Last Updated October 12th, 2021 at 09:59 am by Lisa
Bake a spooky Halloween Cake (9 x 13 sheet cake) marbled inside, has chocolate frosting, and step-by-step decorating tips and ideas.
You can make this graveyard cake and decorate it a day before your Halloween party. I have a free design template to download for the chocolate decorations, which are so easy. The fence, gate, tree, tombstones, "dirt" and bones make this cake enchanting...
⬆ Halloween Cake Video Tutorial ⬆
The tombstones (with whimsical funny engravings!) and bones are made in a candy mold. The "dirt" is crushed Oreos.
Let's Get Baking, You Will Need
Cake Baking Tips
Baking Pans - You can bake this in a sheet pan, glass 9 x 13 dish, or metal pan. For pans deeper than 3 inches, you will want to lower the temperature from 350 down to 325 degrees. Also, bake it longer for about 50 minutes. Also, be sure to line the pan with parchment. It makes taking the cake out so much easier and in one piece. 🍰
Batter - Coloring the batter is really easy. Be sure to use a bowl that won't stain with the orange dye. Place big dollops of batter on top of each other. Then use a chopstick to pull outward from the center and then in a circle. This makes the swirls you want in marbled cake! 🥣
Baking - You can bake a day ahead. Keep it chilled in the fridge until it's time to decorate. You will want your cake very cool before you frost it!
How To Make A Halloween Cake
- Mix your white cake batter in a separate bowl, stir in orange food color until it's the color your like.
- Mix your chocolate cake batter in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer according to the box directions. Deeper pans might need more batter. I used a deeper pan 3 inches deep. Most pan are 2 inches deep so I mixed up 2 boxes of cake batter.
- Spray the bottom of your cake pan with non-stick. Next, line with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the pan. This will help release the cake from the pan and makes clean up much easier. Pour dollops of the chocolate batter into the pan alternating chocolate and orange. Try to place the batter on top of each area, it will begin to spread out. When all the batter is in pan, use a skewer to pull lines from the center outward. Then do some slight swirls around the pan. This helps create the marble design.
- Rap the pan down on the counter to help level the batter. It pops any bubbles in the batter that would makes cakes bake uneven. Bake according to your box directions. Most classic mixes require a 350-degree oven for 28 minutes for a regular 9x13 pan. Note: If you use a pan deeper than 2 inches, reduce baking temperature to 325 degrees and bake longer for 55 minutes. Check with a toothpick, if it comes out clean your cake is done.
Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
5. Beat soft butter and shortening in a mixer on high until creamy for 5 minutes. At low speed, add powder sugar 1 cup at a time until smooth.
On high speed, mix in vanilla, almond extract, and hot water for 5 minutes until fluffy and smooth.
Add 1 cup unsweetened cocoa, mix till smooth and fully incorporated.
6. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling.
PRO TIP: Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least two hours or preferably overnight before decorating. This gives you time to create your chocolate work decorations. I like to bake cakes one day, then decorate them the next. This helps release the steam and the frosting holds on better when chilled.
PRO TIP: Place a dollop of frosting on a small piece of cardboard (cut to fit the cake) on a tray or a cutting board. This keeps it from sliding around while decorating and makes it easy to move to the fridge and serve.
PRO TIP: Frost using a small offset spatula. It makes it really easy, but a butter knife will work too. Smooth out the frosting as best you can all over the top and sides of the cake.
Chocolate Decorations Tips & Ideas
Tombstones/Bones - I used a Tombstone Candy Mold above ⬆️ from Wilton. It is really easy to make bones and tombstones with melted chocolate. I used chocolate chips and a little vegetable oil for the tombstones, and white candy melts for the bones.
Dirt - Crush Oreo cookies in a small plastic zip-top bag, and sprinkle around your cake.
Design Template - Download the free design template for Halloween Cake Chocolate Work
- You need chocolate chips and vegetable oil.
- Melt the chocolate for decorating. In a double boiler, add chocolate chips and a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
- Stir until melted over simmering not boiling water.
- IMPORTANT: don't splash water into the melting chocolate, or it might sieze.
- You might need to add more vegetable oil to get it smooth.
- Use a candy mold and fill the tombstones with melted chocolate.
- I used white candy melts (melt in the microwave) for the bones, and chocolate chips for the tombstones. Chill in fridge to set.
- Cut parchment paper to fit neatly inside a large baking sheet. Slide the free downloadeable chocolate design template under the parchment paper.
- Load into a pastry bag fitted with a small round piping tip. I used a Wilton size 5 tip. Use a large jar to help fill the bag with melted chocolate.
- Quickly pipe the graveyard fence, gate and tree onto parchment paper using the design I provided to guide you, or create your own! PRO TIP: Pipe the chocolate fairly thick, going over the lines. Thin lines will break and snap more easily as you decorate your cake. Let the chocolate pieces chill in the fridge to set on the tray, they are fine to chill overnight too.
