Description

This ‘poisoned’ apple Halloween cake is a spooky and delicious treat perfect for a Halloween party. Featuring moist chocolate sponge layers dyed with red food coloring, layered and covered with creamy soft cheese icing, and topped with shiny toffee apples, crushed bourbon creams, and dark chocolate trees, this cake combines rich flavors and festive decorations for a showstopping centerpiece.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

200ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
350g plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
300g light soft brown sugar
284ml pot buttermilk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
25ml (5 tsp) red food colouring gel (e.g., Dr. Oetker)
3 large eggs

For the Decoration

3 red apples
200g caster sugar
½ tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp golden syrup
75g dark chocolate
50g bourbon creams, finely crushed

Icing

150g salted butter, at room temperature
400g icing sugar
200g tub full-fat soft cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Preheat and prepare tins. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 (180°C, fan 160°C). Grease and line two deep 20cm cake tins with baking paper on base and sides to prevent sticking.
Mix dry ingredients. Sift together plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the light soft brown sugar and 1 tsp fine salt, mixing well to combine.
Prepare wet ingredients. In a large jug, combine vegetable oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, 4 tsp red food colouring, and 50ml water. Add the eggs and whisk the mixture until smooth and well combined.
Combine wet and dry. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry mixture and whisk gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix to maintain a tender crumb.
Divide and bake. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared cake tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake has risen and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool cakes. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely, ensuring even layers and easier icing.
Prepare apples for toffee. Remove stalks from the apples and firmly push wooden skewers halfway into their cores. Ensure the skewers are secure to hold the apples during dipping. Line a baking tray with baking paper for the toffee apples.
Make the toffee. In a medium-large saucepan, combine caster sugar, lemon juice, and 50ml water. Warm over low heat for 3-4 minutes until sugar dissolves, swirling the pan gently but not stirring. Then, add golden syrup, increase heat to medium, and let bubble gently for 4-5 minutes until the toffee reaches 150°C on a sugar thermometer or reaches ‘hard crack’ stage.
Test the toffee. To test without a thermometer, drop a teaspoon of toffee into cold water; it should harden and become brittle immediately. If not, cook a little longer and retest.
Dip apples in toffee. Holding the skewer ends, dip each apple into the hot toffee, turning to coat fully. Allow excess to drip off, then place on lined baking tray. Once toffee has set but remains slightly soft, gently wiggle and twist the skewer to remove it without cracking the coating. Reheat toffee gently if it starts setting.
Prepare icing. In a bowl, beat salted butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the full-fat soft cheese spoonful by spoonful, then add vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and combined.
Slice cake layers. Using a serrated bread knife, carefully slice each cooled sponge horizontally to create four evenly sized layers. Use a small guideline about 0.5cm deep to assist in even cutting.
Assemble cake layers. Sandwich the sponge layers together by spreading a few tablespoons of icing between each. Then spread the remaining icing thickly over the entire cake, smoothing the top and sides with a palette knife or icing scraper. Create swirls and slight ridges on the icing sides and top for texture. Chill the assembled cake for 1 hour to set the icing.
Pipe chocolate trees. Line a baking tray with nonstick paper. Melt dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, then transfer to a piping bag or freezer bag with the tip snipped off. Pipe 15-20 chocolate trees of various sizes onto the paper, using a drawn template underneath to guide shapes. Chill for 15 minutes or until chocolate is firm.
Decorate cake. Spoon crushed bourbon creams into the cake center. Arrange the toffee apples on top, pressing them gently into the icing to secure. Sprinkle more crushed biscuits around the apple edges and press the rest around the cake base creating a wavy pattern. Attach chocolate trees around the cake sides and among the toffee apples by pressing gently into the icing and sponge to secure. Your spooky poisoned apple Halloween cake is now ready to slice and serve.

Notes

Freeze the undecorated cake layers separately; use within 3 months for best flavor and texture.
Do not stir the sugar mixture while making toffee to prevent graininess; swirl gently instead.
Use a sugar thermometer for best accuracy with toffee, aiming for 150°C (hard crack stage).
Be careful when handling hot toffee to avoid burns.
Ensure cake layers are cooled completely before slicing and icing to prevent melting.
Chill the decorated cake to set the icing and decorations before serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/18th of cake)
Calories: 320 kcal
Sugar: 28 g
Sodium: 150 mg
Fat: 18 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg