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Brain Cake

Create a spooky yet delicious Brain Cake that’s perfect for Halloween! This show-stopping dessert features moist red velvet layers, luscious pink buttercream frosting, and a raspberry jam ‘blood’ topping that will impress guests of all ages. Whether it’s for a Halloween party or a themed birthday celebration, this creative cake is both visually striking and delightfully tasty. With straightforward instructions and easily customizable decorations, even beginner bakers can master this fun recipe. Get ready to elevate your festive gatherings with this eye-catching treat that’s sure to be the highlight of the dessert table!

  • Total Time: 57 minutes
  • Yield: Approximately 20 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp red gel food coloring
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (for frosting)
  • 1 cup full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (for frosting)
  • 1 tsp fine salt (for frosting)
  • 7 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature
  • Small squirt of red gel food coloring (for frosting)
  • 1/2 cup seedless raspberry or strawberry jam
  • 3 Tbsp water

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare round baking pans by greasing them lightly with butter and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together until they are well blended.
  3. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture. Mix thoroughly after each addition. Then incorporate buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and red gel food coloring. Mix until combined.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture. Stir until just combined; avoid overmixing.
  6. Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in pans for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
  7. While the cakes are cooling, beat together unsalted butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar along with salt while mixing on low speed. Once combined, add heavy cream and mix again until fluffy. Add red gel food coloring as desired.
  8. Once cooled completely, place one layer of cake on a serving platter. Spread a layer of raspberry jam on top followed by a layer of buttercream frosting. Repeat with remaining layers.
  9. Use any leftover buttercream to create texture resembling brain matter on top of the cake.
  • Author: Jennifer
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 27 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 410
  • Sugar: 46g
  • Sodium: 250mg
  • Fat: 18g
  • Saturated Fat: 11g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 60g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Cholesterol: 50mg

Keywords: For extra visual appeal, use piping techniques to create realistic brain textures on top of the cake. Feel free to swap in different fruit preserves for the filling for a unique twist.