Description

A rich, moist chocolate cake layered and covered with glossy chocolate ganache, decorated with spooky Halloween candies for a show-stopping, creepy dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk (or almond milk for dairy-free)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola preferred)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter (optional, for shine)
Candy eyes
Edible spiders or gummy worms
Red raspberry sauce (optional, for blood drips)
Ghost-shaped marshmallows or meringues
Halloween sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and whisk gently until mostly combined.
Slowly pour in boiling water while whisking. Batter will thin out and look glossy.
Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto racks and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Pour over chocolate chips in a bowl, let sit 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Stir in butter for extra shine.
Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread about 1/3 of ganache on top. Place second layer over, then pour remaining ganache over the top, letting it drip down the sides.
While ganache is still gooey, add candy eyes, gummy worms, and sprinkles. Drizzle raspberry sauce for ‘blood’ if desired. Let cake set for 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Use room temperature eggs and milk for best texture. Don’t overmix the batter. Pour ganache while slightly warm for perfect drips. Decorations stick best when ganache is still gooey. For gluten-free or vegan adaptations, substitute flour and dairy as needed. Cake layers can be made ahead and wrapped tightly. Imperfect ganache drips add to the spooky effect.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
Calories: 340
Sugar: 28
Sodium: 320
Fat: 22
Saturated Fat: 12
Carbohydrates: 40
Fiber: 3
Protein: 5

Keywords: Halloween cake, chocolate ganache, spooky dessert, easy Halloween recipe, party cake, haunted bakery, kid-friendly, chocolate cake, Halloween party, creepy cake