Description
A structurally sound dark chocolate cake carved into a spooky house shape and covered in a vibrant, tangy red velvet cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cake flour
- 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease three 8-inch round cake pans, lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cakes completely, then trim the tops with a serrated knife to ensure they are flat.
- Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until fluffy, then gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Stir in red gel food coloring until a deep crimson hue is achieved.
- Stack two layers with frosting in between. Carve the third layer into a triangle and place it on top as a roof.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting and chill for 30 minutes.
- Cover the cake with the remaining red frosting, piping details for windows and doors.