Graveyard Cake

This dark chocolate graveyard cake is one of our favorite Halloween recipes. It’s delicious, easy to make, and guaranteed to impress your party guests. Plus, its festive and spooky appearance will get everyone in the mood to celebrate Halloween!

 

Don’t be fooled by the impressive appearance of this fun Halloween graveyard cake – it’s actually incredibly easy to make. A boxed chocolate cake mix provides the chocolatey base for this treat, which is decorated with a perfectly spooky graveyard scene, complete with Oreo crumb dirt, cookie gravestones, and gummy worms.

A guaranteed showstopper at any Halloween party, this cake will be a hit with kids and adults alike. And since it’s as much fun to make as it is to eat, the kids will be eager to help create this festive treat. Try this easy dessert the next time you need an unforgettable and delicious Halloween recipe.

Why We Love This Recipe

• This festive and spooky treat will be the star of your Halloween parties. It’s one of the most creative Halloween desserts we’ve seen.
• It starts with a boxed cake mix, so it’s a perfect Halloween dessert when you want an impressive treat that doesn’t take a lot of time.
• Kids will love this Halloween dirt cake, and they’ll have a great time helping you add the decorations.

Ingredients

• Betty Crocker chocolate fudge cake mix plus ingredients from the back (eggs, oil, water)
• Chocolate frosting
• Oreo cookies
• Milano cookies
• Chocolate chips
• Gummy worms, Mellowcreme pumpkins, and sprinkles for topping

How to Make a Graveyard Cake

Step One: Bake the Cake

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. 
• Whisk together the cake mix, eggs, water and oil in a large bowl.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake according to the package directions (about 30-35 minutes).

Step Two: Make the Gravestones

• Place 9-10 Milano cookies on a plate and set.
• Microwave your chocolate chips in 20 second increments, stirring well in between, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. 
• Add the melted chocolate to a plastic sandwich-sized storage bag and cut off the very tip of the bag. Use the melted chocolate to write “RIP” onto each cookie.
• Place the cookie tombstones in the refrigerator and allow the chocolate to set.

Step Three: Decorate the Cake

• Place the Oreo cookies in a food processor, and pulse into fine crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, you can place the Oreos in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Set aside.
• Scoop the chocolate frosting out of the container and into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir well. The frosting should be smooth and pourable.
• Pour the frosting in an even layer over the cake, then sprinkle Oreo crumbs on top of the cake.

• Decorate the cake with the tombstone cookies, candy pumpkins, and gummy worms.

Tips and Suggestions

• If you’re short on time, you can buy a premade chocolate cake and just add the decorations.
• If you don’t want to decorate the gravestone cookies with melted chocolate, you can use an edible marker instead.
• You can serve this cake at room temperature or chilled right out of the fridge. 

Variations

• Add some Halloween sprinkles, candy bones, marshmallow ghosts, or any other spooky Halloween candy that you like.
• If you don’t have Milano cookies, you can substitute graham crackers or Nutter Butter cookies for the gravestones.
• If you prefer a vanilla cake mix, you can use that for the base. Just make sure you top with the chocolate frosting and crushed Oreos and use an opaque baking dish so the bottom of the cake won’t be visible.
• If you’re feeling ambitious, feel free to use your favorite cake recipe and make your cake from scratch.
• Place pieces of the baked cake in individual cups, then add the toppings to make individual Halloween dirt cups.

How Do I Store Graveyard Cake?

Place your leftovers in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. They should keep for up to 3 days.

Can I Freeze Graveyard Cake?

Yes! This cake will freeze for up to 3 months. Store it in an airtight container or a freezer bag.

More Fun Halloween Recipes

• Nutter Butter Ghosts
• Halloween Bundt Cake
• Spider Cookies
• Witch Hat Cupcakes
• Ghost Cupcakes
• Candy Corn Cookies
• Halloween Oreo Fudge
• Halloween S’mores Dip
• Halloween Pinwheel Cookies
• Halloween Ooey Gooey Cookies