Halloween is nearly upon us, and here at Gathered, we’re in full-on spooky mode! If, like us, you fancy marking the occasion with a sweet treat (rather than a trick), why not make a devilishly delicious Halloween cake?
We love any excuse to get stuck into a bit of baking. Is there anything better than whipping up a sponge and filling your home with the scrumptious scent of freshly baked cakes? We think not!
Halloween is our favourite time of year to get out the baking supplies and create something tasty. It’s the perfect excuse to stay indoors and unwind with a mindful activity that’s good for the brain as well as the stomach. It’s also a fun and creative thing to do with your loved ones. Nothing makes you bond like mixing up cake batter!
So if you’re in the mood for some seasonal baking, read on for our spooky selection of Halloween cake ideas. Rustle up your favourite bake (maybe a blood-red red velvet, or a festive pumpkin bread?), then decorate it with one of the ghoulish designs below. They’ll either make your mouth water or send a shiver down your spine!
Halloween cake ideas for you to make this spooky season
1. Vamp attack Halloween cake
First up on our list of Halloween cakes for you to sink your teeth into, is this vampire-themed red velvet from Butter Hearts Sugar.
This fang-tastic cake is coated in a creamy layer of fondant and decorated with vampy bite marks, made easily using a set of costume teeth. Follow Butter Hearts Sugar’s recipe and tutorial then inject your cake with raspberry filling for added goriness.
- Halloween cake idea from Butter Hearts Sugar.
2. Black cat Halloween cake
Who says black cats are bad luck? We can’t think of anything better than challenging ourselves with this showstopping cake design. The sense of accomplishment will just make that first slice of cake taste even sweeter.
Layer up some delicious sponges, smother them in a thick layer of black buttercream, and add adorable kitten features made from fondant.
So don’t be a scaredy cat, and give this purrfect halloween cake design a whirl!
- Learn how to make this cute Halloween cake from Frosted Crumbs.
3. Meringue ghosts Halloween cake
Up next is a terrifyingly cute Halloween cake decorating idea. Mom Loves Baking has created an extremely yummy chocolate-orange layer cake decorated with vibrant orange icing and a spooky black chocolate drizzle.
The pièce de résistance has to be the little meringue ghosts that sit on the top of the cake. They’re simple to make, but might haunt you if you try to eat them…
- Halloween cake idea from Mom Loves Baking.
4. Chocolate spider cake
Spiders are definitely the scariest critter, so we had to include a cake dedicated to our eight-legged foe. This cake is crawling with creepiness!
To make this heinous, hairy spider design from Go Bold With Butter, cover your sponge in chocolate sprinkles and use chocolate sticks for the spindly legs.You could even buy some candy eyeballs for added detail.
- Halloween cake idea from Go Bold With Butter.
5. Spiced pumpkin Halloween cake
Our next pick screams Halloween with its spooky ghost design and autumnal spiced pumpkin flavour. Decorate this delicious bake and pop it on your dining table for a fantastic seasonal centrepiece.
- Halloween cake idea from BBC Good Food.
6. Skull cake
This scary skull cake is perfect for newbie bakers with its simple but effective decoration.
Simply ice your skull-shaped sponge with vanilla buttercream, then melt some chocolate and use a piping bag to add the eyes, nose and mouth.
Don’t worry if the piping isn’t too neat, this will just make the design even eerier! You can also line the eyes with M&Ms for a pop of colour.
- Halloween cake idea from Delish.
7. Creepy bloody Halloween cake
This grisly cake design really is the stuff of nightmares. Use white fondant to create a blank canvas, then decorate your cake with a gruesome bloody handprint.
The designer has also positioned a plastic cup filled with red icing on its side and drizzled the icing down the cake to create a blood-curdling scene!
- Find this Halloween cake idea on Pinterest.
8. Cauldron cake
Double, double toil and trouble! This cauldron cake looks freakishly realistic with its witch’s brew bubbling away.
Get creative and decorate your cake with whatever spooky sweet you want. The maker, Chelsweets, has popped gummy eyeballs on the top to give it extra scare factor.
- Halloween cake idea from Chelsweets.
9. Halloween cake pops
How cute are these pumpkin cake pops from Preppy Kitchen?
Make these jack-o’-lantern delights by combining cream cheese and crumbled pumpkin cake and rolling them into bite-sized balls.
Finish by dipping in orange-coloured frosting, then stick on candy eyes and use a piping bag to add an evil pumpkin expression. These fun cake pops will go down a treat with little ones.
- Halloween cake idea from Preppy Kitchen.
Decorate your home this Halloween
Looking to decorate your home as well as a cake this Halloween? Check out our round-up of 30 of the best Halloween decorations for 2024.
10. Devil’s food cake
How could we not include a Devil’s food cake in our selection of Halloween cake ideas? This bake is made for spooky season and lives up to its name with its fiendishly decadent, rich chocolatey goodness.
Slather your cake with chocolate frosting and decorate with fondant devil horns and a trident for the ultimate sugar fix.
- Halloween cake idea from The Redhead Baker.
11. Halloween monster eye cake
Give your friends a sweet surprise by filling this menacing monster cake with your favourite candies.
Assemble the piñata design by baking three layers of sponge and remove the centre of the middle cake layer with a cookie cutter.
Stack up the sponges, filling the gap you’ve made with some colourful confectionery, then create the googly eyes using Oreos and a small blob of fondant.
- Halloween cake idea from Fashion Cooking.
12. Four-tiered Halloween cake
This cake is both a trick and a treat! Fool your family and friends by coating your chilling four-tiered bake with jet-black cream cheese frosting and sanding sugar.
Watch your loved ones squeal with delight as you slice into your bake and reveal the sinister shades of purple, orange and green.
- Halloween cake idea from Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
13. Wicked witch cupcakes
Last but certainly not least are these wicked witch cupcakes from Made To Be A Momma.
Make mini witch hats for your Elphaba-inspired cupcakes by sticking a Hershey Kiss to the middle of an Oreo with some gooey green-coloured icing. Create the legs using a stripy straw to resemble the iconic witchy stockings and a pair of black boots cut from card.
These spellbinding cupcakes are the perfect accompaniment to your Halloween decor, so why not give them a go today, my pretty…
- Halloween cake idea from Made To Be A Momma.
Try out our terrifying Halloween cake ideas today!
Baking is a fantastic indoor activity for the chilly autumn months and an opportunity to connect with loved ones while letting your creativity shine.
We hope this article has served you a big slice of inspiration and that you’ll be digging out the piping bag and creepy cake decorations this Halloween. We know we will!
Discover more frightening food ideas with Gathered
Now you’ve decided on your spine-chilling cake, all you need is the main course and you’re ready to host a Halloween dinner party. Why not opt for a charcuterie board?
Head over to our selection of 13 spooky charcuterie board ideas and impress your family and friends with a haunting Halloween spread today.
