Halloween cake
Spookily delicious and frightfully good: our Halloween cake tempts with rich chocolate sponge and buttery-soft frosting! Perfectly decorated with orange frosting and colourful sprinkles, it becomes the sweet showstopper of any Halloween party. The preparation takes a little time, but it is worth every effort. Let yourself be enchanted by its flavour and enjoy the spooky season with friends and family!
Ingredients
Cake
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250 g
Sugar
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100 g
Soft butter
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3
Eggs
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250 g
Plain flour
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1 tsp
Baking powder
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¼ tsp
Coarse salt
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200 ml
Milk
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125 g
Dark chocolate, melted
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Frosting
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200 g
Soft butter
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400 g
Icing sugar
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1 tbsp
Vanilla extract
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Orange food colourings
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Decoration
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Orange, black, and purple sprinkles
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Instructions
Cake
Frosting
Assembling the Halloween cake
Recipe tips
It’s often the small details that make the biggest impact in the kitchen, so we’re sharing the tips we rely on when cooking and creating recipes
If your frosting turns out lumpy, there are a few ways to smooth it out. Beat it again on medium speed for several minutes. You can also gently warm the bowl while mixing, either with a hair dryer on low heat around the outside, or by setting the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stirring until smooth. To prevent lumps in the first place, always start with butter that is fully softened to room temperature and sift the icing sugar before adding it. If the frosting feels too stiff or dry, add just a teaspoon of milk at a time. This helps loosen the texture and brings everything together, but too much liquid can make the frosting runny.
Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is done. If not, return it to the oven and check again every 5 minutes until done. To avoid overbaking, start testing about 5–10 minutes before the recommended bake time, as ovens vary. Other signs to look for include the edges pulling slightly away from the tin and the top springing back when pressed.
FAQ: Questions about Halloween cake
Our FAQ section covers all the common Halloween cake questions to help you make the perfect chocolate sponge and bright orange frosting.
Why did my Halloween cake not rise properly?
There may be several reasons why your Halloween cake did not rise properly. First, make sure the baking powder is fresh; old or expired baking powder will not be as effective and can prevent rising. Also, be precise when measuring milk and melted chocolate, as too much liquid can weigh the batter down. Always preheat your oven to 175 °C, since the cake may set before rising if the temperature is off. Finally, bake the cake straight after mixing to make the most of the baking powder’s leavening power.
How do I prevent sprinkles from sinking into the frosting?
To prevent your sprinkles from sinking into the frosting, make sure the frosting is slightly firm before decorating. After spreading the final layer of frosting, chill the cake for 30 minutes in the fridge or 15 minutes in the freezer. When the frosting feels tacky, gently scatter the sprinkles on top without pressing them in. Keep the cake refrigerated until serving so the frosting stays firm and the colours of the sprinkles do not bleed.
How long can I store the Halloween cake?
You can store the Halloween cake in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container to keep the sponge moist and the frosting fresh. For longer storage, freeze the cake for up to 3 months. First chill it until the frosting hardens, then wrap it tightly in cling film and foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutritional values
Nutritional value, per
6087 Kcal
| Fibre | - | 2.5 gram fibers |
| Protein | 3.3 | 49.6 gram |
| Fat | 44.7 | 307.5 gram |
| Carbohydrates | 52 | 779.3 gram |
Recommended information
Serving suggestion
Serve a colourful Halloween cake to your guests
A Halloween cake is a dessert with a mission: to bring as much Halloween spirit to the table. With its rich chocolate sponge, bright frosting, and playful decorations, this cake sets the mood for the evening before anyone has even taken a bite.
Both spooky and spectacular, it is one of the most satisfying holiday cakes to make. The colour and detail will draw the guests in, and once they taste it, they will find the flavour lives up to the presentation.
This Halloween cake certainly shines on its own, but you can easily pair it with our witch finger cookies, Halloween cupcakes with fondant ghosts, a graveyard cake, or a ghost cake.
Moist and fluffy chocolate sponge
While the décor is Halloween-themed, the base remains a classic chocolate cake. A generous amount of cocoa and melted dark chocolate give it a deep, indulgent taste, while butter and sugar keep the crumb light and soft. Each slice has the satisfying, rich sweetness of chocolate and pairs perfectly with the orange frosting.
Creamy orange frosting with a festive flavour
The frosting adds colour, contrast, and sweetness in one swoop. Whipped butter and icing sugar create a smooth frosting that spreads easily, while a hint of vanilla rounds out the flavour. Tinted in a bold orange, it instantly makes the dark hues of the chocolate cake stand out even more. As a bonus, it also balances the sponge with a creamy texture and a sweetness that ties the whole Halloween cake together.
Eye-catching Halloween sprinkles and decorations
Halloween cakes shine brightest when dressed up with bold decorations. A scattering of orange, purple, and black sprinkles makes this cake party-ready. The orange colour demands a lot of attention, which is why the sprinkles are perfect. They add less intense hues and a bit of texture difference. If you like, you can also add fake spiders and creepy crawlers for the mood, as long as they are easy to remove and not too scary.
Make your own changes to the recipe
This Halloween cake recipe is a canvas for your creativity. Try flavouring the buttercream with cocoa for a chocolate-orange combination, or swap the colour to green or purple for a different spooky effect. Add a hidden filling between the sponge layers, like raspberry or strawberry jam for a “bloody” surprise.
You can even experiment with toppings, from drizzled chocolate to crushed cookies. Extra toppers like candy eyes, fondant bats, or sugar skulls can push the seasonal mood even further, while sugar cobwebs, gummy worms, or chocolate spiders add a creepier look. Whatever direction you take, it will still be the showstopper of your Halloween table.
