Lemon Sugar Skull Cakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a skull cake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, and salt, if using.
Whisk in lemon zest; set aside.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, oil, and lemon extract.
Add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing lightly with a spoon or folding with a spatula until just combined. Small lumps will be present, don’t overmix or try to stir them smooth.
Fill each well of the skull cake pan no more than ¾ full—about ½ cup of batter each. Gently tap the pan on top of the counter to evenly distribute batter and eliminate air bubbles.
Bake for about 25 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan 15 to 20 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining batter.
Decorate with royal icing, writing gel, little candies, or sprinkles. For more decorating tips, see photos.