Description
This Spider Cake is a festive Halloween dessert made with pumpkin spice cake, chocolate chips, and black cocoa frosting. It’s moist, rich, and decorated to look like a spooky spider—perfect for parties or fall gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake
- 1 box spice cake mix
- 1 (3.4 oz) box pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup oil (canola or vegetable)
- 1½ cups mini chocolate chips
For the Frosting and Decorations
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ⅓ cup dark cocoa powder
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Black food coloring
- 2 red hots (for eyes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven:
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two oven-safe glass bowls—one large (about 1½ quarts) for the body and one smaller (about ¾ quart) for the head—or use round cake pans if preferred. - Mix the batter:
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, water, and oil. Beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Stir in the mini chocolate chips. - Bake the cakes:
Pour the batter evenly between the prepared bowls (or pans). Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely on a wire rack. - Prepare the frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Add cocoa powder and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar (starting with 3 cups) until you reach a spreadable consistency. Add black food coloring until you achieve a rich, dark black tone. - Assemble the spider:
Place the larger cake (body) on a serving platter. Use a bit of frosting to attach the smaller cake (head) to the body. Frost the entire spider generously with black frosting, smoothing it evenly. - Add the decorations:
Place two red hots on the smaller cake for eyes. For legs, you can use black licorice twists, pretzel sticks dipped in black candy melts, or pipe legs directly with remaining frosting. Get creative with your spider’s pose! - Chill before serving:
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set the frosting. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature for the best texture.
Notes
Active prep: 20 minutes
Cooling and decorating: about 20 minutes
You can make this cake a day ahead and refrigerate it—just let it come to room temperature before serving. For a more pronounced pumpkin flavor, add ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice to the batter.