Happy Friday!  Woo hoo! I hope that everyone is gearing up for some weekend fun. :0) — I decided to continue with Halloween how-to’s in the blog today because there are just too many cute ideas to try. When else can I get away with making a candy-loving spider cake topper?
In real life, spiders terrify me!!  So, my spider is very non-threatening. He is friendly…and if you ever cross his path, just throw him a candy corn. Let me show you how I made him.
First off, Rice Krispie Treats! I almost always cheat and buy premade. This was one square that I smooshed into a round ball and flattened on the bottom. (Of course, if you are anti-rice cereal treats, you can use a ball of fondant.)
I took that rice cereal treat mound and covered in a layer of black fondant. If you don’t like fondant, you can use your star (21) or grass (233) tip and make a spikey, fuzzy buttercream or royal icing spider!
Then, I rolled a ball of fondant for the head, and gathered my other spider parts together:  Wilton’s sugar eyes that I picked up at Michael’s, black shoestring licorice, a piping bag of black buttercream with a 233 tip (optional….for “hair”), and a lollipop stick for poking holes.
Cut eight licorice legs….make them a little longer than you need.  Preferably while the fondant on the body is still soft,  drive four deep holes down into your spider on both sides of his body.
Insert all of the legs into the holes, and then if you can, smoosh the fondant back around each leg for a little added support.
Now for the cake! This is an 8″ cake—and I’m just beginning my web by piping on intersecting lines with my tip 2 and some black buttercream.
Now it’s time to connect all of those lines with more webby lines.
Eventually, I had a web! (Warning: I find it’s hard to pipe a spider web after a lot of caffeine!!). I put a bubble tea straw (fat straw) into the section of the cake where my spider will sit….just for added support. 
Now the fun part –arranging the legs! I pushed the ends of each leg into the icing to anchor them. It gives you more control of how the legs stand up too! 
Next, I glued on the google eyes with a little piping gel, stuck the head to the rest of the body with a little more piping gel….and gave my spider a spikey ‘do with a grass 233 tip! (This is buttercream)
And for the final touch…candy!! Our spider trapped candy corn, gum drops, and M&Ms in his web.   He tied them up so that they could not escape.  :0)
And that’s all there is to it! I hope you’ll invite this guy to sit on top of one of your cake creations this Halloween! Thanks for stopping by—see you next time!
Thanks Melissa! Love your ideas! One of best things I’ve ever done in cake decorating is finding “My Cake School”!
This is so CUTE!!!!!
I also hate spiders! Just looking at this makes me quiver!! But I know my family would love this! How do you get your black icing to look so good? I use Wilton gel and it seems like I use so much and it still doesn’t look nice and black. Not to mention the taste! YUK!
so neat!!! I love that spider but also how you put the candy corn under the web like that was a great idea.
Thanks ladies!! Mammyof2– I like Americolor Super Black. Trisha– yes! We were trying to think of a fun way to bring in more color. If the spider were REALLY my friend, he would catch me a Mounds bar :0) –But that doesn’t look as cute on a cake, lol.
Neat ideas. lovin it. Thanks for the extra ideas very helpful.
I love this, Melissa! You have such cute ideas, I want to go make this now. :)
halloween is my fave hoilday.this critter is so cute!! cud i borrow him 4 a cake walk at tha school carnival?? (borrow =can i make him ‘n use it 4 tha school carnival).great ideas melissa.thnx 4 sharin’. :0) peace
I also like the way you wrapped the candy within the web, great idea. Your cake is perfect and yummy looking! I need to go and get me some of those eyes…
Love the tutorial although i hate spiders. They give me the creeps! But as far as it is on the cake its fine! Looks nice!
This is so adorable can’t wait to make this.. thank you!
Wish I had more time to try yet another GREAT idea! Cute!!!
Great looking spider, cant wait to try this out.. :)
That is just awesome!
That is so cute! What a great idea.
Melissa this is just to much. I love your spider and his web. You are so creative. God bless
what a great idea for the hallowen cake for my kids….. also they can help with the spider.. thanks for your ideas your web are great,
Such a cute idea!
This is just to cute!
Great idea, love your work !!!!
I am pro-Rice Krispy treats – they make great bases for lots of things! Cute spider!!