Description
This Halloween cake recipe creates a moist, colorful, and festive dessert perfect for any Halloween party. It features fluffy cake layers, creamy frosting, and spooky decorations like candy eyes and sprinkles, making it fun to prepare and delicious to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Cake Batter:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (300 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
- ½ cup brown sugar (100 g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 g), softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk (240 ml)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
- Orange or black food coloring (gel preferred)
- For the Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese (225 g), softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113 g), softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar (360 g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Black, orange, and purple food coloring
- For Decoration:
- Halloween sprinkles
- Candy eyes
- Mini chocolate chips
- Edible glitter or shimmer powder
- Gummy worms or candy corn
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch pans or one 9×13-inch pan. Line bottoms with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla.
- Combine: Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing until smooth. Divide batter into bowls and color with food gel (orange, black, or purple).
- Bake: Pour into prepared pans and bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on racks.
- Make the Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, then vanilla. Divide and tint with Halloween colors.
- Assemble and Decorate: Frost the cake with a crumb coat, chill for 20 minutes, then apply a final layer. Add Halloween sprinkles, candy eyes, and creative decorations.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for bold hues without thinning your batter.
- Ensure cakes are fully cooled before frosting to avoid melting.
- Add cocoa powder to black frosting for deeper color and richer flavor.
- Chill before slicing for neat, clean layers.
- Turn it into cupcakes or a layered monster cake for a creative twist!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking and Decorating
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 38g
- Fat: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g