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Halloween Black Magic Cake

This Halloween Black Magic Cake is a dark and decadent chocolate cake filled with chocolate cream and finished with spooky decorations. Perfect for parties, it’s equal parts eerie and delicious.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 14
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Halloween
Calories: 410
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • ⅔ cup vegetable oil plus more for greasing
  • 1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Filling and Frosting:
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted
  • 8 oz semisweet chocolate chopped
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of fine salt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar sifted
Spider Web or Mummy Decoration:
  • 2 cups mini marshmallows about 4 oz
  • Cooking spray
  • Candy spiders or candy eyes for decorating

Method
 

  1. Prepare the cake pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans.
  2. Bloom cocoa: In a heatproof bowl, whisk cocoa powder with boiling water until smooth. Let cool slightly.
  3. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Add wet ingredients: Stir in milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the cocoa mixture.
  5. Bake cakes: Divide batter evenly into pans and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
  6. Make frosting: Heat cream in a saucepan until steaming. Pour over chopped chocolate, cocoa, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Add butter and confectioners’ sugar, whisking until fluffy. Chill until spreadable.
  7. Assemble cake: Spread frosting between cooled cake layers, then cover top and sides with remaining frosting.
  8. Make marshmallow web: Place marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl, spray lightly with cooking spray, and heat in 10-second intervals until melted. Use greased hands to stretch strands of marshmallow across the cake for a web or mummy effect.
  9. Decorate: Add candy spiders for a web cake or candy eyes for a mummy cake. Chill before serving.

Notes

  • Espresso powder enhances chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee.
  • For an ultra-dark cake, add a tablespoon of black cocoa powder.
  • The marshmallow decoration works best while warm and stretchy—work quickly!