Description
A spooky and colorful Halloween Layer Cake with vibrant black, orange, green, and purple layers, frosted in rich black cream cheese frosting. This easy-to-make Halloween layer cake is a perfect centerpiece for any festive Halloween party.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 2–3 drops each: electric orange, electric green, electric purple, super black gel paste colors
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Super black gel paste color
- Black sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper or use loaf pans for even layers.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Divide the cake batter evenly into four bowls.
- Add a few drops of the specified gel food coloring to each bowl (orange, green, purple, and black). Mix until the colors are vibrant.
- Spread each colored batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake for approximately 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake layers to cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, whipping until the frosting is fluffy. Mix in the black gel paste color until the frosting is a deep, even black.
- Trim the domed tops off each cake layer to create flat surfaces.
- Assemble the Halloween layer cake by stacking the layers in order: black, purple, orange, and green. Spread a layer of frosting between each cake layer. Chill the assembled cake overnight for stability.
- Frost the entire cake with the black cream cheese frosting. Coat the sides of the cake with black sanding sugar for a decorative finish.
- Slice your spooky Halloween layer cake to reveal the colorful surprise inside and serve.
Notes
- For best results and to prevent layers from sliding, chill the cake layers before stacking and frosting your Halloween layer cake.
- Use gel food coloring for the most vibrant and consistent colors in your Halloween cake layers.
- Consider adding chocolate chips to the batter or candy decorations on top for an extra festive touch to your homemade Halloween layer cake.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 42g
- Sodium: 310mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 120mg