Spiderweb Cake

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5 from 4 votes

This Spiderweb Cake is perfect for Halloween! A rich black cocoa cake with an orange flavored buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 35

Total Time 3 35

Servings

Calories 620kcal

Author Olivia

Ingredients

Black Cocoa Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup black cocoa powder
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee (or water) hot
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Orange Buttercream:

1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar depending on sweetness preference
1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp Electric Orange Americolor Gel Color optional*

White Buttercream:

1/2 cup shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp clear vanilla extract optional, but don't use regular vanilla or it will come out tinted brown
3 Tbsp milk as needed to thin frosting

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Black Cocoa Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F, grease three 6" round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour coffee in slowly as not to cook the eggs if very hot).
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. A total of 30-35mins. Cool in pans for 10mins, then turn out to cool completely on a wire rack.

Orange Buttercream:

Whip butter until creamy in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle.
Reduce speed to low and add in icing sugar 1 cup at a time until well blended.
Increase speed to med and beat for 3 minutes.
Add orange extract and cream and continue to beat on medium for 1 minute. Add in color gel and whip until combined.
Frost cooled cake layers and chill.

White Buttercream:

Whip shortening until creamy in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Reduce speed to low and add in icing sugar 1 cup at a time until well blended.
Increase speed to med and beat for 3 minutes. Add water and continue to beat on medium for 1 minute.
Using a #2 pastry tip, pipe spiderweb pattern on chilled cake.

Notes

* I actually ended up using almost half a bottle, so you may need a bit more, but just know that it will darken as it sits!

Nutrition

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