Candy Corn Cake
This chocolate candy corn cake is layered with rich chocolate buttercream, topped with ganache, and covered in festive Halloween candy.
Equipment
- 3 x 8-inch round cake pans
- Mixing bowls
- Hand or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Wire racks
- Cake leveler or serrated knife
- Offset spatula
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 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
- 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
- ¾ cup 135 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup 120 ml heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups 240 g candy corn
- Assorted Halloween candies M&Ms, gummy worms, sprinkles, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and both sugars.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Slowly add hot coffee or boiling water and mix until smooth. Batter will be thin.
- Divide evenly between prepared pans and bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Beat butter until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and cream. Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding more cream if needed.
- Level cooled cake layers if needed.
- Place the first cake layer on a cake stand. Spread with chocolate buttercream.
- Repeat with remaining layers. Frost the entire cake with a smooth coat of buttercream.
- Heat cream until steaming, pour over chocolate chips, let sit 1 minute.
- Stir until smooth, let cool slightly.
- Drizzle ganache over the top edge of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Smooth a little ganache over the top center.
- Pile candy corn and Halloween candies on top of the ganache.
- Add extra candy or sprinkles around the base if desired.
Notes
-
- Cake layers freeze beautifully wrap tightly in plastic and foil.
- Use dark chocolate chips in the ganache for a less sweet finish.