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5.0 from 75 votes

Spider Web Cake

The richest chocolate cake ever topped with a fudge buttercream and of course there's a spider too!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 16 people
Calories: 442 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Cake
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup strong hot coffee Use a Moka pot so it's basically espresso
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Frosting:
  • 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound confectioners sugar sifted
  • ⅓ cup fudge nice quality
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate melted
For the Spider:
  • 1 Brown peanut M&M
  • 1 Brown M&M
  • 2 tbsp semi sweet chocolate melted

Instructions

For the Cake:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat to 350 degrees.
  2. Add parchment paper to a sheet cake pan, butter and flour the paper and sides.
  3. Sift together the dry ingredients (including the sugar) into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.
  4. Add the wet ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient bowl.
  6. Whisk to combine then mix on level 2 for two minutes.
  7. Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Allow time to cool. Invert onto wire racks to cool fully.
For the Frosting:
  1. Beat butter in a stand mixer. Add cocoa powder on a lower level.
  2. Combine confectioners sugar, then salt.
  3. Add fudge in slowly.
  4. Mix until incorporated.
For the Assembly:
  1. Add buttercream to the top of the cake with an ice cream scooper. Spread over with an offset spatula. 
  2. Drizzle a white chocolate spiral.
  3. Drag a point tool or toothpick through both layers, starting from the middle of the spiral. This will create a web look.
For the Spider:
  1. Melt semi sweet chocolate. Transfer to a piping bag.
  2. Pipe ‘L’ shaped legs onto parchment paper with the black gel bag. Transfer to the freezer for 5 - 10 minutes to set.
  3. Add a brown peanut m&m for the body and a brown m&m for the head of the spider.
  4. Stick legs around the m&m body.

Notes

  • Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
  • If you find
  • to be a bit
  • then check out my
  • How to Decorate a Cake post
  • , it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.
  • Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
  • The batter is very liquidy so don’t panic! The cake will end up AMAZINGLY MOIST.
  • You can use room temperature or even cold coffee in the batter if you’d prefer.
  • Not a coffee fan? Sub in water or milk instead.
  • If you find cake decorating to be a bit intimidating then check out my How to Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.

Nutrition Information

Calories 442kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 67g (22%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 23g (35%) Saturated Fat 19g (95%) Cholesterol 83mg (28%) Sodium 464mg (19%) Potassium 210mg (6%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 65g (130%) Vitamin A 646IU (13%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 68mg (7%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 442

% Daily Value*

Calories 442kcal 22%
Carbohydrates 67g 22%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 19g 95%
Cholesterol 83mg 28%
Sodium 464mg 19%
Potassium 210mg 4%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 65g 130%
Vitamin A 646IU 13%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 68mg 7%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.