Black Chocolate Skull Cake for Halloween
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Black Chocolate Skull Cake for Halloween
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My Black Chocolate Skull Cake recipe is a spooky halloween dessert made with black cocoa and kahlua, with black mocha buttercream frosting. The perfect centerpiece for any Halloween celebration!
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Ingredients
- ⅓ cup black cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa
- ½ cup unsalted butter hot
- ½ cup vegetable oil hot
- ½ cup instant espresso hot
- ½ cup coffee liqueur I used Kahlua
- 2 cups all purpose flour sifted
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup full fat buttermilk room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 ounces white candy melts for decoration
- shimmering sugar for decoration
Black Mocha Buttercream
- ⅔ lb powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp black cocoa powder
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder
- a hearty pinch of kosher salt
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
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Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease your skull pan with magic cake goop or spray it with nonstick baking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the espresso, Kahlua, melted butter, oil, and cocoa powder. The hot oil enhances the chocolate flavor, while the coffee adds depth. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom the cocoa.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients until well combined.
- Gradually whisk the chocolate-oil-coffee mixture into the dry ingredients. Then mix in the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared skull pan (it will be liquidy!). Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake the cake for 50-55 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For best results, use an instant-read thermometer; the cake should reach an internal temperature of 205-210°F.
- Remove the skull cake from the oven; allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the skull halves from the pans and transfer them to a wire rack, cooling completely face-side up.
Make the Buttercream
- Sift the sugar, cocoa, instant espresso powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and the sifted dry ingredients, ⅓ at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition.
- Add vanilla extract and drizzle in the cream while continuing to beat the mixture until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
Cake Decorating and Serving
- Once the cakes are cooled, cut any domed pieces in the back of the cake halves so you have two flat surfaces to press together.
- Smooth the buttercream onto the flat sides of the skull halves using an offset spatula or spoon.
- Sandwich the two halves together with the buttercream between them. Grab a skewer or two and stab them through the top of the head to keep it secure. You can stop and serve here with a sprinkle of powdered sugar for easy serving.
- Optional Decoration: Melt the white candy melts per product instructions, then smooth the melted candy over the skull, section by section. After you finish a section of the skull, cover the wet candy in white shimmering sugar. Continue until the entire skull is covered.
- To serve, remove the skewers and replace them with a long, thin knife that you'll use for slicing the cake.
Equipments used:
Notes
- You don't need to refrigerate any leftover cake! Our skull friend does best in an airtight container (like a cake dome) at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- You can use red food coloring or red candy melts to make a bloody stab wound in the skull (would a skull make a bloody wound?) or have 'blood' coming from the eye sockets to make it really scary.
- Make an easy chocolate ganache glaze or powdered sugar glaze to just pour over top of the skull.
- Turn this into a Sugar Skull Cake by decorating the cake with brightly colored buttercream and candy melts.
- Did the cakes dome up while baking? No problem! Carefully use a serrated knife to cut the domed parts off (and eat 'em!)
- Using dark cocoa powder, like Dutch process cocoa, will work in this recipe, the cake just won't be black in color.
- Tap the pan a few times (lifting it up into the air an inch or two and dropping it) to get rid of any air bubbles in the cake batter.
Nutrition Information
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Serving
1slice
Calories
701kcal
(35%)
Carbohydrates
96g
(32%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
33g
(51%)
Saturated Fat
17g
(85%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
6g
Monounsaturated Fat
7g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
77mg
(26%)
Sodium
328mg
(14%)
Potassium
449mg
(13%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
71g
(142%)
Vitamin A
626IU
(13%)
Vitamin C
0.01mg
(0%)
Calcium
43mg
(4%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 701 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1slice | |
| Calories | 701kcal | 35% |
| Carbohydrates | 96g | 32% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 33g | 51% |
| Saturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 77mg | 26% |
| Sodium | 328mg | 14% |
| Potassium | 449mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 71g | 142% |
| Vitamin A | 626IU | 13% |
| Vitamin C | 0.01mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 43mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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