He did the Mash, he did the Monster Mash….

Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes…Witches Beware | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

The Monster Mash, it was a graveyard smash.

Sorry, sorry, I had to. It’s just so fun! And it’s Friday… and my brain is a little FRIED.

And um aren’t these deathly chocolate graveyard cakes the cutest?!? I am in love with them! Bring on Halloween cause I am so ready!

Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes…Witches Beware | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Here’s the deal, when it comes to decorating desserts, I just can’t do anything fancy. Meaning royal icing, fondant and all the fancy stuff is just so not for me. Don’t get me wrong, I SO want to be talented enough to work with that stuff, but I have tried, and every time it ends in tears. I figure one, I just don’t have the steady hands and two (and probably most important), I just don’t have the patience.

Thing is, when the holidays roll around I have so much love for holiday themed food. They are just so cute and fun and they make me feel like a kid again, which is awesome, since even as a kid I was more like an adult. <–FREAK.

Over the years though, I have come up with some ways to make cute decorated food without wanting to pull my hair out in the process.

YESSS.

I mean, we’ve all been there, right? Making those cookies you saw on Pinterest that look like the cutest little monsters ever….but yours just look like a green blob? Oh my gosh, that’s me every time.

HELP.

Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes…Witches Beware | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

I cannot say these are completely no fuss because, I will not lie, those witches black boots took me a good thirty minutes to form, but as far as cute desserts go, this one is DO-ABLE.

I even included one super easy version and another completely homemade version. One for peeps who have a little weekend time, and one for peeps who have ZERO time but NEED chocolate and they need it served in a cute, spooky way!

Ahh, I love spooky Halloween desserts.

Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes…Witches Beware | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

The dessert itself is a chocolate lover’s dream. Chocolate cake, chocolate mouse, whipped cream, SNICKERS and then repeat the layers. OH, and the cake may or may not be soaked in Kahlua. Ok, it’s totally soaked in Kahlua… I know, I know!

Heck yes!

But if you have kids or just don’t want the booze, you can use equal amounts of either salted caramel, butterscotch sauce or sweetened condensed milk. Not a huge deal, but I personally love the Kahlua!

Let see, what else. The tombstones are simply made out these brownies with white chocolate for the writing. So simple and so easy, but yet so spooky! Asher still cannot get over these brownie/tombstones. She says they are the spookiest thing ever…but then, she really knows how to butter me up, and she maybe just wanted me to keep allowing her to eat them all.

Ugh. That girl. She gets me every time.

Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes…Witches Beware | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Really though, do you guys see the chocolate situation happening here right now? It’s AMAZING. The photos kind of say it all for this recipe. But again, Kahlua soaked chocolate cake, chocolate mouse, whipped cream, Snickers and then a whole bunch of crushed up Oreo’s??

Yup. That says MAKE ME. <–Please and THANK YOU.

Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes…Witches Beware | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

One last thing…Happy 75th Birthday Nonnie, wish I could be there to celebrate with you!

Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes…Witches Beware | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest
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5 from 2 votes

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

The Recipe

(The Cheaters Way) Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes...Witches Beware.

By halfbakedharvest

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, cheat, chocolate cake, Halloween

And um aren't these deathly chocolate graveyard cakes the cutest?!? I am in love with them! Bring on Halloween cause I am so ready!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6 Cakes
Calories 763 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • 1/2 cup Kahlua OR caramel sauce OR sweetened condensed milk*
  • 2 oz boxes instant chocolate mousse mix 3 to 4 each
  • 2 cups whipped cream
  • 6 full-size Snickers bars crushed

Decorations

  • 6 in Pirouette Rolled Wafers or pretzel rods broken half
  • 1/2 cup caramel bits
  • 6 ounces dark chocolate melted
  • 1 pan of [your favorite brownies | https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/milk-chocolate-peanut-butter-truffle-brownies/] baked + cooled
  • 4 ounces white chocolate melted
  • 20 Oreo cookies creme filling removed
  • 6 Halloween Oreo Cookies top cookie removed
  • 6 Hershey's Kisses

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8x8 inch baking pans.
  2. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box only divide the batter between 2 (8x8 inch) pyrex pans. Cool 5 minutes. Reserve one cake for another use or freeze for another time. Use a fork to poke the cake all over to aerate and then evenly pour the Kahlua onto the cake. Cover the baking dish and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
  3. Meanwhile, make chocolate mousse as directed on box. Cover and refrigerate until cake is ready.

To Assemble + the Decorations

  1. Remove the Snickers from the freezer and finely chop/crush them.
  2. Remove all the layers from the fridge. Using a fork, break the cake into crumbs. Divide the cake crumbs evenly among the bottom of six (8 ounce or larger) glass serving dishes. Spread with a layer of chocolate mouse and then a thin layer of whipped cream. Sprinkle the chopped Snickers over the whipped cream. Repeat the layers one more time. For the third time around, end the layers at the chocolate mousse. You may have leftover ingredients depending on the serving dishes you used...use those for snacking! Place the cakes in the fridge while you prepare the decorations.
  3. To make the witches legs, place the caramel bits in the microwave and microwave on 30 seconds intervals until the caramels are just soft enough to mold. Roll the caramels into teaspoon size balls and then press the ball onto the end of a Pirouette Rolled Wafer. Do your best to form a rough boot shape by forming the caramel into an L, then make an indent in the bottom of the L to form the heal. Make the sure the caramel is attached to the wafer and then place on a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the other wafers. Place the pan in the freezer while you melt the chocolate.
  4. Once the witches legs are cold, dip the boots through the chocolate and then place back on the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining legs. Freeze the legs until the chocolate is set.
  5. Meanwhile, cut rounded tombstones out of the brownies. Add the melted white chocolate to a small sandwich baggie and snip the corner off. Draw out words like, RIP and BOO or whatever you prefer on the brownies. Let the chocolate set.
  6. Remove the top cookie of the halloween Oreos and then press a Hershey's kiss into the center to make a witches hat.
  7. Add the remaining chocolate cookies to a bag and finely smash into fine crumbs.
  8. Remove the cakes from the fridge and stick in one tombstone brownie and one set of witches legs. Cover the top surface of the cakes with Oreo cookie crumbs. Repeat with the remaining cakes. Return the cakes to the fridge until chilled or ready to serve. When ready to serve, scatter the witches hats around the cakes for a spooky effect. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*I prefer using all Kahlua in the cake, however, if you are making this for kids, caramel sauce or sweetened condensed milk are great subs. **Witches Legs inspired by [A Spicy Perspective | http://www.aspicyperspective.com/5-easy-halloween-treats-made-with-pirouette-cookies/].

