Cream-Filled Chocolate Skull Cakes

For cakes, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray molds a Nordic Ware haunted skull cakelet pan with cooking spray. If needed, blot pools of cooking spray in bottom of pan with paper towels. Dust with cocoa powder. Wipe edges of pan clean with paper towels; set pan aside.

Place 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder, cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and water in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds or until combine. Beat on medium for 2 minutes, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Spoon batter into prepared cakelet molds (about 1/3 cup each); spread evenly. Gently tap pan on counter 3 or 4 times to remove air bubbles.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool cakes in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Invert pan onto cooling rack; remove pan. Cool cakes completely.

To fill cakes, spoon whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a medium round-shape piping tip. Insert tip ¾ in. into the upper fourth of the back side of the skull. Pipe about 2 Tbsp. into each cake. Repeat pipping about 1 Tbsp. filling into each cake about ½ in. down from first hole. Press cake over holes to cover slightly, if desired.

To glaze, if desired, heat milk in a small saucepan just until milk begins to boil around edge of saucepan. Do not boil. Remove from heat. Whisk in half of the powdered sugar mixture until smooth; whisk in remaining powdered sugar.

Place cakes, face sides up, on a wire rack set in a large rimmed baking pan. Spoon or brush glaze onto cakes. Let stand about 30 to 45 minutes or until glaze is dry. Decorate as desired. Or dust unglazed cakes with additional cocoa. Decorate with candy eyes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

