Frankenstein's Cake

Frankenstein’s Cake (2025 Edition)

It’s alive . . . and it’s delicious.

Every October, my kitchen gets a little haunted—in the best way possible. And this frightfully fun cake? It's something I created years ago when I was first leaning to work with fondant.

This year, Frankenstein’s Cake rises again, inspired by none other than Mary Shelley’s classic novel and a curious spark of imagination that once led me to write The Baker’s Man.

You see, it all started with the idea of stitching something beautiful together from broken pieces. What if a woman could create a man out of dough the way Dr. Frankenstein stitched life into his creation? What if a baker’s creation could spark a story?

And so—while this cake may be spooky—it’s also a sweet reminder of how stories come alive, how inspiration can strike from the unlikeliest places . . . even an old horror novel.

This particular cake is chocolatey, rich, and dramatic (with a flair for the theatrical, just like our favorite misunderstood monster). Whether you’re throwing a Halloween party, hosting a book club with a dark-and-stormy theme, or just craving something wickedly good, you’ll want to resurrect this recipe.

Optional spooky ideas for Halloween cakes: extra drizzle of dark chocolate, chopped toffee “bolts,” or edible eyes for dramatic effect. Or go bold and stencil the iconic face in fondant like I did here. (If you're more of a cozy ghoul, powdered sugar ghost prints work too.)

So go on! Bake something delightfully eerie. Just don’t be surprised if this cake brings your own creative spark back to life.

Frankenstein's Cake

Serves: 8–12 people

Level of Difficulty: Carving out Frankie, pretty darn tough, but do-able!

Ingredients

For cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 cup milk, buttermilk, almond, or coconut milk

½ cup vegetable, canola oil, or melted coconut oil

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

For the vanilla buttercream

1 cup (230 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt, adjust to taste

For Frankenstein

black fondant

print out of Frankenstein silhouette

How to Make

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.

2. For the chocolate cake: Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.

3. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.

4. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.

5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.

6. For the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth.

7. Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed at first, then increase to medium speed and continue mixing for another 1-2 minutes until the mixture starts to come together.

8. Add in the heavy cream (start with 2 tablespoons and add a little more if needed), vanilla extract, and salt and continue mixing on medium-high speed for another minute or until everything is well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

9. For Frankenstein: Print off your favorite Frankenstein silhouette, and carve it into black fondant. Place on top of cake.