My fun and spooky Halloween Spider Web Cake is as delicious as it is dramatic, featuring my black chocolate cake and black buttercream that won’t stain your teeth!
Finished off with a spider web cake design using a piping bag and white buttercream frosting that makes it pop at the party table.
Why You’ll Love My Halloween Spider Web Cake
If you’re looking for a Halloween dessert that wows your guests and actually tastes amazing, this Spider Web Cake is it. It’s rich, chocolatey, and striking — the perfect balance of spooky and sophisticated.
Here’s why you’ll love this cake:
- Deep chocolate flavor: My Black Chocolate Cake is ultra-moist with a rich cocoa base and just the right balance of sweetness.
- A “wow” design that’s easy to create: The spider web design looks impressive but takes only a few minutes to make with my step-by-step method.
- Black frosting that won’t stain: My Black Buttercream gives you that deep, midnight-black color without staining teeth or overpowering the cake’s flavor.
- Perfect for any Halloween gathering: Whether it’s a classroom party, neighborhood get-together, or spooky dinner, this cake makes the perfect centerpiece.
- Beginner-friendly: You don’t have to be a professional decorator to pull this one off — just a few simple tools and tips make it look bakery-level.
What You’ll Need for the Chocolate Spider Web Cake
Ingredients
For the Black Chocolate Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (225 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (375 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cups (88.5 g) good quality black or dark cocoa powder (like Extra Brute Cocoa Powder)
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil
- 3 large or extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water
- 1 teaspoon food gel in Super Black (I use Americolor brand)
For the Black Fudge Frosting:
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly chilled
- 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
- 1 cup (118 g) premium black or dark cocoa powder (like THIS black cocoa powder for baking)
- 3/4 cup (177.5 g) hot water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 g) pure vanilla extract
- Generous pinch of salt
- 8 ounces (150 g) premium dark chocolate, chopped or chips, melted
- 1-2 teaspoons of food gel in Super Black
*This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.
For the Colored Vanilla Buttercream:
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, slightly chilled
- 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons (28.9 g) heavy whipping cream
- Purple, green, and orange food gel
Equipment
- 6-inch round cake pans (set of 4) or 8-inch round pans (set of 3)
- Turntable
- Offset icing spatula
- 6-inch cake boards (or 8-inch to match your pan size) for cake presentation
- Bench scraper or cake smoother
- Piping bags and tips
- Parchment paper rounds
How to Make the Spider Web Cake (Step by Step)
Step 1. Prep Your Pans
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray four 6-inch (or three 8-inch) round pans with nonstick spray, line with parchment, then spray again. No one likes a stuck cake!
Step 2. Make the Cake Batter
For the black chocolate cake, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low.
In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs, water, and vanilla.
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry while mixing on low. Scrape the sides, add your black food gel, and mix for 20 seconds.
Complement your kitchen with my baking tools ⤵
Step 3. Bake and Chill
Divide batter evenly into pans (about 11-12 oz for 6-inch or 15-16 oz for 8-inch).
Bake for 22-25 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Once completely cool, level the layers (if needed), wrap in plastic, and freeze for at least an hour.
Step 4. Make the Black Fudge Frosting
Beat butter in your stand mixer until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
Mix hot water with cocoa powder until you get a thick paste, and melt your chocolate chips separately (let cool slightly). Stream the melted chocolate into the butter on medium speed, scraping the bowl so nothing hardens.
Add your cocoa paste, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed, then mix in black food gel. Beat for 2 minutes.
Step 5. Practice Patience
Let the frosting rest for at least a couple of hours (or even a full day). The color needs time to develop from grey to true black. If it’s still not dark enough after resting, add one more teaspoon of food gel. Chill if too soft.
Step 6. Make the Colored Vanilla Buttercream
Beat butter until fluffy (5 minutes). Add powdered sugar slowly, then vanilla, salt, and cream. Beat on medium-high for 5 minutes until light and dreamy.
Divide into bowls and tint with your chosen colors for the spider web effect. I tinted the buttercream three different colors to use between the layers and then left about 1-1 ½ cups white for the webs.
Step 7. Stack with Style
Assembly time! Place a cake board on your turntable. Pro tip: Put a Silpat mat under the cake board to keep it from slipping.
Add your first layer and frost with your first color, keeping everything level. Stack and frost remaining layers, placing the final layer upside down (crumb side against frosting) for a smooth top.
Step 8. Frost the Cake
Apply a thin coat of black frosting over the entire cake—this is your crumb coat. Freeze for 10-15 minutes to set everything in place.
Once set, apply the remaining black frosting to create your final smooth (or textured) finish. Now you’re ready for those spooky spider web decorations!
→ Get the full detailed recipe instructions here.
