Candy Corn Cake: A Festive Fall Dessert That Steals the Show

This chocolate candy corn cake is the dessert Halloween dreams are made of. Moist chocolate cake layers are stacked with rich chocolate buttercream, draped in shiny ganache, and finished off with a mountain of colorful candy corn and Halloween candies. If you’re looking for a fun and festive centerpiece that kids will beg to eat and adults will admire, this is it.

I’ve made this cake for classroom Halloween parties and our annual family costume night, and let me tell you it disappears fast. What I love most is that it looks so impressive, but comes together with basic ingredients and a little candy magic. Let’s get baking!

Why You’ll Love Chocolate Candy Corn Cake

This cake combines everything you love about Halloween: chocolate, candy, and fun. The moist chocolate layers are rich and fluffy, and the chocolate buttercream is smooth and deeply satisfying. The ganache drip adds a bakery-style touch, and the candy topping? Pure joy. Kids love the colors, and adults will appreciate the decadent flavor.

Simple Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need for this delicious Halloween showstopper:

• All-purpose flour: Gives structure to the chocolate cake.
• Cocoa powder: For rich chocolate flavor use unsweetened!
• Baking powder and baking soda: Help the cake rise perfectly.
• Salt: Balances out the sweetness and deepens the chocolate flavor.
• Sugar: Both brown and white for moistness and sweetness.
• Eggs: Bind the cake and add richness.
• Buttermilk: Keeps the cake moist and tender with a slight tang.
• Vegetable oil: Ensures the cake stays soft and moist.
• Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and enhances the chocolate.
• Hot coffee or boiling water: Intensifies the cocoa flavor.
• Butter: Forms the base of the fluffy chocolate buttercream.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
• Heavy cream: Helps whip the frosting and ganache to the perfect consistency.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: For a silky ganache drip.
• Candy corn and Halloween candies: For topping and decoration.

Servings and Time

• Servings: 12-14
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (plus cooling and decorating)

What is Needed

For the Chocolate Cake:

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
• ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 ml) hot coffee or boiling water

For the Chocolate Buttercream:

• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 ½ cups (420 g) powdered sugar
• ¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (plus more if needed)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

For the Ganache Drip:

• ¾ cup (135 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream

Decorations:

• 1 ½ cups (240 g) candy corn
• Assorted Halloween candies (M&Ms, gummy worms, sprinkles, etc.)

Instructions

Bake the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and both sugars.
3. Add eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
4. Slowly add hot coffee or boiling water and mix until smooth. Batter will be thin.
5. Divide evenly between prepared pans and bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Make the Buttercream:

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and cream. Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding more cream if needed.

Assemble the Cake:

1. Level cooled cake layers if needed.
2. Place the first cake layer on a cake stand. Spread with chocolate buttercream.
3. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost the entire cake with a smooth coat of buttercream.

Add the Ganache Drip:

1. Heat cream until steaming, pour over chocolate chips, let sit 1 minute.
2. Stir until smooth, let cool slightly.
3. Drizzle ganache over the top edge of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Smooth a little ganache over the top center.

Decorate:

1. Pile candy corn and Halloween candies on top of the ganache.
2. Add extra candy or sprinkles around the base if desired.

Top Tips

• Use hot coffee to deepen the chocolate flavor even if you don’t like coffee, you won’t taste it!
• Chill the cake before adding the ganache to get a perfect drip effect.
• Use a squeeze bottle or spoon to control the ganache drip.
• Get the kids involved by letting them help decorate the top with their favorite Halloween candy.
• Freeze the cake layers ahead of time to make assembly super easy.

Recipe Variations

• Use store-bought cake mix for a quicker version just add homemade frosting and ganache!
• Candy Corn Layer Look (White + Orange + Chocolate): Instead of three chocolate layers, bake one white vanilla layer, one orange-tinted vanilla layer, and one chocolate layer to mimic the candy corn color pattern (white on top, orange in the middle, chocolate on the bottom). Use your favorite vanilla cake base and tint one portion with orange gel food coloring before baking.
• All Vanilla Candy Corn Cake: Omit the cocoa powder and replace the chocolate cake layers with vanilla cake batter divided into three bowls: leave one white, tint one orange, and tint the third yellow for a true candy corn tri-color cake. Frost with vanilla or cream cheese frosting and still finish with the ganache and candy corn for contrast.
• Half Vanilla, Half Chocolate Cake: Bake two layers one chocolate and one vanilla and stack them with a layer of buttercream between for a two-tone effect. Top with candy and ganache as usual.
• Candy-Stuffed Layers: Fold mini M&Ms, chopped candy bars, or candy corn into the batter before baking for a surprise inside!
• Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free: Use your favorite GF or DF chocolate and vanilla cake recipes and adapt the frosting using dairy-free butter and milk alternatives. The decorations can stay the same!
• Make cupcakes instead and drizzle with ganache, then top with candy.

Recommended Equipment

• Recommended Equipment
• 3 x 8-inch round cake pans
• Mixing bowls
• Hand or stand mixer
• Offset spatula (Affiliate)
• Cooling racks
• Cake stand
• Small saucepan
• Squeeze bottle or spoon for ganache

Make Ahead Tips

• Bake cake layers up to 2 days in advance; wrap tightly and refrigerate or freeze.
• Buttercream can be made 1–2 days ahead and refrigerated bring to room temp and rewhip before using.
• Ganache can be made a few hours ahead and gently rewarmed before drizzling.

How to Store and Reheat

• Store covered at room temp for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for 4–5 days.
• Let refrigerated cake come to room temperature before serving.
• Freeze leftover slices tightly wrapped for up to 1 month.

What to Serve With This Recipe

• A cold glass of milk
• Hot chocolate with marshmallows
• Pumpkin spice latte
• Apple cider or caramel apple slices

More Candy Corn Recipes

Want more cleaver recipes for candy corn? Check out this article here on OvenSpot!

One-Pot Cooking Rocks!