Okay, so Halloween is comin’ up fast, right? And let’s be real, sometimes you want a cake that’s a little more… grown-up. Not, like, covered in plastic spiders and neon frosting (unless that’s your thing, no judgment!). I was thinkin’ about that, and I remembered this chocolate cake recipe from scratch easy Halloween I whipped up last year. It was a total hit!
I had this vision of a really elegant, kinda spooky cake – think dark chocolate, ombre orange frosting, maybe a few subtle spiderwebs. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve had some epic fails with cake decorating in the past. One year I tried to be an “icy vampire” and ended up lookin’ like a… well, let’s just say a slightly disheveled Italian grandma. 😂 But this cake? This cake actually turned out pretty darn close to what I imagined. And it tastes amazing. Seriously, it’s a chocolate dreamsicle in cake form.
I’m all about makin’ things easy, ya know? That’s kinda my whole thing with Easy Recipes List. And this chocolate cake recipe from scratch easy Halloween is definitely easy. It starts with a classic Hershey’s chocolate cake base, but I added a few little tweaks to make it extra special. A touch of black cocoa powder for a super dark color, some espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor, and a little orange oil because chocolate and orange are a match made in heaven. Plus, I used melted butter instead of oil for a richer, more tender crumb. Trust me, it makes a difference!
Honestly, the frosting is where the magic happens. It’s a creamy, dreamy ermine frosting flavored with vanilla, a hint of orange, and a touch of chocolate bitters. It sounds fancy, but it’s actually super simple to make. And the ombre effect? Totally achievable, even if you’re not a professional baker. I’ll walk you through it step-by-step. It’s all about layering different shades of orange frosting and smoothing it out with a cake smoother. It’s kinda therapeutic, actually. This chocolate cake recipe from scratch easy halloween is perfect for a party, or just a cozy night in.
I’ve been gettin’ a lot of requests for easy Halloween recipes lately, and I’m happy to deliver! I mean, who doesn’t love a good spooky treat? And this chocolate cake recipe from scratch easy halloween is the perfect way to get into the Halloween spirit. It’s fun to make, it looks impressive, and it tastes absolutely delicious. Plus, it’s a great way to show off your baking skills (even if you’re a beginner!). I’m tellin’ ya, this cake will be the star of your Halloween party.
PrintEasy Chocolate Halloween Cake Recipe From Scratch
This easy chocolate cake recipe is perfect for Halloween! It’s a rich, dark chocolate cake with a creamy orange ombre frosting and subtle spooky details
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
14 oz granulated sugar (2 cups)
8 oz all-purpose flour (1 ¾ cup)
1.75 oz sifted cocoa powder
0.5 oz black cocoa powder (about 2 Tablespoons)
1 tablespoon espresso powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 oz buttermilk, room temperature (½ cup)
4 oz whole milk, room temperature (½ cup)
4 oz melted butter (1 stick)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3–5 drops orange oil
8 oz (1 cup) boiling water
For the Creamsicle Frosting:
2 oz all-purpose flour (scant ½ cup)
10.5 oz granulated sugar (1 ½ cups)
⅜ teaspoon kosher salt (I use Morton’s)
12 oz whole milk (1 ½ cups)
12 oz unsalted butter, at cool room temperature (3 sticks)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Tahitian, if you have it)
2–3 drops orange oil
Several shakes of chocolate bitters (Optional but lovely)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), and set a rack in the center of the oven.
- Prepare 3 6-inch cake pans by spraying with pan spray, lining the bottoms with a parchment circle and spraying again.
- In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powders, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, thoroughly whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract and orange oil.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk well for about 3 minutes. While you’re whisking, heat up your one cup of water to a boil.
- Pour in the boiling water and whisk thoroughly so the water is completely and evenly incorporated.
- Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans and bake for 20 minutes.
- Carefully turn the pan from front to back and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cakes spring back when touched and an instant read thermometer registers 200F.
- Remove to a rack to cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Run a slim knife around the insides of each pan and then turn out onto cooling racks.
- Frost and decorate as desired.
Notes
Don’t expect your cake slices to stand up nice and pretty. Lay them on their sides. Since the cake is very rich and moist, it wouldn’t be the worst thing ever to cut each slice in half allowing each serving to be only 1 1/2 layers tall.
Nutrition
- Calories: 634 kcal
- Sugar: 60 g
- Sodium: 260 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 81 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 113 mg
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