This weekend the clocks will be going back and our thoughts turn to the fast-approaching festival of all things ghoulish and gruesome; Halloween! With October 31st just around the corner it is time to start planning those creepy costumes, stocking up on spook-tacular sweeties for the Trick or Treaters and hanging the hair-raising Halloween decorations in honour of this ever more popular holiday!

To the youngest members of the family it may seem as though Halloween has always loomed large on the annual social calendar, but those of us who no longer dress up as a cute spider or black cat we might wonder how Halloween has become such a celebrated part of life in the UK in recent years?

Although we may think of it as a holiday which has come over from America, Halloween does in fact have its origins in Ancient Britain and Ireland.It dates back some 2000 years to the ancient Celtic harvest festival of Samhain, when people would light huge bonfires and wear masks and costumes to ward off ghosts and spirits.

The Celts believed that the very end of Summer was a period of transition during which the barrier between this world and the world of spirits became very thin, which meant that mischievous and evil spirits were able to roam freely about on earth.

They would leave treats out to appease the spirits and ensure their survival through the Winter, which is where the tradition of sweet treats at Halloween began.It was also believed that the spirits of departed loved ones were able to come home for one night at this time of great supernatural activity and fires were lit in cosy home hearths and extra places laid at the table to welcome them.

Halloween celebrations have always included fruits, nuts and sweet treats due to the fact that it coincides with the year's final harvest, a time when these treats are plentiful.In medieval Britain and Ireland, soul cakes, small round cakes flavoured with spices and fruit were traditionally set out with a glass of wine on All Hallows' Eve as an offering to the dead and on All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, children and the poor would go "souling" or begging for cakes door to door.

In return for these sweet treats, the children would pray for the souls of those who gave them and for the souls of their friends and loved ones.The tradition of souling continued right up until the 1930's and is seen by many as the origin of the modern practise of Trick or Treating.

It is certainly true to say that Halloween and cake have gone together hand in hand ever since.Most of us will have heard the Halloween saying "Trick or Treat!Give me something good to eat.Give me Candy, give me Cake.Give me something sweet to take!"Indeed, there can be no better way to get your Halloween party started than with a ghoulishly good slice of cake!

Trick or Treat Yourself with  Halloween Cakes from the Brilliant Bakers

Halloween is a time when families and friends get together for parties and gatherings, whether it's a spot of Trick or Treating with the kids or a party at home where the whole family can join in the fun, dressing up and playing a range of fang-tastic party games such as bobbing for apples and wrapping the mummy, and we at the Brilliant Bakers firmly believe that cake is not just for birthday parties, but for any kind of celebration!No party is complete without a crowd-pleasing centrepiece on the table - a Brilliant cake!

If you are hosting a Halloween party or gathering this year, why not consider treating your guests to a terrifyingly tasty cake that sums up the holiday?Here at the Brilliant Bakers we are delighted to be able to offer you a boo-tiful range of themed Halloween cakes designed for all ages.

There is a great variety of  flavours including our deliciously light and fluffy Genoese vanilla sponge, a sumptuous chocolate fudge cake, or the latest addition to our cookbook and arguably the most appropriate for Halloween, a rich red velvet cake that is sure to please the vampire in every party guest along with a delicious gluten free vanilla so no witch or wizard is ever left without cake at the party.

At the Brilliant Bakers we pride ourselves on the quality of our cakes, baking each cake using traditional methods and fresh to order so that every tasty morsel is as tempting and decadent as it should be.All our brilliant cakes are designed and created in-house which ensures that we are able to really go to town on the creative concepts we come up with and deliver our customers the best-looking, as well as the most delicious, cakes around.You will be scared witless by our impressive range of Halloween cakes with all manner of ghosts, ghouls, spiders and skulls abounding!Amongst others the range includes:

Cupcakes - Easy and quick to handle and eat, cupcakes in general are a great way to spread some joy at any party!And of course they are the perfect portable give-away to send little Trick or Treaters on their way with!Our Halloween cupcakes are available in a box of 12 and contain designs that feature Pumpkins and  Skull and Crossbone as well as 'Happy Halloween' text.Or why not order a  Halloween Cupcake Tower with a selection of designs including ghosts, black cats, bats and more.

Party Cakes - If you are looking for a brilliant Halloween party centrepiece then look no further!Our cute  Halloween Pumpkin Cake is available in three different sizes; 8, 10 or 12 inches (serving 20, 45 or 60 people) and our square Party Cakes are available as 8 and 10 inch bakes and include some freakishly fun designs such as the  Spooky Night cake or Haunted House Cake.

We also have two terrifyingly tasty two-tier Party Cakes, the square  Halloween Boo Cake which comes complete with keepsake scary characters and hand crafted sugar decapitated finger, or the round Halloween Cake which comes with keepsake skull candle, both serving up to 40 people.

Gift Cakes - Can't be with the ones you love this Halloween?Why not send a Halloween cake as a gift to let them know you are with them in Spirit. With three designs including the  Creepy Spider, Halloween Pumpkin and Scary Eye Cakes, there is something to suit everyone.Our gift cakes are perfectly presented in a box tied with ribbon to match your cake and include your personal message.Serving up to six people, this cake will be simply perfect as a Halloween treat for someone at any party that they may be hosting!

If gruesome and gory is not your thing, we have plenty to offer with other themes which happen to lend themselves well to the season.Any little wannabe wizards out there are sure to be a fan of our extremely popular  Harry Potter Party Cake, there's our  Scooby Doo Cake with haunted house and ghost motif, and even Lego has received the Halloween treatment with our fabulous  Lego themed Halloween Cake.

Personalise your cake- select the size and add extra elements, such as candles, sparkles and a custom inscription.

We require at least 2 working days notice in order to ensure the timely delivery of Halloween cakes.Our free delivery service operates Monday-Friday and and we will text you in advance to give you notice so you can pop to the shops, or request delivery before 10am or 12 noon.

And so this Halloween we invite you to eat, drink and be scary with a simply Brilliant Cake from the Brilliant Bakers.