Poison Apple Cake
Poison Apple Cake - a 'poisoned apple' take on my most popular Halloween drip cake! Black cocoa makes it beautifully-black and delicious!
Equipment
- Baker's floured cooking spray (optional, but I prefer this to parchment rounds)
- cake scraper or pastry cutter (to smooth frosting)
- Squeeze bottle (or piping bag or a spoon - whatever you'd like to use to add the drip to your cake!)
Ingredients
Poison Apple cake layers
- 2 white cake mixes
- 1 cup unsalted butter 16 Tablespoons or 2 sticks, melted & cooled - use instead of oil
- 8 egg whites no yolks-you can use egg whites from a carton to avoid wasting the yolks
- 2 cups buttermilk room temperature - use instead of water
- 2 tablespoons clear vanilla extract
- 3-4 large drops bright/lime green gel food coloring I used Americolor Electric green
Black Cocoa cream cheese buttercream
- 8 ounces cream cheese one package, softened
- 1 cup butter 16 Tablespoons or two sticks softened
- 5 ½ -6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup black cocoa powder Available on Amazon; this post explains why I love it so much!
- 4-6 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
- 3-4 large drops black gel food color use 5-6 large drops if using regular cocoa powder. I use black gel color pretty frequently especially around Halloween, so I bought this large bottle from Americolor!
Green cake drip & Decorations
- 6 ounces White Candy Melts (I used Wilton Bright White)
- 3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream (My favorite brand is very thick; you may need a bit less depending on the thickness of your cream)
- 2-3 drops lime green gel food coloring (add last; after candy melts are melted with whipping cream!)
- 1 medium/large apple (I used a green Granny Smith apple)
Instructions
Poison Apple cake layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans with baker's floured cooking spray, or grease and line with parchment rounds.
- Mix together all wet ingredients (butter, egg whites, buttermilk, vanilla, and gel food color) in a large bowl with a mixer or wire whisk. Blend in cake mixes for 30 seconds until moistened, then beat for 2 minutes until well combined.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans – it helps to run an offset spatula or knife around the perimeter of the pan first. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
Black cocoa frosting
- Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with cocoa powder and milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla, black gel color, and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
- Once your cakes are cool, level them (if needed). This can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler.
- Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting.
- Add your next cake layer on top, and repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
- Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer.
- Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. I like to use an offset spatula and bench scraper for this part. Once your cake is covered, place it into the fridge or freezer to set the frosting. (This is a great time to make and color your ganache drip mixture!)
Cake Drip & Decorations
- Place heavy cream and candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl (don't add the color yet!) and microwave on 50% power in 30-second intervals until smooth, stirring in between. Once the mixture is completely melted and smooth, add in the gel color and mix until the color is even.
- Once your ganache has cooled to a moderate temperature - it should be liquid but not hot so it doesn't melt your frosting - transfer about half to a squeeze bottle or piping bag. You can use a spoon; it just won't give you quite as much control.
- Slowly drizzle candy melt ganache around the upper edge of your cake, pausing every inch or so to let more fall in a drip down the side of the cake. Use a bit more of the mixture to cover the top of the cake, then transfer back to the bowl.
- Holding it by the stem, dip apple into drip mixture, turning to all sides until well coated. Transfer to the cake top.
- And you're done! Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.)
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 752kcalCarbohydrates: 98gProtein: 9gFat: 38g
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Mentioned in post
Black Cocoa Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
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I’ve been tasked with making a Beatle juice cake for a birthday coming up and I’m going to make your Poison Apple Cake (minus the apple) and go from there. If it turns out I will put a photo on your site. Looks delish
Sounds amazing! Definitely let me know how it goes!!
I made your poison apple cake and it was delicious. I’m looking forward to making more of your cake recipes.
Awesome! Thank you so much! 🙂 Made my day 🙂