 in cake board.

Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of the 6 in cake board and place your first cake layer on top.

Add a nice layer of orange buttercream, then and your second cake layer, then add another layer of buttercream, and add your third cake layer.

Spread a thin layer of orange buttercream all over the cake as your crumb coat. Don’t worry too much about making it super smooth because it will all be covered with the final coat. Once the crumb coat is on refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

While cake is chilling, decorate your ghosts and pumpkins. Use the writing tip to make details like eyes and mouths, and lines on the pumpkins.

Once chilled, add a thick layer of black buttercream all around the center of the cake. Press in the sprinkles and then add the ghosts and pumpkins to the black frosting. I found that halving the ghosts and pumpkins so they were thinner worked well. Chill for another 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

Add the final orange coat by frosting a large area above and below the black frosting. I found using a piping bag with the end cut off (to make a large circle) worked well to evenly frost these areas. Add frosting to the top of the cake as well.

Using the bench scraper smooth out the sides, being careful to not mix the orange into the black, but to keep a nice ledge- or fault line.

Use the offset spatula to clean up the top edge (see my notes on cake decorating here).

Make several mounds of Oreos on top of the cake, and place KitKats around the bottom of the cake (I halved each KitKat) and then refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Slide a tooth pick into the bottom of the ghosts and pumpkins, then place on top of the cake. Gently press in the headstones.

Using the green frosting and the grass tip, pipe on grass around the headstones, and around the KitKats at the base of the cake.

Enjoy!