Easy Recipe for Halloween Coffin-Shaped Chocolate Cakes

Transform a simple box cake into spooky coffin treats with this easy Halloween recipe! Perfect for parties or a fun baking project with kids.

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This recipe guides you through baking a chocolate cake, whipping up a rich black cocoa buttercream, and shaping the cake into coffin silhouettes. With simple trimming and piping techniques, you can create festive Halloween desserts topped with themed sprinkles and toppers.

Ingredients

Chocolate cake mix

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup black cocoa powder

1 Tbsp. milk

Halloween-themed sprinkles and toppers (bones, tombstone toppers)

Directions

Follow the box directions to bake the chocolate cake in a baking pan that has been coated with nonstick spray. Allow the baked cake to cool down completely before proceeding.

In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter at a low setting. Slowly pour in the salt, powdered sugar, black cocoa powder, and milk. After all ingredients are mixed, raise the mixer speed to high and beat until the frosting becomes airy and smooth.

Scoop the finished frosting into a piping bag and set it aside for later use.

Flip the cooled cake onto a cutting board and place it back in an upright position. Trim away the uneven edges and top layer to create a flat surface, saving the leftover cake pieces for decoration.

Cut the rectangular cake in half both horizontally and vertically to create four smaller rectangular pieces.

On one of the small rectangles, lightly mark the cake with a knife to indicate the center line vertically and a quarter line horizontally. These marks will help guide your cuts for the coffin shape.

Using the center line as a guide, cut triangular shapes from the bottom of the cake to form the coffin base. Then, use the quarter mark to cut smaller triangles from the top, ensuring you stay within the marked area and keep the center line aligned.

Pipe a layer of the prepared buttercream onto each mini coffin cake.

Crumble the reserved cake scraps by hand or with a fork and sprinkle them over the frosted cakes. Add your favorite Halloween sprinkles and toppers, such as bones or tombstones, to complete the look.