Decorating Your Cake
- Crush Oreos for "dirt" in a small zip-top bag. First pop out the tombstones and bones from the mold. Place those on the cake with Oreo "dirt". Next, add the tree. Now add some chocolate buttercream on the lower part of the fences, and gate, this acts as "glue" to hold them to side. Place those pieces around the outside edge.
- The cake will hold well overnight in the refrigerator for 1 day, and possibly 2 days. I would decorate it either the day of your party or the night before. I have also had guests decorate it during the party which was SO much fun!
- NOTE: The chocolate pieces will melt a bit on a hot day. I recommend you keep chill it until serving time!
More Halloween Recipes
Take a look at all of my Halloween Recipes, I have lots of ideas to make your Halloween party spectacular.
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Halloween Cake ~ Spooky Graveyard
Equipment
Ingredients
9 X 13 rectangle cake pan
- 1 boxed chocolate cake mix
- 1 boxed white cake mix
- 6 eggs (eggs called for on the box)
- 1 cup vegetable oil (vegetable oil called for on the box)
- 2 ¼ cups water (water called for on the box)
- orange food color or gel
cake frosting
- 2 cups salted butter - room temperature (4 sticks)
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 10 cups powder sugar (confectioners sugar)
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4-6 tablespoons hot water
- 2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional but great!)
Instructions
bake cake
- Spray the bottom of your pan with non-stick spray. Next, line with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the pan. This will help release the cake from the pan and makes clean up much easier.
- Mix your batter in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer according to the box directions. Deeper pans might need more batter - I used a deeper pan, 3 inches deep, so I mixed up 2 boxes of cake mix batter. Most pans are 2 inches deep.
- In a small bowl place 2 cups of batter, stir in orange food color until it’s the orange you like. Now, pour dollops of the batter into the pan alternating from chocolate and orange. Try to place the batter on top of each area, it will begin to spread out.
- When all the batter is in the cake pan, use a skewer to pull lines from the center outward, and then do some slight swirls around the pan. This helps create the marble design. Rap the pan down on the counter to help level the batter and pop any bubbles in the batter that would make the cake bake uneven.
- Bake according to your box directions, most classic mixes require a 350-degree oven for 28 minutes for a regular 9x13 pan. (If you use a cake pan deeper than 2 inches, reduce baking temperature to 325 degrees and bake longer for 55 minutes). Check with a toothpick, if it comes out clean the cake is done.
make frosting
- Beat soft butter and shortening in a mixer on high until creamy for 5 minutes.
- At low speed, add 10 cups powder sugar 1 cup at a time until smooth.
- Add 1 cup cocoa powder, mix well.
- On high speed, mix in vanilla, almond extract, and hot water for 5 minutes until fluffy and smooth. Add more hot water if necessary until frosting is smooth.
frost cake
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cool the cake in the refrigerator for at least two hours or preferably overnight before decorating. I like to bake one day, then decorate the next. This helps release the steam and the frosting holds on when chilled.
- Place a dollop of chocolate frosting on a small piece of cardboard (cut to fit the cake) a tray, or cutting board and set the cake on top. This keeps it from sliding around while decorating.
- Frost using a small offset spatula. Smooth out the frosting as best you can all over the top and sides of the cake. Chill it in the refrigerator while you make the chocolate decorations.
Make Chocolate Decorations: Tombstones, Bones, Fence, Gate, and Tree
- Cut parchment paper to fit neatly inside a large baking sheet. Slide the downloadable chocolate design template under the parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate for decorating. In a double boiler, add chocolate chips and a tablespoon of vegetable oil, stir until melted over simmering not boiling water. IMPORTANT: don't splash water into the melting chocolate, or it might sieze "freeze" up. You might need to add more vegetable oil to get it smooth. Load into a zip-top bag fitted with a small round piping tip. I used a Wilton size 5 tip.
- Quickly pipe the graveyard fence, gate and tree onto parchment paper using the design I provided to guide you, or create your own! PRO TIP: Pipe the chocolate fairly thick, going over the lines. Thin lines will break and snap more easily as you decorate. Let the chocolate pieces chill in the fridge to set, they are fine to chill overnight too. Use a candy mold and fill the tombstones with melted chocolate, let set until firm in the fridge.
Assemble
- Crush Oreos for "dirt" in a small zip-top bag. First pop out the tombstones and bones from the mold. Place those on the cake with Oreo "dirt". Next, add the tree. You might want to pipe some frosting at the base of the tree to hold it up. Now add some chocolate buttercream on the lower part of the fences, and gate, this acts as "glue" to hold them to the sides. Place those pieces around the outside edges, and break off smaller pieces of fence if you need them.
- The cake will hold well overnight in the refrigerator for 1 day, and possibly 2 days. I would decorate either the day of your party or the night before. I have also had guests decorate it during the party which was SO much fun!
- NOTE: The chocolate pieces will melt a bit on a hot day. I recommend you keep the cake chilled until serving time!
What an amazing cake for Halloween! Simple to make with a cake mix and the most adorable decorations!
Thank you so much, Anne. The chocolate work looks intimidating, but it really is easy, just squeeze chocolate over the template!
What a cake for Halloween, the decorations were so easy and make the cake!