One of the first signs of fall in New England is the appearance of the King Richard’s Faire billboard along Interstate 195 East. For Serina Bowen, the Renaissance-themed extravaganza inspired her to make a special cicada cake for her family’s annual trip to the event. “We’ve been attending since I was 13, and it’s the one big event I look forward to every year, so of course we go all-out,” begins Bowen, originally from the mountains of western Massachusetts, and currently living in the forests of Burrillville. “I decorated the cake to celebrate the emergence of the cicadas. I find there’s comfort in having recurring recipes, especially ones grounded in the seasons. My traditions just happen to celebrate my macabre interests and the dual emergence of cicadas.”
In a palette of mocha, the dessert is made in three parts: the spice cake, the maple glaze, and the chocolate cicadas. “When I can, I get my fresh produce and, in this recipe’s case, Chepachet Farms pure maple syrup from my friends at Mapleville Farm, and many of my herbs and spices at Farmacy Herbs in Providence,” says Bowen, who enjoys making creepy treats – like town villager meat packages, strawberry rats, and molasses cookies strewn with confectionary cobwebs – all month long.
“My love for Halloween probably stems from my devotion to crafting mixed with my adoration of autumn. It’s the time of year when creativity and morbid curiosity have societal permission to run rampant, and I love seeing entire communities come together to simply have some fun. I don’t want to say Halloween is my personality, but if you get me started on ghost stories, folklore, or dark Victorian-era practices, be forewarned,” Bowen says with a grin.
When she’s not whipping up bugs in the kitchen, jewelry photographer-by-day Bowen explores the state on weekends. “Rhode Island also has an abundance of festivals to get you in the cozy autumn spirit, including Apple Fest and the Pagan Pride Day Festival, both in Johnston, Norman Bird Sanctuary’s Harvest Fair in Middletown, and the Wickford Witches Paddle. All of these events are the perfect opportunity to grab a hot apple cider, explore local businesses, and experience a true New England October. However, I’m still fairly new to the area and have a lot more to discover.” This year, Bowen is eager to experience Bathsheba’s Woods and Haunted Gallows in Burrillville, and she cites strolling Swan Point Cemetery as a favorite activity. “It has the perfect ratio of trees, old tombstones, and if you’re lucky, some wildlife weaving throughout.” Follow Bowen along on Instagram at @inbowensbones.
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cardamom
• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup plus 2 tbsp whole milk
• 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp five spice
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp allspice
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2-3 tbsp whole milk
• ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• Dash of salt (optional)
• ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
• Edible glitter (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Adhere a round of parchment paper to the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with butter/cooking spray, then grease and flour the entire pan.
3. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom in a medium bowl and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract.
5. Mix in the flour mixture in three portions, alternating with milk until smooth.
6. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 30-34 minutes until pale golden brown.
7. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack and let sit until cooled completely.
1. While cooling, combine all the ingredients for the glaze and whisk until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or milk to adjust the consistency (it should be about the consistency of molasses).
2. Pour the glaze over the cake, making sure it is coated entirely, and let set for at least 10 minutes.
1. To make the cicadas’ bodies, microwave the sweetened condensed milk for 30 seconds on high. Sift in cocoa powder and a dash of salt and mix until combined.
2. Scoop this mixture into a sheet of plastic wrap, cover and freeze for 30 minutes.
3. When firmed up, pinch off about 1 tsp of the dough and form a tapered log shape, 1½-2 inches long. Roll in cocoa powder and make two curved indents in the middle to create the bug’s segments (sort of like a knuckle), with three horizontal lines on one side of the segment. Repeat for as many cicadas (or any other creepy crawlies) as you want (I made a total of 10 for my cake).
4. To make the wings, temper the chocolate by microwaving a half cup of chocolate chips at 30-second intervals until just melted and mix in the remainder of chips until just melted. Note: over-heating will cause the chocolate to not temper, so err on the side of caution, but make sure all the lumps are out, or your piping bag will clog.
5. Add melted chocolate to a sandwich or piping bag, cut off a very small corner of the bag (about 1 cm) and pipe large and small teardrop shapes onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fill the teardrops with more small teardrop shapes to make a lacy pattern (see reference).
6. Let sit at room temperature until solidified, then brush on edible glitter (optional). Make small holes in sides of cicada bodies and insert the wings (larger in front, smaller in back)
7. Top the cake with cicadas and enjoy a perfectly spooky Halloween dessert!
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