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Looking for a Halloween dessert that actually tastes as good as it looks? This Chocolate Spider Cake is rich, airy, and covered in sticky-sweet webs with a chocolate spider perched on top. Every bite melts between soft, fudgy chocolate layers and silky whipped ganache — a little spooky, a lot delicious.
Inside the Spider’s Web (and Why It Works)
What makes this Chocolate Spider Cake so special is how every element works together. The chocolate layers are rich, moist, and full of deep flavor — indulgent without feeling too heavy. The whipped ganache adds a silky, melt-in-your-mouth texture, while the marshmallow web brings a touch of sweetness and a playful chewy contrast.
Each part has its role — the cake keeps things fudgy and satisfying, the ganache adds smooth depth, and the marshmallow and fondant decorations make it striking without being complicated. It’s a showstopping dessert that looks straight out of a bakery but is easy enough to make 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 brings 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.
- Chocolate Cake: flour, cocoa powder, sugar, eggs, and buttermilk for a rich, moist base with deep chocolate flavor.
- 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.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine and Add Hot Water. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing until just combined. Slowly pour in the hot water and whisk until the batter turns silky and slightly thin — that’s what makes it so moist.
- Bake and Cool.
Pour the batter into prepared pans lined with parchment paper. Bake until set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Fill and Frost
Spread the whipped ganache between the cooled cake layers, then cover the top and sides for a smooth, rich finish. Chill to set before decorating.
- 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).
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 4 days. Bring to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving to enjoy that soft, fudgy texture.
Yes — whip it right before assembling. Store 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 just as good.
Absolutely. Try drizzling melted white chocolate instead for a cleaner, web-like effect.
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Chocolate Spider Layer Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Chocolate Whipped Ganache
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 13 oz dark chocolate chopped
Chocolate Cake
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup neutral oil vegetable oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
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.
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat to 350°F (180°C) standard or 320°F (160°C) fan/convection. Lightly grease and line two 7-inch (18 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar until well combined.
- Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla, whisking until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
- Slowly pour in the boiling water, whisking until the batter is silky and slightly thin — this makes it extra moist.
- Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- 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
- Don’t overmix: Once the wet and dry ingredients come together, stop whisking — that’s how you keep the crumb soft and tender.
- Hot water magic: Pour the boiling water in slowly. It makes the batter thin, but that’s what gives this cake its extra-moist texture.
- Cool completely: Let the cakes rest before layering or frosting to avoid melting the ganache.
- Build the spider last: Chill the ganache-coated body before adding the Pocky legs and fondant eyes — no spider slumps here.
- Patience pays off: Chill the finished cake overnight for the richest flavor and a slice that cuts clean and glossy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is a delicious and fun cake! We really enjoyed it!😋