Description
This spooky Ghost Cake recipe features moist chocolate layers layered with creamy buttercream, topped with playful ghost-shaped meringues, and finished with a luscious chocolate ganache drip. Perfect for Halloween celebrations, this cake combines rich, familiar flavors with whimsical decorations to impress and delight.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake
- Cooking spray
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
For the Ghost Meringues
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Buttercream
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Black food coloring
For the Ganache
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Make cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease them with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until well combined.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk together the hot coffee and granulated sugar until sugar dissolves. Add in the vegetable oil and room temperature sour cream and whisk to combine thoroughly.
- Combine batter and bake: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined, taking care not to overmix. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto wire racks and cool completely.
- Make ghost meringues: Preheat the oven to 225°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and powdered sugar. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on low speed until the whites are broken up and cream of tartar is combined. Increase the speed to medium, and when frothy, slowly add the sugar mixture a little at a time. Increase speed to high and continue beating until medium peaks form. Slowly add vanilla extract and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Transfer meringue mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
- Pipe and bake meringues: Pipe the ghosts onto the prepared baking sheet by making a large circle, lifting the piping bag slightly and piping a smaller circle on top, then repeat for a third smaller circle on top to form the ghost shape. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the outsides are hard. Let cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Make buttercream: Wrap the cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for 20 minutes to firm up. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and a pinch of kosher salt, beating until no lumps remain. Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined. If needed, add extra heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until the frosting is spreadable but holds its shape. Reserve about ¼ cup of frosting for decorating later.
- Assemble the cake: Unwrap the chilled cakes. If needed, level the tops with a serrated knife. Place one cake layer on a serving platter and spread half of the buttercream evenly over the top. Place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides with the remaining buttercream. Use a bench scraper to smooth the frosting evenly.
- Decorate the meringue ghosts: Dye the reserved buttercream with black food coloring and place it into a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe eyes and mouths onto the cooled ghost meringues to give them character.
- Make ganache: Place the chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges but it does not boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute, then whisk gently until smooth and fully combined.
- Decorate cake: Pour about half of the ganache over the top of the frosted cake. Use an offset spatula to smooth the ganache, gently pushing it to the edges to create drips down the sides. Add more ganache as needed to achieve the desired drip effect. Arrange the decorated ghost meringues on top of the cake to complete the spooky look.
Notes
- Make sure the sour cream is at room temperature to prevent curdling in the batter.
- Be careful not to overmix the cake batter to keep it light and tender.
- When beating egg whites, clean and grease-free bowls and beaters yield the best volume.
- The meringues can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Freezing the cake layers before frosting helps to minimize crumbs mixing into the buttercream.
- Use an offset spatula and bench scraper for smooth frosting, ensuring clean edges.
- Ganache drips can be controlled by temperature; if ganache is too warm, the drips will be very loose, too cold and it won’t spread well.
- Adjust the intensity of black food coloring gradually to avoid taste alteration in the buttercream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of cake)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
