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Candy Corn Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 124 reviews

A visually stunning Candy Corn Cake that features moist, rich chocolate layers frosted with creamy, colorful buttercream resembling the classic Halloween candy. This cake combines a deep cocoa-flavored chocolate sponge with vibrant yellow, orange, and white cream cheese buttercream frosting, finished with a luscious chocolate drip and candy corn decorations for a festive treat perfect for autumn celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (best quality available)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
  • ¾ cup whole milk (or skim milk with a little cream)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup very hot water (or hot coffee)

Frosting

  • 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter (2 and 1/2 sticks, or 20 tablespoons – room temperature)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (1 block)
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2–3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • yellow and orange food coloring (for frosting)

Chocolate Drip

  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Decoration

  • Candy corn pieces (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Bake the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 7-inch cake pans by greasing the sides, dusting with flour, and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract; beat on medium speed for one minute. Stir in the very hot water or hot coffee carefully—the batter will be thin. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
  2. Bake: Bake the cakes until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes, adjusting time as needed for your pans. Cool cakes completely at room temperature, then wrap and chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or up to a couple of days to firm up before frosting.
  3. Prepare the frosting: Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until completely smooth, about 30 seconds to a minute. Add cream cheese and continue beating until smooth. Add powdered sugar in two increments (2 cups first, then the remaining 3 cups), beating after each. Stir in vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Add additional heavy cream as needed to reach your desired consistency. Add salt and beat for another minute until frosting is fluffy and smooth.
  4. Color the frosting: Scoop out about 1 cup of frosting into a bowl for white frosting, set aside. Divide the remaining frosting into two portions: about 2 ½ cups to be colored orange and about 1+ cup to be colored yellow. Use yellow and orange food coloring to tint each portion distinctly. Place yellow and orange frostings into separate large piping bags fitted with large round tips.
  5. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a cake board or stand. Pipe and spread about half of the yellow frosting over this layer. Add the second layer of cake, then spread orange frosting over it. Top with the third cake layer. Use the remaining yellow frosting to pipe and spread around the base and sides as a base coat, followed by the orange frosting applied similarly around the cake sides. Finish the top of the cake with white frosting, spreading or piping it to meet the orange frosting on the sides.
  6. Chill and smooth: Refrigerate or freeze the frosted cake for about 15 minutes to help set the frosting. Remove and use a warmed offset spatula to smooth the icing as desired.
  7. Prepare chocolate drip: In a small microwave-safe bowl, gently heat chocolate chips with heavy cream until warm. Let sit for a minute then stir until smooth. Transfer to a small piping bag and pipe drips around the edges of the cake. Chill again to set the chocolate drip.
  8. Decorate: Use the remaining orange frosting with a large open star tip (like Wilton 1M) to pipe swirls on top of the cake. Garnish with candy corn pieces for a festive finish. Chill the cake until ready to serve.

Notes

  • The cake batter is thin due to the hot water or coffee; this is normal and results in a moist cake.
  • Using hot coffee instead of water enhances the chocolate flavor.
  • Cooling the cake layers completely and firming them in the freezer makes frosting easier and cleaner.
  • Adjust food coloring amounts to achieve vibrant colors without affecting flavor.
  • Warming the offset spatula between smoothing helps create a clean finish on the frosting.
  • Chocolate drip should be done on a cold cake to prevent melting.
  • Store the finished cake refrigerated and allow it to come to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.

Keywords: Candy Corn Cake, Halloween Cake, Chocolate Cake, Buttercream Frosting, Festive Cake, Fall Dessert

Find it online: https://topreci.com/candy-corn-cake-recipe/