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Adorable Ghost Cake with Sprinkles Recipe

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3.9 from 15 reviews

This adorable Ghost Cake with Sprinkles is a spooky-cute Halloween dessert featuring a moist, dairy-free, egg-free chocolate wacky cake layered with rich ganache and covered in homemade candy clay sheets. The cake is decorated with multicolor candy sprinkles and designed to look like a friendly ghost, making it a perfect centerpiece for festive celebrations.

Ingredients

Cake Layers

  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fine-grain salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 cups brewed coffee, cold (or cold water)

Ganache

  • 3 cups semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (chips work too)
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Pink Candy Sheet

  • 24 oz. pink candy melting wafers (Wilton recommended)
  • 6 oz. white vanilla candy melting wafers (Wilton recommended)
  • 2/3 cup light corn syrup

White Candy Sheet

  • 30 oz. bright white candy melting wafers (Wilton recommended)
  • 2/3 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 oz melted white candy for attaching sprinkles
  • 1 cup assorted large multicolor candy sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cake Pans: Coat five 4-inch springform cake pans and one 5-inch springform cake pan with flour-based baking spray to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, fine-grain salt, and baking soda. Stir until well blended.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the vanilla extract, almond extract, vinegar, vegetable oil, and cold brewed coffee (or cold water) until fully combined.
  4. Combine Batter: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients while beating with the mixer until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin, which is expected.
  5. Fill Cake Pans: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans, filling each about 3/4 full to allow room for rising.
  6. Bake Cakes: Bake the 4-inch cake layers for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Bake the 5-inch cake for 55 minutes. If any batter remains, bake as cupcakes for 18–22 minutes.
  7. Cool Cakes: After baking, cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove them from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Level each 4-inch cake layer to about 1 1/4 inches tall; leave the 5-inch cake dome-shaped and unlevelled.
  8. Make Ganache Frosting: Place the chopped semisweet chocolate and heavy cream in a heatproof bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, then let stand for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth and glossy. Allow to thicken at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator, stirring every 15 minutes until thick and spreadable.
  9. Assemble Cake Layers: Stack and frost the 4-inch cake layers with ganache to create a tall tower. Smooth ganache over the outside. Trim the 5-inch domed cake down to 3 inches wide and coat it with ganache. Refrigerate both cake parts until the ganache firms up.
  10. Prepare Pink Candy Sheet: Place the pink and white candy wafers in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals at full power, stirring thoroughly between each until completely melted and smooth. Stir in the light corn syrup; the mixture will thicken into a dough. Knead the candy clay until smooth and pliable. Roll the candy clay between two parchment papers to about an 18-inch circle, roughly 1/8 inch thick. Let the candy set until firm but still flexible enough to drape over the cake.
  11. Prepare White Candy Sheet: In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt white candy wafers using 30-second intervals, stirring well each time until smooth. Mix in corn syrup until dough forms. Knead until smooth and pliable. Roll into an 18-inch circle, approximately 1/8 inch thick, between parchment papers, and allow it to set until firm but pliable for draping.
  12. Drape Pink Candy Sheet: Gently place the pink candy sheet over the tall 4-inch cake stack, arranging natural pleats with your fingers to mimic a ghost shape.
  13. Attach Dome Cake: Set the 5-inch cake dome on top of the pink-covered tower. Insert a wooden dowel through all layers to anchor securely, trimming the dowel flush with the dome’s top to ensure a smooth surface for the white candy sheet.
  14. Drape White Candy Sheet: Cover the dome with the white candy sheet, arranging the folds naturally around the ghost figure to simulate a flowing sheet.
  15. Create Ghost Eyes: Use a teardrop fondant cutter or the open end of a piping tip to cut out eye shapes through the white candy sheet all the way to the dark ganache layer. Remove the cut pieces to reveal the ganache eyes, requiring no further decoration.
  16. Decorate with Sprinkles: Attach large, vibrant candy sprinkles around the white candy sheet with small dabs of melted white candy, ensuring sprinkles encircle the ghost for a fully decorated 360-degree effect. A sprinkle grabber tool can help place them precisely but is optional.

Notes

  • If you’re new to making candy clay, try a practice batch using 12 oz. Wilton candy melting wafers and 1/3 cup corn syrup, following the same melting and kneading process. Roll it out to a 10-inch round to get a feel for the texture.
  • Candy clay hardens after setting but can be softened by kneading small portions or briefly warming at room temperature or by refrigeration if too soft.
  • To prevent candy clay from sticking while rolling, sprinkle your work surface lightly with cornstarch.
  • A sprinkle placement tool (sprinkle grabber) is helpful for precise application of large sprinkles but is not mandatory.

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