Description
A spooky Halloween red velvet cake with rich cocoa flavor, tangy cream cheese frosting, and gory red drip effects. This recipe is perfect for your Halloween party.
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 oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round pans with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar together on medium-high speed 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 the all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add the buttermilk, white vinegar, and red food coloring. Stir until smooth and vividly 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 wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes before inverting them onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Once cooled, level the cake layers using a serrated knife.
- Spread frosting between the layers, then frost the top and sides of the cake.
- Prepare the “blood” drips by melting red candy melts or mixing corn syrup with red gel food coloring. Drizzle the melted mixture over the edges of the cake.
- Decorate with edible eyeballs, black sprinkles, or Halloween cupcake toppers as desired.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for the deepest red color without affecting the cake’s texture.
- Chill the cake layers before frosting for cleaner lines and easier stacking.
- Add sour cream for extra moisture if desired.
- Freeze cake layers for neater frosting and stacking.
- Try skull molds for a haunting shape, draw spiderwebs with black gel on the frosting, or bake in a bundt pan and pour “blood” glaze over 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
Keywords: Halloween Red Velvet Cake, spooky cake, Halloween dessert, red velvet cake for Halloween party, easy Halloween red velvet cake recipe