Description
This Halloween Birthday Cake is a decadent dark chocolate fudge layered cake with creamy orange buttercream frosting and a rich chocolate ganache. Perfectly moist, festive, and beautifully decorated for your Halloween celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Layers
- Nonstick baking spray
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) dark chocolate fudge cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Buttercream Frosting
- 9 cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups unsalted butter (6 sticks), at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Orange food coloring
- 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup (optional)
- Black food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Cake Layers: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine the cake mix, eggs, egg yolks, milk, and melted butter. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes until the batter is well combined and fluffy. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake the Cakes: Place the pans on the center rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. Remove from oven and cool pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes before turning cakes out onto racks. Let cool completely.
- Make the Buttercream Frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat together powdered sugar and butter on low speed until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes until smooth. Add orange zest if using and vanilla extract, then beat for 1 more minute. Add orange food coloring until desired shade is achieved. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, beating between additions, until the frosting is spreadable.
- Assemble the Cake: Using a cake level or serrated knife, trim the crowns off the cake layers to level them. Slice each layer horizontally in half to create four layers total. Place one layer on a serving plate or cake stand, then spread a ½-inch layer of buttercream evenly to the edges. Repeat layering and frosting with each cake layer. Chill the assembly for 30 minutes.
- Crumb Coat: Apply a thin layer of frosting around the whole cake to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Frost the Cake: Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream evenly. Refrigerate until ready to add ganache.
- Make the Chocolate Ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream and corn syrup (if using) in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it barely simmers. Pour hot cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Add black food coloring to deepen the color if desired.
- Finish the Cake: Pour the ganache over the chilled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides naturally. Let the ganache firm at room temperature before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Corn syrup in the ganache is optional but adds shine and flexibility to the ganache. You can omit it if desired.
- If the ganache is too thick, add an additional tablespoon of warmed cream to make it more pourable.
- Make sure cake layers are completely cooled before assembling to avoid melting the buttercream.
- Use an offset spatula for even frosting application.
- Chilling the crumb coat and frosting layers helps to stabilize the cake for ganache application.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 55 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