Baking Tips for Success
- Use quality cocoa: Black cocoa adds depth and color — it’s worth it!
- Don’t overdo the black food coloring: Start small and let the buttercream rest; the color will darken on its own.
- Level your layers: A flat, even surface helps your web design look clean and symmetrical.
Spider Web Cake Decoration Tips
This spider web design looks fancy, but it’s one of my easiest Halloween cake decorations. Here’s how to draw a spider web on a cake:
- Start with a smooth base: After you’ve stacked the cake layers, frost your cake with a thin layer of black buttercream and chill it for about 15–20 minutes so it sets slightly. After the cake is chilled, you’ll continue to frost the cake with the black buttercream.
- Pipe your web: Using a small piping bag with white buttercream, pipe concentric circles starting in the center of the cake and working outward.
- Create the web effect: Drag a toothpick or skewer from the center outward, repeating around the cake. Each drag forms that perfect spider-web pattern.
- Add your finishing touch: Use a small fondant or chocolate spider on top, or even a candy spider ring for something playful and kid-friendly.
- Chill before slicing: This helps the lines stay crisp when cutting.
The Spider Web on Cake Design Is Spooktacular
This Spider Web Cake is proof that Halloween desserts can be beautiful, bold, and completely delicious.
The dark chocolate layers give you rich flavor, the black buttercream adds elegance without the mess, and the web design brings it all together with a touch of spooky charm.
Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party or just want to make something festive for your family, this cake will be a showstopper on your dessert table — and one everyone will remember.
Bake it, share it, and tag @cakebycourtney so I can see your Spider Web creations!
If you need even more ideas for spooky cake creations this fall, take a look at these cute Halloween cake creations you can try.
For the Black Chocolate Cake
- 1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons (225 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (375 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cups (88.5 g) good-quality black or dark cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk room temperature
- ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (326.6 g) hot water
- 1 teaspoon food gel in Super Black
For the Black Fudge Frosting
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly chilled
- 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- 1 cup (118 g) premium black or dark cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (177.5 g) hot water
- 1 ½ teaspoons (6 g) pure vanilla extract
- 1 generous pinch salt
- 8 ounces (150 g) premium dark chocolate, chopped or chips melted
- 1-2 teaspoons (3-6 g) food gel in Super Black
For the Colored Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter slightly chilled
- 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- ½ teaspoons (2 g) pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespons (28.9 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 Purple food gel
- 1 Green food gel
- 1 Orange food gel
For the Black Chocolate Cake
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray four 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. (You can also use three 8-inch pans). Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, then spray the pans again.
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Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
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In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, water, and vanilla.
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With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the food gel and mix for another 20 seconds.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pans (about 11 to 12 in each of the 6-inch pans or 15 to 16 ounces in each of the 8-inch pans) and bake for 22 to 25 minutes.
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Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
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Level each cake layer as needed and then wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.
For the Black Fudge Frosting
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In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes.
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In a small mixing bowl, combine the hot water and cocoa powder. The mixture will be thick like a paste. Set aside.
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In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Let cool slightly, but not all the way to room temperature.
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Reduce the mixer’s speed to medium and slowly stream in the melted chocolate, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally so the chocolate doesn’t harden around the sides of the bowl.
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Add the cocoa paste (cocoa and water mixture), followed by the vanilla and salt. Beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.
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Decrease the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, add the black food gel and then beat for about two minutes. The color will likely be grey. Don’t worry. Your next job is to be patient!
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Let the frosting sit for at least a couple of hours (even a full day is great) because the color will take awhile to process and it’s best to let it sit rather than adding more and more coloring right away.
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If you’ve let the frosting rest for plenty of time and it’s still not black, add one more teaspoon of black food gel and let it rest a bit more.
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If your frosting is too soft, cover it with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator a bit.
For the Colored Vanilla Buttercream
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In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about five minutes.
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With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla, salt and heavy whipping cream. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat the frosting for about five minutes, until lighter in color and texture.
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Divide the frosting in small mixing bowls and tint the frosting your desired colors
Assembly
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Place a cake board onto your turntable. Apply a small dollop of frosting onto the cake board and smooth it out with an offset icing spatula. Place the first cake layer on top of the thin layer of frosting which will act like glue to hold the cake in place.
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Evenly spread your first color of frosting on the cake layer, making sure to get eye level with the cake to ensure your layer of frosting is even.
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Continue to stack and frost the layers until the last cake layer, which you’ll place top side (crumb side) down on the last layer of colored frosting.
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Apply a thin coat of black frosting around the entire cake, making sure to cover the entire cake from top to bottom. Freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to lock in the crumbs.
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When the frosting is set and the crumbs are locked in place, continue to frost the cake with the remaining frosting.
*This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.
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