A Halloween-themed chocolate orange Halloween cake has chocolate and orange tastes. The cake is usually made with tiers of chocolate sponge cake and orange frosting or ganache.
The cake can also have icing or sugar paste spider webs, pumpkins, ghosts, and bats. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are added to some cakes. The chocolate orange Halloween cake is a tasty Halloween treat.
Chocolate orange Halloween cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
- Orange food coloring
How To Make Chocolate orange Halloween cake
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3: Add in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
Step 4: Stir in the boiling water, orange zest, and orange extract. The batter will be thin but don’t worry, that’s normal!
Step 5: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Step 6: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pans.
Step 7: While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and vegetable shortening together until light and fluffy.
Step 8: Add in the orange juice, orange extract, and confectioner’s sugar. Beat until well combined and the frosting is smooth.
Step 9: Add in the orange food coloring until you reach your desired shade.
Step 10: Once the cakes have cooled, remove them from the pans and level the tops with a serrated knife.
Step 11: Place one cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread a layer of frosting on top.
Step 12: Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake. This is called the crumb coat and will help the final layer of frosting go on smoother.
Tips for Making the Perfect Chocolate Orange Halloween Cake
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before starting the recipe. This will help ensure that they mix together smoothly and evenly.
After baking the cake, use a serrated knife to level off the top of each layer. This will make it easier to stack the layers and create an even surface for frosting.
After spreading the crumb coat, chill the cake in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. This will help the frosting set and make it easier to spread the final layer.
Don’t be afraid to get creative with your decorations! Use Halloween-themed cookie cutters or molds to make fondant shapes to place on the cake. You can also use candy eyes or gummy worms to create a spooky effect.
If you want to enhance the orange flavor, you can add extra orange zest to the cake batter or frosting. Just make sure to adjust the number of liquid ingredients accordingly.
Chocolate orange Halloween cake Variations
Before baking, mix in 1 cup of chocolate chips for a decadent cake. Chocolate chips will melt into gooey spots in the cake.
Vanilla buttercream or cream cheese icing is tasty.
You can make a bundt cake instead of a layer cake. The cake will have a unique shape and be easy to transport.
You can decorate the cake with other Halloween ornaments besides fondant shapes and candy eyes. Use black and orange sprinkles, crushed Oreos for soil, or plastic spiders or bats.
The orange extract can be replaced with other tastes. Try almond or peppermint essence.
Chocolate orange Halloween cake recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
- Orange food coloring
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
- Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Step 3: Add in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Step 4: Stir in the boiling water, orange zest, and orange extract. The batter will be thin, but don’t worry, that’s normal!
- Step 5: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Step 6: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pans.
- Step 7: While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and vegetable shortening together until light and fluffy.
- Step 8: Add in the orange juice, orange extract, and confectioner’s sugar. Beat until well combined and the frosting is smooth.
- Step 9: Add in the orange food coloring until you reach your desired shade.
- Step 10: Once the cakes have cooled, remove them from the pans and level the tops with a serrated knife.
- Step 11: Place one cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread a layer of frosting on top.
- Step 12: Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake. This is called the crumb coat and will help the final layer of frosting go on smoother.
