These Red Velvet Skull Cakes are a spooky and delicious treat that's perfect for Halloween! Made with soft, moist red velvet cake, they're baked into festive skull shapes and lightly dusted with powdered sugar. They're easy to make and a fun addition to any Halloween party or dessert table!
These individual skull cakes are perfect for anyone who loves red velvet and wants a simple yet impressive Halloween dessert. The powdered sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness while highlighting the skull details. Plus, there's no need for frosting or decorating, making them an easy treat to whip up for spooky season!
A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED
- Room Temperature Ingredients:
- Eggs: You also want to make sure that the egg is at room temperature to ensure that it is properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave it out before you start baking, place it in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until it becomes room temperature.
- Measuring Your Ingredients:
- I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
- However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
- Oven Temperature:
- Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
- I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.
Mix together the softened butter, oil, and flour until combined. Carefully brush the mixture along the inside of a Skull Cakelet Pan, making sure to get into all the grooves, but not letting excess sit in one spot. Chill in the fridge until you're ready to bake.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Sift flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla with the mixer on low and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk, oil, vinegar and red gel food coloring to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix just until it is incorporated.
Carefully pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the batter out and gently tap the pan on the counter to avoid air bubbles. Bake for 24–25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edges and center of the pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack, and carefully turning the cake out. Let cake cool completely.
If any small specks of flour are seen on the surface of the cake, rub them away gently by hand or with a toothpick. Once the cakes are completely cool, carefully sift a light layer of powdered sugar over them. Enjoy!
Red Velvet Skull Cakes
These Red Velvet Skull Cakes are a spooky and delicious treat that's perfect for Halloween! Made with soft, moist red velvet cake, they're baked into festive skull shapes and lightly dusted with powdered sugar. They're easy to make and a fun addition to any Halloween party or dessert table!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
Pan Release
- 21 grams (1 ½ tbsp) softened unsalted butter
- 18 grams (1 ½ tbsp) vegetable oil
- 11 grams (1 ½ tbsp) all purpose flour
Red Velvet Skull Cakes
- 120 grams (1 cup) all purpose flour
- 10 grams (2 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 85 grams (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 160 grams (⅔ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 113 grams (½ cup) buttermilk
- 25 grams (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- ½ tsp red gel food coloring
- Powdered sugar, for topping
Instructions
Pan Release
- Mix together the softened butter, oil, and flour until combined.
- Carefully brush the mixture along the inside of a Skull Cakelet Pan, making sure to get into all the grooves, but not letting excess sit in one spot. Chill in the fridge until you're ready to bake.
Red Velvet Skull Cakes
- Preheat oven to 325º F.
- Sift flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla with the mixer on low and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk, oil, vinegar and red gel food coloring to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix just until it is incorporated.
- Carefully pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the batter out and gently tap the pan on the counter to avoid air bubbles.
- Bake for 24-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool for 5 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edges and center of the pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack, and carefully turning the cake out. Let cake cool completely.
- If any small specks of flour are seen on the surface of the cake, rub them away gently by hand or with a toothpick.
- Once the cakes are completely cool carefully sift a light layer of powdered sugar over them. Enjoy!
Notes
- Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days. It's best enjoyed reheated.
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