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This Halloween graveyard cake is spooky, sweet, and all about the toppings! Strawberry ghosts, cookie tombstones, Oreo dirt, candy pumpkins, and a swirl of maple buttercream over pumpkin cake! Perfect for any Halloween celebration!
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Pin ItA Charming Halloween Graveyard Cake
- Perfect for parties! Serve this spooky cake at a pumpkin carving night, Halloween movie party, or ghost-themed dinner.
- Easy & adorable: Decorate with strawberry ghosts, cookie tombstones, and candy pumpkins for the cutest graveyard ever.
- Bake it your way: Use my pumpkin olive oil cake for extra flavor – or swap in your favorite boxed mix if you’re short on time! My pistachio cake recipe would work well for this cake too!
Love this spooky cake? Don’t miss my Halloween Dirt Cups and Graveyard Terrarium Cake – more hauntingly cute desserts you’ll want to make next!
Halloween Graveyard Cake Decorations
This cake is all about the toppings and the spookier (and cuter), the better! Here’s what you’ll need to turn any cake into a charming haunted graveyard:
Powdered Sugar: A snowy dusting gives it a whimsical, spooky finish.
Strawberry Ghosts: Dip strawberries in white candy melts and dot on little chocolate eyes. So cute it’s scary!
Cookie Tombstones: Use Milano cookies or graham crackers and pipe “RIP” with melted chocolate or an edible marker.
Candy Pumpkins: A must for any Halloween scene!
Oreo Crumbs: Crush them into dirt and sprinkle across the top—it’s graveyard gold.
Fresh Herbs: Mint, thyme, or sage make the “graveyard” feel eerily overgrown and realistic.
Candy Bones: If you can find them, they’re the perfect creepy little touch.
White Candy Melts or Chocolate: For ghost dipping and decorating.
How to Make & Decorate a Halloween Graveyard Cake
Bake your cake – Start with any cake you love! I like using my pumpkin olive oil cake (recipe below), but a boxed mix totally works too—no shame in the shortcut game.
Whip up the frosting – My maple buttercream is next-level cozy. Beat butter and powdered sugar until fluffy, then mix in maple syrup, vanilla, and a splash of milk. Trust me, it’s worth it.
Make the tombstones – Grab Milano cookies or graham crackers and use melted chocolate or an edible marker to write “RIP” or spooky phrases. Let them dry while you finish the cake.
Create strawberry ghosts – Dip strawberries in white candy melts, let them dry on parchment, then dot on little chocolate eyes and mouths. They’re almost too cute to eat. Almost.
Assemble the graveyard – Frost your cooled cake, sprinkle on crushed Oreo “dirt,” then start decorating! Add your tombstones, strawberry ghosts, candy pumpkins, bones, and even a few sprigs of mint or thyme for a haunted, overgrown look.
Snowy finish – Dust the whole cake with powdered sugar for a whimsical, spooky “snowy graveyard” vibe.
Recipe Tips
Use a boxed cake mix if you’re short on time—just dress it up with cute toppings!
Make Oreo “dirt,” then add gummy worms, candy pumpkins, or mint sprigs for a haunted garden look.
Add black licorice or chocolate pretzels as creepy trees, and use M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces for a festive border.
Crushed Oreos + green food coloring = spooky moss (and it looks so good!).
Don’t forget a powdered sugar “snow” dusting to finish it off!
How to Store
If you have any leftovers (which is unlikely because this cake is so delicious), you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze this cake without the candy and strawberries for up to 3 months.
Bring it to room temperature before serving for the best taste and texture.
More Spooky Halloween Desserts
If you love this graveyard cake, you’ll love these recipes too:
- Halloween Pretzel Rods
- Easy Chocolate Ghost Trifles
- Halloween Sugar Cookies
- Brown Butter Mummy Rice Krispies
- Black Velvet Cupcakes
Let me know if you make this spooky graveyard cake by leaving a comment and review below! I hope this cake makes an appearance at your next Halloween party!
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Pumpkin Graveyard Cake
Ingredients
Strawberry Ghost
- 5 large strawberries
- 1 cup white candy melts, or white chocolate chips melted
Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin pureé
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Maple Buttercream Frosting
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 5 tbsp maple syrup
Graveyard Cake Toppings
- 5 Milano® Cookies
- 6 Candy Corn pumpkins
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs and edible flowers
- 1/8 cup confectioners sugar , for snow dusting
- 8 Oreo cookies, crushed
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is heating up, prepare an 8×8 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper and generously buttering it.
- Whisk the eggs and brown sugar together in a mixing bowl for about 2 minutes. This will create a light and pale mixture.
- Add the pumpkin puree, olive oil, vanilla extract, spices (pumpkin pie spice and ground cardamom), and salt to the egg mixture. Whisk everything together until well combined.
- Next, add in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda to the wet ingredients. Carefully fold everything together until all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and bake it in the oven for about 25 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan and frosting.
- While your cake is baking and cooling, make the delicious maple buttercream frosting! In an electric mixer, beat room-temperature butter and confectioners sugar on high until light and fluffy.
- Then, add the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and whip on high for about 5 minutes. If your frosting becomes too thin or curdles, add in more confectioner sugar until you reach the desired consistency.
- To make the cute strawberry ghosts that will top your cake, melt white candy melts or chocolate chips in a bowl. Dip California strawberries into the melted chocolate and dry them on parchment paper.
- Once they are dry, melt some milk chocolate chips and use a piping or plastic bag with a small hole cut in the tip to create eyes and a mouth for your ghosts.
- Once your cake has cooled completely, spread the maple buttercream frosting over the top. Add crushed chocolate cookies on top for a “graveyard” effect.
- Place your strawberry ghosts and other decorations on top of the cake, and then finish it off with a dusting of powdered sugar to resemble snow.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
