This Halloween cake is the perfect treat treat for any Halloween Party. This double chocolate cake is one of my son's favorite and it's a cake I make every year. I've been making some version of this cake for the last 10 years and it's hit at every spooky season get together. Now that my son is older, he helps with the baking a decorating of this cake.
Why you'll love this halloween graveyard cake
Here's why people will love a Halloween chocolate sheet cake:
- Festive and Fun: A Halloween-themed chocolate sheet cake adds a spooky and playful touch to any gathering.
- Easy to Make: Sheet cakes are generally simple to prepare, making them a great option for bakers of all levels even kids!
- Serves Many: This chocolate sheet cake can serve a large crowd, making it ideal for a Halloween party or celebration.
- Creative Outlet: Decorating the cake with Halloween-themed decorations allows for creativity and personalization.
Ingredients needed for this halloween cake
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetener cocoa powder
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Vegetable oil (or canola oil or melted coconut oil)
- Large eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- Buttermilk,
- Hot coffee (regular or decaf)
- Unsalted Butter
- Confectioner's Sugar
- Oreo Cookies
- Halloween Sprinkles
- Milano Cookies
Instructions to make this chocolate sheet cake
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9x13 baking pan and line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper.
Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment mix the oil, eggs, and vanilla together on medium speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours.
Make the buttercream: With your stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute.
Do not over-whip. Add ¼ cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or 1 more Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick.
Decorate the cake: Place half a cup of the frosting in a piping bag with a small round tip, set aside.
Evenly cover the top of the cake and sides with the remaining frosting with icing spatula.
Carefully cut the milano cookies in half. Using the buttercream in the piping bag and write the letters RIP to make the cookies into little tombstones.
Over the top of the frosted cake, sprinkle the crushed oreos and halloween sprinkles. Place the cookie tombstones around the cake to give the cake the appearance of a graveyard.
Variations and substitutions for Halloween chocolate sheet cake with chocolate frosting
Cake Variations:
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free option.
- Store-Bought: Don't feel like making your chocolate cake from scratch? Use your favorite devil's food cake box mix and make it using the box's instructions.
- Coconut oil: don't want to use vegetable oil? You can use melted coconut oil or canola oil instead
- Hot Water: Not a coffee drinker or don't want the added caffeine in the cake? Use hot water or hot decaf coffee instead.
Frosting Variations:
- Cream Cheese Frosting: For a tangy and creamy twist, use cream cheese frosting instead of chocolate frosting.
- Store-Bought Frosting: Don't want to make buttercream frosting? Buy yourself 2 of your favorite chocolate frosting containers and use that instead.
Decorating Variations:
- Gummy Worms: Instead of Milano cookie tombstones, decorate your cake with gummy worms or sour gummies
- Candy Eyes: Give your cake a monster feel with some candy eyes.
- Halloween m&m's: Give your halloween cake a fun colorful pop with festive m&m's.
Storage for this chocolate sheet cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, follow these steps:
To store a chocolate sheet cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.
- It can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, or you can refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
- If refrigerated, bring the cake to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
- For longer storage, the cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil before freezing.
Tips for storage:
- Avoid moisture: Ensure the cake is wrapped tightly to prevent condensation from forming and making the cake soggy.
Check out these other dessert recipes
Halloween Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1¼ cup unsalted butter
- 3½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 Tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cake Decorations
- 6 Milano Cookies
- 8 Oreo cookies crushed
- Halloween sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper.
Make the cake:
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment mix the oil, eggs, and vanilla together on medium speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours.
Make the buttercream:
- With your stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute.
- Do not over-whip. Add ¼ cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or 1 more Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick.
- Place half a cup of the frosting in a piping bag with a small round tip, set aside.
Decorate the cake:
- Evenly cover the top of the cake and sides with the remaining frosting with an icing spatula.
- Carefully cut the milano cookies in half. Using the buttercream in the piping bag, write the letters RIP to turn the cookies into little tombstones.
- Over the top of the frosted cake, sprinkle the crushed oreos and halloween sprinkles. Place the cookie tombstones around the cake to give the cake the appearance of a graveyard.
Video
Notes
Variations and substitutions for Halloween chocolate sheet cake with chocolate frosting
Cake Variations:- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free option.
- Store-Bought: Don't feel like making your chocolate cake from scratch? Use your favorite devil's food cake box mix and make it using the box's instructions.
- Coconut oil: don't want to use vegetable oil? You can use melted coconut oil or canola oil instead
- Hot Water: Not a coffee drinker or don't want the added caffeine in the cake? Use hot water or hot decaf coffee instead.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: For a tangy and creamy twist, use cream cheese frosting instead of chocolate frosting.
- Store-Bought Frosting: Don't want to make buttercream frosting? Buy yourself 2 of your favorite chocolate frosting containers and use that instead.
- Gummy Worms: Instead of Milano cookie tombstones, decorate your cake with gummy worms or sour gummies
- Candy Eyes: Give your cake a monster feel with some candy eyes.
- Halloween m&m's: Give your halloween cake a fun colorful pop with festive m&m's.
Storage for this chocolate sheet cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, follow these steps:
To store a chocolate sheet cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.- It can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, or you can refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
- If refrigerated, bring the cake to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
- For longer storage, the cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil before freezing.
- Avoid moisture: Ensure the cake is wrapped tightly to prevent condensation from forming and making the cake soggy.
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