Halloween Graveyard Cake

When Halloween arrives, desserts take a spooky turn, and nothing steals the spotlight quite like a Halloween Graveyard Cake. This show-stopping centerpiece is not only delicious but also doubles as creepy table décor for your party. With a chocolate cake base, crushed cookie “dirt,” and edible decorations resembling tombstones, ghosts, and skeletons, this cake is both chilling and irresistible.

Whether you’re hosting a haunted house party, bringing a dessert to a Halloween potluck, or making a baking project with kids, this graveyard cake is guaranteed to wow your guests.

⚰️ Why You’ll Love This Graveyard Cake

• Perfectly Spooky: Looks like a haunted graveyard, complete with tombstones.
• Customizable: Add gummy worms, candy bones, or marshmallow ghosts for extra flair.
• Chocolate Lover’s Dream: Moist cake, creamy frosting, and cookie crumbs for “dirt.”
• Fun Activity: Decorating is half the fun—let your imagination run wild.

🛒 Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix (or homemade chocolate cake batter)
• 3 eggs (for cake mix)
• ½ cup vegetable oil (for cake mix)
• 1 cup water (for cake mix)
• 2 cups chocolate frosting
• 1 ½ cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (for dirt)
• 6–8 rectangular cookies (like Milano or graham crackers) for tombstones
• Black writing gel or melted chocolate (for tombstone writing)
• Gummy worms, candy bones, marshmallow ghosts (for decoration)
• Candy pumpkins (optional)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Bake cake: Prepare chocolate cake according to package or homemade recipe. Bake in a 9×13-inch pan. Let cool completely.
2. Frost base: Spread chocolate frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
3. Make dirt: Sprinkle crushed chocolate cookies over frosting to create a dirt-like surface.
4. Prepare tombstones: Use rectangular cookies as tombstones. Write “RIP” or spooky names with black gel or melted chocolate.
5. Decorate graveyard: Press tombstones into the cake. Scatter gummy worms, candy bones, marshmallow ghosts, and pumpkins around.
6. Serve: Keep refrigerated until ready to serve, then present your spooky edible graveyard.

Halloween Graveyard Cake

Spooky chocolate cake decorated with cookie tombstones, gummy worms, and candy for the ultimate Halloween party dessert.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Cooling & decorating time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 12 slices

Course: Dessert, Party

Cuisine: American, Halloween

Calories: 320

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 box chocolate cake mix or homemade batter
• 3 eggs for cake mix
• 0.5 cup vegetable oil for cake mix
• 1 cup water for cake mix
• 2 cups chocolate frosting
• 1.5 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies for dirt
• 6-8 rectangular cookies for tombstones
• black writing gel or melted chocolate for tombstone writing
• gummy worms for decoration
• candy bones for decoration
• marshmallow ghosts for decoration
• candy pumpkins optional

Equipment

• 9×13-inch baking pan
• Mixing bowls
• Spatula
• Piping bag or writing gel

Method

 

1. Prepare chocolate cake according to package or homemade recipe. Bake in 9×13-inch pan and cool completely.
2. Spread chocolate frosting evenly over cooled cake.
3. Sprinkle crushed sandwich cookies over frosting to resemble dirt.
4. Decorate rectangular cookies as tombstones using black gel or melted chocolate.
5. Insert tombstone cookies into cake and decorate with gummy worms, candy bones, marshmallow ghosts, and pumpkins.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Make ahead and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let kids decorate for a fun activity.

🍽️ Serving Ideas

• Serve in squares so each slice gets some “dirt” and a tombstone.
• Add dry ice in a bowl near the cake for an eerie fog effect at the table.
• Use different candies for each corner to make a varied spooky scene.