9 Spooky Halloween Cake Recipes 2025

Nothing says fall like cheesecake cakes with cozy flavors, creamy layers, and a touch of spooky Halloween fun. From pumpkin spice to black velvet decadence, these cakes bring festive flavor and show-stopping flair to your autumn dessert table.

Quick Summary

This fall-inspired cheesecake cake roundup features five decadent showpieces — perfect for Halloween parties and cozy nights in. You’ll find recipes for a spooky chocolate drip cake, a pumpkin spice layer cake, a ghostly vanilla buttercream cake, a hauntingly rich black velvet creation, and an Oreo graveyard masterpiece. Each one blends seasonal flavor, visual flair, and easy-to-follow steps for home bakers.

1. Spooky Chocolate Drip Cake for Halloween

Rich chocolate layers with dark ganache drips make this spooky cake a Halloween showstopper. The deep cocoa flavor pairs beautifully with a smooth cream cheese frosting and candy decorations that add eerie charm.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup brewed coffee
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Drip & Frosting:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
  • 2 cups cream cheese frosting

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans.
  2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. In another bowl, combine wet ingredients. Gradually mix into the dry until smooth.
  4. Pour into pans and bake for 25–30 minutes.
  5. Cool completely, frost with cream cheese frosting, and chill.
  6. Drizzle melted chocolate ganache on top, letting it drip down the sides.
  7. Decorate with candy eyes, sprinkles, or edible spiders for a spooky finish.

2. Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake for Halloween

Warm pumpkin spice and velvety cream cheese frosting make this the ultimate fall party cake. The blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin purée creates a moist, fragrant dessert that pairs beautifully with festive decorations.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

  • 2 cups cream cheese
  • ½ cup butter
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch cake pans.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
  3. Beat pumpkin, oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until creamy.
  4. Add dry mixture to wet and stir just until combined.
  5. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until golden and springy.
  6. Cool completely, frost with cream cheese frosting, and decorate with orange-tinted buttercream or candy pumpkins.

3. Ghostly Vanilla Buttercream Cake for Halloween

Soft vanilla sponge cake covered in fluffy buttercream ghosts adds sweet, spooky fun to any fall table. It’s light, creamy, and easy to decorate for a ghostly touch that kids love.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup butter
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Buttercream:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two 8-inch pans.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg whites and vanilla.
  3. Alternate dry ingredients and milk until smooth.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes, cool, and layer with buttercream.
  5. Pipe little buttercream ghosts on top and add candy eyes for a hauntingly cute finish.

4. Black Velvet Cake with Red Ganache for Halloween

Dark cocoa layers meet glossy red ganache in this dramatic twist on red velvet cake. The texture is soft and smooth, while the vivid topping makes it the star of any Halloween dessert spread.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 3 tbsp dark cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Black food coloring

Red Ganache:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
  • Red gel coloring

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 9-inch pans.
  2. Mix dry ingredients together.
  3. Beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth, then add buttermilk and dry mix.
  4. Add black coloring and bake for 30 minutes.
  5. Cool and layer with cream cheese frosting.
  6. Prepare red ganache by heating cream and pouring over chocolate. Stir in red color and pour over the cake for a blood-red shine.

5. Graveyard Oreo Cake for Halloween

Moist chocolate cake with crushed Oreo frosting and spooky cookie tombstones brings a playful Halloween vibe. Every bite is rich, fudgy, and delightfully creepy in the best way.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Oreo Frosting:

  • 2 cups whipped cream
  • 1 cup crushed Oreos
  • 1 cup cream cheese

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 8-inch pans.
  2. Whisk dry ingredients together.
  3. Mix sugar, eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in another bowl.
  4. Combine mixtures and bake for 30 minutes.
  5. Cool completely and frost with Oreo frosting.
  6. Decorate with cookie “tombstones,” candy bones, and crushed Oreos for dirt effect.

6. Candy Corn Layer Cake for Halloween

Vibrant candy corn layers make this cake a cheerful centerpiece for Halloween gatherings. The colors pop, the texture is moist, and the smooth vanilla cream cheese frosting adds a creamy finish that keeps everyone reaching for seconds.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Orange and yellow food coloring

Frosting:

  • 2 cups cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup butter
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease three 8-inch pans.
  2. Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla.
  3. Alternate flour mixture and milk until smooth.
  4. Divide batter into three bowls — tint one orange, one yellow, and leave one white.
  5. Bake each layer for 25–30 minutes. Cool completely.
  6. Frost between layers and all over with cream cheese frosting for that classic candy corn look.

7. Bloody Red Velvet Cake for Halloween

A dark red velvet cake dripping in “bloody” red ganache steals the show on any Halloween dessert table. It’s rich, chocolatey, and beautifully spooky with its eerie red sheen.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Red food coloring

Red Ganache:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
  • Red gel coloring

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch cake pans.
  2. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In another bowl, mix sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Combine with dry ingredients and buttermilk, then add red coloring.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Cool, frost with cream cheese frosting, then pour over red ganache for that “bloody” Halloween look.

8. Monster Mash Marble Cake for Halloween

Bright swirls of color and chocolate make this marble cake perfect for any monster-themed celebration. It’s soft, rich, and covered in a fun vanilla glaze that brings the monster party to life.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Food coloring: green, purple, and black

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans.
  2. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla.
  3. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding with milk.
  4. Divide batter into portions and color them with green, purple, and black.
  5. Swirl colors lightly in pans for a marble effect.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool and drizzle with colored vanilla glaze or top with candy eyeballs for a monster finish.

9. Spiderweb Chocolate Fudge Cake for Halloween

Rich, dark, and fudgy, this spiderweb cake is as decadent as it is striking. The thick chocolate layers are coated in a glossy ganache and topped with a simple white icing spiderweb that’s perfect for Halloween.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Ganache & Web:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup white chocolate, melted

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans.
  2. Whisk dry ingredients in one bowl. In another, mix sugar, eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
  3. Combine and pour into pans. Bake for 30 minutes.
  4. Cool completely, then cover with chocolate ganache.
  5. Pipe circles of melted white chocolate on top and drag a toothpick outward to create a spiderweb pattern.

Final Thoughts

These fall-themed cheesecake-style cakes mix seasonal flavors, festive colors, and easy decorating for Halloween-ready desserts that anyone can make. From rich black velvet to ghostly vanilla layers, each recipe adds cozy flavor and spooky flair to autumn celebrations. Perfect for parties or cozy nights at home — these cakes prove that fall baking can be both elegant and delightfully fun.