Halloween Vampire Traybake Cake

Oh the endless joy of baking and cake decorating during October time... Ghosts, zombies, spiders and of course vampires. This cake is simple and requires no crazy ingredients and looks good too! Just make sure you've got some yummy gummy vampire teeth on hand and strawberry sauce... We think this cake is so delicious and is a must-have addition for Halloween parties and festivities. Unfortunately this recipe cannot be substituted to be vegan as it uses eggs. Making this moist and delicious chocolate cake is easy and fun and you can go as crazy as you like with the blood splats. The chocolate cake is also a delicious base for many celebration traybake cakes, simply decorate to suit the celebration - so many options.

So without further ado, lets get on with our terrifying vampire cake!

Happy Cooking!

The Chai Home 😋

INGREDIENTS

Makes 1 large cake in a 36 x 24 cm tray

For the cake batter

• 8oz of room temperature butter

• 4x eggs

• 8oz of sieved self raising flour

• 3oz of caster sugar

• 3oz of muscovado sugar

• 2 oz of honey (or maple syrup)

• 2x capfuls of vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup of sieved cocoa powder

• 1x cup of natural yoghurt

For the chocolate part of the cake

• 3oz of butter

• 120g of dark chocolate

• 1x dessert spoon of instant coffee

• pinch of sea salt

• dash of warm water

For the icing

• 10oz of butter (room temperature)

• 6oz of icing sugar (sifted)

• 1x capful of vanilla extract

• dash of milk

For the decoration

• handful of vampire sweet teeth

• 1x bottle of strawberry sauce

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 190 C

In a small saucepan add the chocolate, butter and salt and melt on a low heat. Stir to ensure it does not stick or burn. Once melted take off the heat.

Add the water to the coffee and stir until dissolved and pour into the melted chocolate and mix together.

Add your butter, sugars and honey to your freestanding mixer or large mixing bowl and cream together on a medium speed.

Add the eggs and mix on a high speed until fully combined.

Now add the sieved flour and sieved cocoa powder and mix on a low speed until fully combined.

Add the yoghurt and vanilla and mix on a medium high speed until the batter is smooth.

Add the melted chocolate mixture and give it a quick mix to ensure it is fully combined together.

Transfer to your lined tray ( we used a silicone sheet ), smooth and place on the top shelf of the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Leave to cool fully ( I left it in the tray ) before icing and decorating.

Once the cake has cooled completely go ahead and make the buttercream icing.

Add all of the ingredients to a freestanding mixer bowl and mix together on a medium speed until the icing is creamy and smooth.

Add it to the top of your cake and smooth out evenly.

Now for the fun part. Go crazy with the strawberry sauce creating your blood splatters and then add your vampire teeth.

Slice, serve and enjoy!

Happy Halloween!