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5 from 1 vote

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

The Recipe

(The Homemade Way) Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes...Witches Beware.

By halfbakedharvest

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate cake, Halloween

Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes...Witches Beware.



Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6 Cakes
Calories 870 kcal

Ingredients

Cake

Chocolate Mousse

  • 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 3 cups cold heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 6 regular size Snicker's bars frozen overnight

Decorations

  • 6 in Pirouette Rolled Wafers or pretzel rods broken half
  • 1/2 cup caramel bits
  • 6 ounces dark chocolate melted
  • 1 pan of [your favorite brownies | https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/milk-chocolate-peanut-butter-truffle-brownies/] baked + cooled
  • 4 ounces white chocolate melted
  • 20 Oreo cookies creme filling removed
  • 6 Halloween Oreo Cookies top cookie removed
  • 6 Hershey's Kisses

Instructions

Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one 8x8 inch pyrex pan with butter or cooking spray.
  2. In a medium size bowl combine the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand held mixer) beat together the eggs, buttermilk, canola oil and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low until there are no longer any clumps of flour. Add the hot coffee and mix until combined. Batter should be pourable, but not super thin. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake 20-25 minutes until the top of the cake no longer jiggles. Remove and allow to cool 5 minutes. Use a fork to poke the cake all over to aerate and then evenly pour the Kahlua onto the cake. Cover the baking dish and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.

Mousse

  1. In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate. Microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Stir in the melted butter, it will thicken. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a small saucepan whisk together the egg yolks, 2 tablespoons water and sugar. Place on the stove over medium heat and stir constantly until the sauce thickens slightly and just coats the back of a spoon, about 2-3 minutes. Make sure to remove the eggs from the stove the minute they begin to thicken. Stir the melted chocolate into the egg mixture until completely smooth. Place in the fridge while you whip the cream. Place the cream in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl using a hand mixer) and whip cream until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla, whip until combined. Make sure not to over-beat, or cream will become lumpy and butter-like. Now add half the whipped cream to the cooled chocolate mixture. Gently fold the cream into the chocolate until no streaks remain. Now add the remaining cream and gently fold into the mousse. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge until ready to assemble the cakes.

Whipped Cream

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and whip another minute until you have stiff peaks. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to assemble.

To Assemble + the Decorations

  1. Remove the Snickers from the freezer and finely chop/crush them.
  2. Now remove all the layer from the fridge. Use a fork to break the cake into crumbs. Divide the cake crumbs evenly among the bottom of six (8 ounce or larger) glass serving dishes. Spread with a layer of chocolate mouse and then a thin layer of whipped cream. Sprinkle the chopped Snickers over the whipped cream. Repeat the layers one more time. For the third time around, end the layers at the chocolate mousse. You may have leftover ingredients depending on the serving dishes you used...use those for snacking! Place the cakes in the fridge while you prepare the decorations.
  3. To make the witches legs, place the caramel bits in the microwave and microwave on 30 second intervals until the caramels are just soft enough to mold. Roll the caramels into teaspoon size balls and then press the ball onto the end of a Pirouette Rolled Wafer. Do your best to form a rough boot shape. Form the caramel into an L and then make an indent in the bottom of the L to form the heal. Make the sure the caramel is attached to the wafer and then place on a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the other wafers. Place the pan in the freezer while you melt the chocolate.
  4. Once the witches legs are cold, dip the boots through the chocolate and then place back on the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining legs. Freeze the legs until the chocolate is set.
  5. Meanwhile, cut rounded tombstones out of the brownies. Add the melted white chocolate to a small sandwich baggie and snip the corner off. Draw out words like, RIP and BOO or whatever you prefer on the brownies. Let the chocolate set.
  6. Remove the top cookie of the halloween Oreos and then press a Hershey's kiss into the center to make a witches hat.
  7. Add the remaining chocolate cookies to a bag and finely smash into fine crumbs.
  8. Remove the cakes from the fridge and stick in one tombstone brownie and one set of witches legs. Cover the top surface of the cakes with Oreo cookie crumbs. Repeat with the remaining cakes. Return the cakes to the fridge until chilled or ready to serve. When ready to serve, scatter the witches hats around the cakes for a spooky effect. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*I prefer using all Kahlua in the cake, however, if you are making this for kids, caramel sauce or sweetened condensed milk are great subs. **Witches Legs inspired by [A Spicy Perspective | http://www.aspicyperspective.com/5-easy-halloween-treats-made-with-pirouette-cookies/].

Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes…Witches Beware | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Quality time in the deathly chocolate graveyard?? Um, yes, I do think so.

Deathly Chocolate Graveyard Cakes…Witches Beware | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest