Black Chocolate Skull Cake for Halloween

a chocolate skull cake for halloween with a knife

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Black Chocolate Skull Cake for Halloween

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!

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Cool Time1

Total Time2 10

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 701kcal

Author: Eden Westbrook

Equipment

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 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup full fat buttermilk room temperature
2 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces white candy melts for decoration
shimmering sugar for decoration

Black Mocha Buttercream

⅔ lb powdered sugar
1 tablespoon black cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
a hearty pinch of kosher salt
⅔ cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

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.
⅓ cup black cocoa powder, ½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup instant espresso, ½ cup coffee liqueur
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients until well combined.
2 cups all purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Gradually whisk the chocolate-oil-coffee mixture into the dry ingredients. Then mix in the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
½ cup full fat buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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.
⅔ lb powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon black cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, a hearty pinch of kosher salt
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
⅔ cup unsalted butter
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.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon heavy cream

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.
12 ounces white candy melts, shimmering sugar
To serve, remove the skewers and replace them with a long, thin knife that you'll use for slicing the cake.

Notes

Decorating Ideas

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.

Variations and Pro Tips

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.

Storage Instructions

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.

Nutrition