Skip to Content

Spooky Vampire Bat Cake

As we get closer to Halloween, my mind is completely filled with Halloween-themed cake ideas!!

This vampire bat cake is made with my black velvet cake recipe (which is naturally colored!!), frosted with my black buttercream frosting, and has a strawberry “blood” filling.

This makes for an epic cut. It’s the type of cake where you need to gather everyone around you before you cut in.

While it might seem gorey at first, the cute vampire bat cake kind of counteracts that!

This cake is just as spooky as it is silly 🙂 The full recipe can be found below, along with a quick video tutorial.

Recipes:

Bake four, seven inch chocolate cake rounds.

Vampire Bat Face

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the bat’s wings and facial features.

Use circle cutters to create the eyes, and wings.

Insert wooden skewers or tooth picks into the wings, to make it easier to secure them onto the cake.

Place the fondant details onto parchment paper to dry.

vampire bat fondant face

Filling The Vampire Bat Cake With “Blood”

Once fully cooled, use a 3 inch circle cutter to remove the centers of two of the layers.

Begin assembling the cake using an uncut cake layer.

Frost with an even layer of vanilla buttercream, then top with one of the cake layers.

Gently frost the cake ring, the stack with the other cut layer.

Spread an even layer of buttercream on top of the second cake ring, then smooth frosting into the cut-out center of the cake.

photo of adding strawberry jam into my vampire bat cake

Mix one squirt of red gel food coloring into the strawberry jam, and then carefully pour into the center of the cake.

Fill to the top, then place the last cake layer on top.

Cover the cake in a thin crumb coat, and chill in the freezer or fridge for about 5 minutes.

Decorating This Spooky Cake

Once the crumb coat is firm to the touch, add a second, thicker layer of frosting using the black chocolate buttercream.

Smooth using a bench scraper. You can see a full tutorial on how to frost a cake with smooth sides here.

Add facial features onto the side of the cake, and insert the wings 2/3 of the way up the cake, on each side of the face.

image of vampire bat cake

Then gather everyone around for the dramatic cut!!!

The strawberry jam will begin oozing out as soon as you remove the first slice, so be prepared!

image of sliced vampire bat cake with strawberry jam filling

Sunni Fuller

Friday 14th of August 2020

How far in advance do you make a cake with a jelly filing like this, if I make it the night before will it set right and not be soggy. Thank you

Lauren

Sunday 13th of October 2019

Do you put your cake in the fridge with the fondant decorations?

Chelsweets

Tuesday 15th of October 2019

Hi Lauren,

Usually I wait to add the big fondant decorations like the wings until right before the cake is cut into! However, it's fine to add the small facial features made of fondant ahead of time and refrigerate the cake. Hope that helps!

VALERIA Foster

Sunday 6th of October 2019

Chelsea, hi! What fondant do you use? I have made your spooky vampire bat cake and the wings are still not ready to be inserted (24 hours later).I use cheap fondant and also used coffee for extra moist cake. So, wings were just falling off:).

Thanks!

Chelsweets

Monday 7th of October 2019

Hi Valeria!

I use satin ice! I usually chill the cake and let the frosting firm up a bit before adding in the fondant decorations to help keep them in place. I also use pretty long skewers, and insert them at a downward angle to try to help keep them upright. I hope that helps!

Sometimes my fondant takes a bit of time to dry too, but I flip my pieces over about half way through,to make sure both the top and bottom have a chance to dry.I hope that helps, happy baking <3

Jasmine

Saturday 28th of October 2017

Do you use the black cocoa in the cake to get that dark color? Will it still taste ok using the black cocoa, or will it taste bitter?

Chelsweets

Sunday 29th of October 2017

Yup! it's not bitter at all, just a richer chocolate taste! It tastes like an oreo cookie!