Spiderweb Spice Cake

Colored candies are all you need to transform a chocolate cake into a creepy, crawling Halloween-style cake. Don't worry, even with spiders, you won't be able to resist this delicious confection.
Prepare the pie: Preheat the oven to 350 ° F. Lightly grease 2 (8-or 9-inch) round pie pans; line with parchment, brush again, and sprinkle with flour.Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk together the sour cream, then cocoa, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Reduce speed to low; add apples and flour until smooth. Add the raisins and pecans (the dough should be thick).Spoon the dough into the molds, flattening the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, transfer to a wire rack; remove the wax paper; let cool. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Cakes can be prepared a day earlier, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator, or 3 weeks earlier and frozen.)Prepare the brown sugar frosting: Melt the butter over medium heat; add the brown sugar and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and butter are combined, about 5 minutes.Pour in the milk and cook over medium heat until the mixture boils, stirring frequently. Allow to cool for about 1 hour.Add the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until smooth. Whisk with vanilla. Add food coloring in small portions until the frosting is the desired pumpkin shade. Use immediately.Assemble the cake: Spread approximately 3/4 cup of icing evenly over the top layer. Spread the second layer on top of the first and brush the top and sides with the remaining icing.Using a black glaze, lay out a tube on a spider web (see photo). Prepare the spiders with M & M's by decorating the eyes and legs with icing. (The cake can be loosely covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)