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Bleeding cake with blood

Halloween Bleeding Cake

dana vento
Simple, gory, and tasty Halloween cake with a blood red drip!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Additional Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Course Recipes

Equipment

  • Cake Pans
  • Cooling Racks
  • Knife
  • Icing Spreading Tool
  • Spatula

Ingredients
  

  • For the Cake
  • 2 Boxed Cakes Prepared and cooled.
  • Cake Pans
  • Cooling Rack
  • Cake Platter
  • The Icing
  • White Icing - Purchase
  • Blood Red Ganache - Recipe In Post
  • Knife

Instructions
 

  • Bake 2 packages of boxed cake mix according to box directions.
  • Allow them to cool. (a few hours).
  • Once cakes are cooled. Carefully slice each cake in 1/2. (4 pieces)
  • Prepare white icing or use store-bought white icing (easiest and fastest).
  • Create the Blood Red Ganache about 10-15 minutes before you are ready to use it after cakes have fully cooled.
  • Begin with the base layer, and add icing(store-bought) or you can make a ganache filling using my Simple Ganache Recipe.
  • Cover with a layer of sliced cake, and then repeat with icing ganache filling (whichever you are choosing).
  • Then layer the next 1/2 of the cake, repeating the above process until you've used all of the halved pieces, but do not ICE the top.
  • Next, before icing, the cake, TRIM the entire cake about 1/2" to an 1" all the way around to make it more narrow in appearance.
  • *Optional --Reserve the trimmed cake and you could create cake pops if you so desire later, or use it in homemade birthday cake ice cream.
  • Once your cake is trimmed, ice the cake with white icing you are using for the filling and the icing.
  • Allow the icing to set up (refrigerate if necessary).
  • Once your cake is iced and set, it's time to add the blood.
  • Do not make the blood-red ganache until you are done icing the cake and it is heading to the fridge to set up.
  • Use prepared & cooled Blood Red Ganache and spread across the top and then along the sides.
  • Allow this to set again in the refrigerator.
  • Once set, add in the knife and enjoy your DIY Halloween Bleeding Cake with Knife.
  • Serve.
  • Cake can be left on countertop for up to 72 hours, but it is best refrigerated.

Notes

Red Ganache should not be made until you are ready for it.
Do allow the Blood Red Ganache to COOL before you use it.
Buttercream icing can be made while the cake is cooling.
Using a white cake makes it easier to COVER with White icing and less chance of SEEING THROUGH the cake.
Trimming the exterior of the cake allows for more TIGHT coverage and a taller looking, slimmer cake, which makes the overall presentation much better (IMO)
Reserve the bowl of trimmed cake to make cake pops (optional).
Allow the cake to be refrigerated as listed in-between steps it helps with the icing/frosting and ganache layers.
You can use a real knife or a play knife. I used a costume knife so that there are no accidental mishaps.
However, if your knife is not food-grade you do want to take care to cover the tip of the inserted knife.
If you want to go all out, make blood-red tinted icing for between the cake layers, I did not do that.
You can flavor your icing with vanilla or almond (the white) just make sure that it is CLEAR, not brown or it will alter the color of the cake icing.
Serve on a WHITE platter for impact or a black platter.