Description
This delightful Stenciled Halloween Sprinkle Cake combines a moist, tender vanilla cake dotted with festive Halloween-themed sprinkles, layered and frosted with rich, colorful buttercream. Finished with creative Halloween stencil designs dusted with powdered sugar or cocoa powder, it makes a perfect spooky centerpiece for parties and celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup Halloween-themed sprinkles
For the Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring (orange, purple, or black)
- Halloween sprinkles for decorating
For the Stencil Decoration:
- Stencils (bat, spiderweb, ghost, etc.)
- Powdered sugar or cocoa powder for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the pans and dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until fully combined.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla extract to combine evenly.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture, mixing gently to combine after each addition.
- Fold in sprinkles and divide batter: Gently fold the Halloween-themed sprinkles into the batter to distribute evenly. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
- Bake the cakes: Place the pans in the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Make the buttercream frosting: Beat the softened butter until smooth using a mixer on medium speed. Gradually add powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Add milk or cream and vanilla extract, then beat until fluffy. Tint the frosting using gel food coloring to desired Halloween colors like orange, purple, or black.
- Assemble and frost the cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting evenly on top, then place the second cake layer on top. Cover the entire cake with a smooth layer of frosting using a spatula.
- Stencil decoration: Gently place a Halloween-themed stencil (bat, ghost, spiderweb, etc.) on top of the frosted cake. Dust lightly with powdered sugar or cocoa powder through a fine mesh sieve. Carefully lift the stencil to reveal the design.
- Final touches: Decorate the base or edges of the cake with additional Halloween sprinkles as desired. Refrigerate briefly if needed to set the frosting before serving.
Notes
- Make the cake layers a day ahead and chill them before frosting for easier decorating and cleaner layers.
- Choose bold-shaped food-safe plastic or paper stencils to ensure clear, crisp designs on the cake.
- Gel food coloring provides vibrant colors without thinning the frosting texture.
- Use a fine mesh sieve to evenly dust powdered sugar or cocoa powder for stencil decoration.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
