Description
A deliciously eerie graveyard chocolate cake, perfect for Halloween parties or any spooky celebration. This moist chocolate cake is topped with chocolate frosting and decorated with crushed chocolate cookies for ‘dirt’, candy tombstones, and gummy worms.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 bag (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 package (14.3 oz) chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos), crushed
- Candy pumpkins
- Candy ghosts
- Gummy worms
- Chocolate wafer cookies or Milano cookies for tombstones
- Black edible marker
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, prepare the chocolate cake mix according to package directions, using the eggs, water, and vegetable oil. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cakes cool, make the chocolate ganache. Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until thickened but still spreadable.
- Once cakes are completely cool, place one cake layer on your serving platter or cake stand. Spread a layer of ganache over the top. Place the second cake layer on top.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder until smooth. Gradually add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired frosting consistency is reached.
- Frost the entire cake with the chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Sprinkle the crushed chocolate sandwich cookies all over the top and sides of the cake to resemble dirt.
- Write ‘RIP’ or other spooky messages on the chocolate wafer cookies using the black edible marker to create tombstones.
- Arrange the candy pumpkins, candy ghosts, gummy worms, and chocolate tombstones on top of the cake, sticking them into the ‘dirt’ to create a graveyard scene.
- Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the frosting and ganache to set.
Notes
- For a richer chocolate flavor, use dark chocolate chips for the ganache.
- Feel free to customize the tombstone messages or decorations with your favorite Halloween candies.
- This cake can be assembled a day in advance. Store in the refrigerator and add decorations just before serving for the best presentation.
- Prep Time: PT45M
- Cook Time: PT35M
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 55g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 60mg