Hidden Horror Black Widow Cake (Printable View)
Dark chocolate cake hiding a bloody cherry center beneath black cocoa ganache
# What You Need:
→ Chocolate Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup black cocoa powder or Dutch cocoa
03 - 2 cups granulated sugar
04 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
05 - 1 tsp baking soda
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 3/4 cup vegetable oil
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup hot water
→ Cherry Compote
12 - 1 1/2 cups pitted cherries, fresh or frozen
13 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
15 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
16 - 2 tbsp water
→ Black Cocoa Ganache
17 - 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate, finely chopped
18 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
19 - 2 tbsp black cocoa powder
→ Decoration
20 - Black food coloring gel
21 - Red food coloring gel
22 - Fondant or chocolate for spider shapes
23 - Edible glitter or sprinkles
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, black cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
03 - Add vegetable oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Stir in hot water until batter reaches a smooth, thin consistency.
05 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pans before removing.
06 - Combine cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until cherries release their juices.
07 - Whisk cornstarch with water until smooth, then stir into cherry mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and cool completely.
08 - Heat heavy cream in a saucepan until just simmering. Pour over chopped dark chocolate and black cocoa powder in a heat-proof bowl.
09 - Let mixture sit for 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth and glossy. Add black food coloring gel if a deeper black color is desired. Cool to room temperature before using.
10 - Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Carefully hollow out a shallow 4-inch circle in the center, leaving a 1-inch border and base intact.
11 - Spoon cooled cherry compote into the hollowed cavity, filling to just below the surface.
12 - Place second cake layer over the filled base. Press gently to secure layers.
13 - Spread black cocoa ganache evenly over the entire cake surface using an offset palette knife. Chill for 30 minutes until ganache sets.
14 - Create red gel vein patterns on the cake surface using the tip of a knife or piping bag. Shape spiders from fondant or melted chocolate and arrange as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dramatic reveal when you slice into this midnight-dark cake is absolutely worth the effort
- The cherry compote hidden inside creates this stunning contrast that looks genuinely eerie but tastes incredible
- Black cocoa gives this cake an intensely chocolatey flavor unlike anything you've tasted before
02 -
- The hollowed-out cavity shouldn't go deeper than halfway through the cake layer or your filling will leak out the sides
- Black cocoa is more alkaline than regular cocoa, so it needs those acidic ingredients (buttermilk would work too) to properly activate the baking soda
- The ganache sets up quite dark on its own, but you'll need black food coloring gel to get that truly pitch-black finish
03 -
- If your ganache splits, whisk in a teaspoon of room temperature butter at a time until it comes back together
- Place strips of parchment under your cake before frosting to keep your serving plate clean