Graveyard Mini Cakes

Cake: 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon instant coffee 1/3 cup boiling water 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and slightly cooled 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup chocolate chips Topping: 1 cup chocolate chips 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream 1 cup chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs Skeleton Candies

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray cavities of mini-loaf pans with vegetable pan spray. In small bowl, dissolve instant coffee into boiling water; set aside to cool. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla, chocolate, and coffee; mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, starting and ending with flour; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove to cooling grid and cool completely before icing. In microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and cream for one minute on 50-percent power; stir to combine. Continue heating at 30-second intervals until chips are melted and combined with cream. Let stand until thickened slightly. Spread the tops of each cake with a layer of chocolate cream; sprinkle with cookie crumbs, pressing lightly into chocolate. Insert skeleton candies. Makes 18 mini cakes.