Black Cocoa Spider Web Cake

Every Halloween party needs a festive centerpiece, and this black cocoa spiderweb cake is the showstopper you need! It's rich, it's decadent, and best of all, it's spooky (and it's easier to decorate than you'd think). Chocolatey cake paired with even more chocolatey frosting and topped with super sweet marshmallow makes the ultimate fudgy dessert to share this holiday - plus, it's a fun, festive activity to have your kids help with!

For more Halloween recipes, try Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes with Meringue Ghosts, Gooey Candy Bar Blondies, and Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies.

Why you'll love this black cocoa spider web cake

• Rich, Decadent Flavor: Chocolate milk, espresso powder, and black cocoa create an incredibly decadent cake and frosting combination.
• Show-stopping Centerpiece: This spiderweb cake will bring your whole Halloween party together as an impressive, festive centerpiece.
• Fun & Family-Friendly: Have your kids join the fun and help decorate this spooky cake with melted marshmallow webs!

Ingredient Notes

• Cocoa Powder: Use a high quality black cocoa powder for a more rich & intense chocolate flavor.
• Chocolate: Use a high quality bittersweet chocolate for a unique flavor profile. Alternatively, you can use semi-sweet or even dark chocolate.
• Espresso Powder: Be sure to use a fine ground espresso powder, not instant espresso. 
• Chocolate Milk: Use your favorite brand of chocolate milk!
• Coffee: Use freshly brewed coffee for best overall flavor.
• Heavy Cream: You'll need ¾ cup of high quality heavy cream for the frosting.
• Neutral Oil: Use vegetable, canola, or light-tasting olive oil.
• Unsalted Butter: Use high quality European-style butter for best overall flavor.
• Flour: Use high quality unbleached all-purpose flour best results.
• Eggs: Bring your egg to room temperature quickly by placing it in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
• Vanilla: Add a high quality vanilla extract for optimal flavor.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this black cocoa spider web cake recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

STEP 1: Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, expresso powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

STEP 2: Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the chocolate milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.

STEP 3: Combine wet and dry. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until just combined.

STEP 4: Add coffee. Lastly, whisk in the hot coffee until fully combined.

STEP 5: Divide and bake. Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans. Wrap the cake strips around the pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

STEP 6: Cool and freeze. Allow the cakes to cool for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, wrap the cakes tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to decorate. (Frozen cake layers will be much easier to frost!)

STEP 7: Brown the butter. In a large saucepan, place the butter over medium heat. As the butter melts, stir it with a rubber spatula to encourage even cooking. Once the butter has fully melted, it will alternate between rapid large bubbles and gentle small foamy bubbles. The butter will be ready once it turns a dark golden color and the fat solids have darkened and settled at the bottom of the pan.

STEP 8: Make the frosting. Add the chocolate, coconut cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. Stir constantly until everything is melted and fully combined. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Press plastic wrap up against the surface and place in the fridge for at least one hour or overnight. (If chilled overnight, microwave in 10 second increments until soft, then use an electric mixer to beat on low speed until smooth.)

STEP 9: Assemble. Place the first cake layer on a cake stand. Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to add 3-4 scoops of frosting. Use an offset spatula to spread into an even layer. Add the last cake layer and top with a few more scoops of frosting. Use the offset spatula to smooth out the top, and spread the excess all over the sides. Continue decorating the cake as desired.

STEP 10: Decorate. In a small bowl, add the marshmallows and microwave for 15 seconds. Using your hands or a spoon, grab small amounts of the melted marshmallows and pull them across the cake to make spider web designs. Finish with candy eyes, if desired.

Expert Baking Tips

• Use cake strips to create flat cake layers. Soak these wilton cake strips in ice water before starting the cake batter. Just before baking, wrap the cake strips around the pan. The cold temperature on the outside of the cake will prevent the edges from baking faster than the center, resulting in an evenly baked flat cake.
• Freeze the cake layers before decorating. Since this is such a moist cake, I highly recommend freezing the cake layers for at least two hours before decorating.
• If the frosting is chilled overnight... microwave it in 10 second increments until it softens up, then use an electric mixer to beat on low speed until smooth.
• Use a cookie scoop to assemble the cake. Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to add an equal amount of frosting to each layer.

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x