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Looking for a Halloween dessert that actually tastes as good as it looks? This Chocolate Spider Layer Cake is rich, airy, and covered in sticky-sweet webs with a chocolate spider perched on top. Every bite melts between fluffy chiffon layers and whipped ganache — a little spooky, a lot delicious.
Inside the Spider’s Web (and Why It Works)
What makes this Chocolate Spider Layer Cake so special is how every element complements the other. The cocoa chiffon layers are light and tender, so even with all that chocolate, the cake never feels heavy. The whipped ganache brings creamy richness without the density of buttercream, while the marshmallow web adds sweetness and a bit of chewy texture for contrast.
Each component has its purpose — the chiffon keeps things airy, the ganache gives smooth depth, and the simple marshmallow and fondant decorations make it impressive without being complicated. It’s one of those recipes that looks bakery-level but stays perfectly doable at home.
If you’ve already made Red Velvet Monster Cake Pops or Swiss Meringue Ghosts, this cake fits right in: same spooky charm, just a little more dramatic.
Ingredients To Build Your Spider Cake
A mix of rich chocolate, light cocoa sponge, and a few clever decorations bring this spooky showstopper to life. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chocolate Whipped Ganache: dark chocolate and heavy cream — simple, silky, and full of flavor.
- Cocoa Chiffon Cake: flour, cocoa powder, eggs, oil, and milk for a soft, airy base that stays moist.
- Assembly & Decoration: marshmallows for webs, Pocky sticks for legs, fondant for eyes, and chocolate sprinkles for that fuzzy spider look.
Note: Find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the Recipe Card.
How to Make It
Soft chiffon, whipped ganache, and sticky marshmallow webs — here’s how to bring your chocolate spider to life.
- Make the Whipped Ganache
Heat cream until it boils, pour over chocolate, stir smooth, save some for the spider, and chill the rest.
- Whip the Ganache
Whip the chilled ganache until it’s light, fluffy, and smooth enough to spread easily.
- Prepare the Cake Batter
Sift dry ingredients, whisk yolks with oil and milk, then mix everything until smooth and lump-free.
- Whip the Egg Whites
Beat the whites to soft peaks, add sugar gradually, and whip until stiff and glossy. Gently fold into the batter in three additions.
- Bake and Cool
Pour into an ungreased pan and bake until set and airy. Cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing into layers.
- Fill and Frost
Spread the whipped ganache between the cake layers and all over the top and sides for a smooth finish. Chill to set.
- Create the Web
Microwave marshmallows until stretchy, then pull strands apart and wrap them around the cake to form the web.
- Assemble the Spider
Combine the reserved ganache with crumbled cake, shape into a spider, coat with sprinkles, add eyes and legs, then chill to set.
- Assemble the Cake. Position the chocolate spider on top. Adjust the legs and web strands until your creepy crawler looks perfectly spooky.
- Serve and Enjoy. Slice through the web, reveal those rich chocolate layers, and serve! Watch your guests’ faces light up (and maybe shiver a little).
Want to see how it all comes together? You can See It In Action and follow the full step-by-step.
For a full Halloween spread, pair this spooky showstopper with other hauntingly good recipes. Serve it alongside the eerie Witch Finger Grissini with a side of Bloody Dip, or add a sweet touch with Bloody Raspberry Muffins and Pumpkin Breads fresh from the oven. Together, they make a darkly delicious table that’s as chilling as it is irresistible.
FAQs
Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Yes — whip it just before assembling. Store it chilled in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Use pretzel sticks or thin chocolate wafers — they’ll look just as spooky and taste amazing.
Absolutely. Try drizzling melted white chocolate instead for a cleaner, web-like effect.
See It In Action: Step-By-Step
Chocolate Spider Layer Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Chocolate Whipped Ganache
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 13 oz dark chocolate chopped
Cocoa Chiffon Cake
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar for yolk mixture
- 4 large eggs separated
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- ⅖ cup milk
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar for egg white mixture
Assembly Ingredients
- 16 chocolate pocky sticks
- 6 large white marshmallows
- Red and black fondant for eyes
- Chocolate sprinkles for spider hair
Instructions
Chocolate Whipped Ganache
- Heat the cream to a boil.
- Pour over the chocolate in three parts, stirring each time until smooth.
- Reserve ¼ cup of ganache for shaping the spider body later.
- Cover the remaining ganache with plastic wrap (touching the surface) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until chilled.
- Once chilled, whip using a stand mixer until light, fluffy, and firm.
Cocoa Chiffon Cake
- Set oven to 300°F (150°C) with convection (fan) mode. Do not grease your cake pan — use an unlined 7-inch (18 cm) round pan.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar (for the yolks), and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, separate the egg yolks (reserving the egg whites) whisk together egg yolks, oil, and milk.
- Add to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar (for the egg whites) and beat to stiff peaks.
- Gently fold the egg white mixture into the ba tter in three parts until smooth and airy.
- Pour batter into the ungreased pan and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes.
- Optional: pour ¼ cup of batter into a small greased mold for the spider body; bake for 40 minutes.
- Once baked, run a knife around the edges and let the cake cool completely before removing from the pan.
- Slice: the large cake horizontally into 2 layers and trim the top if domed.
- Spread whipped ganache between the layers and over the entire cake. Chill to set the ganache.
Spider Web
- Microwave marshmallows for 30 seconds until stretchy.
- Pull strands apart with your fingers or two spoons and wrap them around the cake to form a web.
Spider Body
- Crumble the small baked cake and mix with the reserved ganache.
- Shape into a body and head, then roll in chocolate sprinkles.
- Freeze briefly (10-15 minutes), then place on top of the cake.
Legs and Eyes
- Insert 8 Pocky sticks for legs in an upside down V shape (4 per side).
- Add red and black fondant eyes.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve
Notes
Before you spin your web of chocolatey magic, keep these tricks in mind — they’ll help your spooky creation look as hauntingly beautiful as it tastes.
- Handle with care: Gently fold in the whipped egg whites to keep your chiffon cake light and airy.
- Cool, then whip: Chill the ganache until thickened before whipping — that’s the secret to smooth, stable layers.
- Stretch the web: Warm marshmallows just enough to pull into fine, eerie strands without melting completely.
- Build the spider last: Let the ganache-coated body firm up before adding the Pocky legs and fondant eyes.
- Patience pays off: Chill the finished cake overnight — the flavors deepen, and the texture becomes spellbinding.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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