Description
A spooky Halloween red velvet cake with rich cocoa flavor, tangy cream cheese frosting, and gory red drip effects. This Halloween Red Velvet Cake is tasty, sweet, and perfect for parties.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp red food coloring (gel)
- 2 batches cream cheese frosting
- Red candy melts for “blood” drips (optional)
- Edible eyeballs or black sprinkles (optional)
- Halloween cupcake toppers (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round pans with parchment paper.
- Beat butter and sugar together on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Then, add the buttermilk, vinegar, and red food coloring. Stir until smooth and vibrantly red.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes before inverting them onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Once cooled, level the cake rounds with a serrated knife.
- Spread cream cheese frosting between the layers, then frost the top and sides of the cake.
- For the “blood” drips, melt red candy melts or mix corn syrup with red gel food coloring. Drizzle over the edges of the cake.
- Decorate with optional edible eyeballs, black sprinkles, or Halloween cupcake toppers.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for the most intense red color without affecting the cake’s texture.
- Ensure cakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Chilling the cake layers before frosting can make them easier to handle and stack for cleaner lines.
- Add sour cream for extra moisture if desired.
- Freeze cake layers for neater frosting and stacking.
- For spiderweb topping, draw webs with black gel frosting on top of the cream cheese frosting.
- For a Bloody Bundt, bake in a bundt pan and pour a red glaze over the top.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 90mg