Easy chocolate graveyard cake is extra moist and requires just a few simple ingredients to create a perfect Halloween graveyard dessert.
Last Friday my brother got married! It was seriously such a gorgeous wedding, and I wish I would have taken more pictures of it all. Burken and I were both part of the wedding party, and had such a blast seeing friends and family during the day and night.
Like all good weddings, they go by way too fast. Before we knew it, it was midnight and the reception was ending. Everyone was feeling a little rough the next day, but that’s just the sign of a good night!
This ominous chocolate graveyard cake is not to represent their marriage. It just so happened that this was what was planned on my calendar to share with all of you today.
Also, I wanted something super simple to put together that {honestly} wouldn’t require much brain power. Because let’s be honest, there wasn’t much going on after this entire weekend’s festivities.
An extra-moist chocolate graveyard cake could seriously not be any easier. If you’re looking for the perfect dessert to take to a Halloween party, yet doesn’t require a whole lot of effort, this one was made for you.
Three simple ingredients in easy chocolate graveyard cake
We’re straying away from fancy here, and going with a simple chocolate cake mix for the base. I used Pillsbury cake mix, but your favorite will be just fine.
Rather than oil and water, I opted for pumpkin puree. The moisture in pumpkin is incredible, and made for an extremely moist cake.
Stir in some eggs and you’ve got your cake base ready to go.
Decorating tombstones for your chocolate graveyard cake
While your cake is baking, it’s time to decorate those tombstones. Because what is a graveyard if it has no tombstones?
Milano cookies make for the perfect tombstones, because they already have the perfect round shape needed.
Using a black gel icing, write RIP, or any other short phrases perfect for tombstones. This will start to dry onto the cookies while the cake finishes baking and cools.
Finishing touches on the chocolate graveyard cake
Once the cake has cooled completely, we top it with store-bought chocolate frosting. I know, this seems like a travesty knowing that I like to do so much from scratch. But, again, my brain didn’t have much juice left in it after this weekend, so simple was necessary.
To give that ‘dirt’ effect, simply crush up some Oreos and sprinkle over the top of the frosting. All that’s left to do is push the cookie tombstones into the cake. I added a few candy pumpkins for a little extra graveyard flare, but gummy worms and/or spiders would make it extra spooky!
Looking for other easy Halloween treats? Check these out!
Halloween Black Cat Sandwich Crackers
Halloween Eyeball Chocolate Cupcakes
Easy chocolate graveyard cake is extra moist and requires just a few simple ingredients to create a perfect Halloween graveyard dessert.
- 1 {15.25 oz} box chocolate cake mix
- 1 {15 oz} can pumpkin puree*
- 3 eggs
- 5-7 Milano cookies
- black gel icing
- 1 {16 oz} tub chocolate frosting
- 5-6 Oreo Thins, crushed**
- 5-7 candy pumpkins***
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Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9" x 13" pan with baking spray.
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In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, pumpkin puree and eggs.
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Spread the batter in an even layer in the prepared pan and bake for 34-38 minutes. Remove and let cool completely.
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Meanwhile, using the black gel icing, write RIP (or any other short "tombstone" phrases) on the top of the Milano cookies. Let dry.
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Once the cake has cooled completely, frost with the entire tub of chocolate frosting.****
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Sprinkle the crushed Oreos over the top of the cake. Press the "tombstones" into the cake in any order that you'd like.
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Space the pumpkins around the tombstones, or use candy spiders and gummy worms if you want it to look spookier.
*Note: make sure to use real pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The filling is sweetened and will make this cake extra sweet.
**Note: Place the Oreos in a large Ziploc bag and close the bag. Take a rolling pin and roll over the Oreos until crushed.
***Note: if you want your graveyard to look a little spookier, use gummy worms and candy spiders to decorate.
****Note: the frosting does not need to be spread smooth. Having some peaks and valleys will make it look like a more realistic grounds.