I had so much fun making my spider cake last week I wanted to make another Halloween-inspired cake. This brain cake recipe is equal parts spooky and delicious!

It’s made with tender red velvet cake layers, pink cream cheese buttercream, and raspberry jam blood. I love this design because it’s relatively easy to make and you don’t need any fancy pans or molds.

Making this Brain Cake: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Let’s walk through each step of this brain cake together to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible.

Step 1: Make the Red Velvet Cake Layers

Fill three greased and lined 8-inch round cake pans with red velvet cake batter (following the recipe at the bottom of this post) and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Bake time can vary quite a bit based on your oven, so keep an eye on the cake once it’s been in the oven for 24-28 minutes.

Let the cake layers cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter. Carefully flip the layers out of their pans and place them on a wire rack to finish cooling.

I chose not to level the layers because they bake up pretty flat.

Stack the cake layers on top of each other and cut 2 sides of the cake to create an oval/brain shape (about 1 inch off of each side). Use a small, sharp knife to make the top of the cake a bit more rounded.

If your cake layers seem to be tearing or you’re having a hard time cutting them, pop the cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes. It will help them keep their shape better and make them a lot easier to cut.

Once the layers are frosted and stacked, trim the cake as needed to give it a rounded, brain shape. If you’re making these cake layers in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

Step 2: Make the Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the cream cheese buttercream frosting with either an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer.

If your frosting seems too thick after mixing together all your ingredients, add in additional cream (1 tablespoon at a time). Or if the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time).

If you’re unsure how thick your frosting should be, you can learn what consistency you’re looking for in my frosting consistency post.

Once the frosting reaches the desired consistency, add a small squirt of red food coloring and mix until the frosting is a light shade of pink and evenly colored.

Cover the pink frosting with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming, then set aside.

Step 3: Stack and Crumb Coat the Cake Layers

Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or large plate, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board. Spread an even layer of frosting between each cake layer.

Once the layers are frosted and stacked, trim the cake as needed with a small, sharp knife to give it a rounded, brain-like shape.

Then add a thin coat of frosting around the cake that fully covers the cake layers.

Smooth using an offset spatula or small acetate sheet, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Step 4: Pipe Pink Frosting on the Chilled Cake

Then it’s time for the best part, piping on the brain matter! Place the remaining pink frosting in a large piping bag fit with a large round tip like an Ateco 805 or a Wilton 1A.

Remove the cake from the fridge or freezer and use an offset spatula or butter knife to create a line down the center of the cake to create the right and left hemispheres of the brain.

Pipe squiggly lines on each side of the cake to look like a brain.

Once the cake is fully covered, chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) again until the frosting is completely firm to the touch.

Step 5: Take Things Up a Notch with Jam “Blood“

While the cake chills, place the seedless raspberry or strawberry jam, 3 tablespoons of water, and a squirt of red gel food coloring in a small bowl. Whisk together until the jam has a thinner, smooth consistency and is bright red.

Remove the cake from the fridge or freezer and use a pastry brush to spread a thick layer of the jam mixture over the pink frosting.

Make sure you get the jam “blood” into all the nooks and crannies between the frosting squiggles. Then add a bit around the base to make this cake look even scarier and enjoy!

Substitutions and Swaps – Red Velvet Cake Layers

This Halloween brain cake uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have all of them on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake recipe.

• Cake Flour – This recipe turns out best with cake flour, but you can use a gluten-free flour blend if that’s all you have on hand. Or if you can’t find cake flour you can make your own using this technique.
• Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the cake layers.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this cake recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and also omit the salt)!
• Eggs – If you have an egg allergy you can try using flaxseed eggs or an egg replacer but it will affect the texture of the layers.
• Buttermilk – You can also use full-fat yogurt, sour cream, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy-free.
• Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or even sunflower oil would work great!

Substitutions and Swaps – Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and omit the salt)!
• Cream Cheese – The full-fat version that comes in a brick works best for this recipe. If you don’t like cream cheese frosting, use additional butter in place of the cream cheese in this recipe.
• Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• Gel food coloring – Natural food coloring (like raspberry powder) or liquid food coloring can be used if needed.

Can I Make This Brain Cake Ahead of Time?

I highly recommend making the cake layers in advance and freezing them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

You can also make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to stir it well once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!

Remove the cake from the fridge an hour or two before you plan to cut into it to allow it to come to room temperature.

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

How Many People Does This Cake Feed?

Because this cake is trimmed down quite a bit, it feeds about 20 people. For more information on cake sizes and servings, check out my cake portion guide.

Recipe Variations – Making This Cake in Different Sizes

If you want to make a tiered cake or different-sized cake with this recipe, check out my cake batter calculator to see how many batches of batter you’ll need.

Tips for Making the Best Brain Cake:

• Properly measure the flour. Either spoon it into the cup measure, then level with a knife, or
• Ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
• Chill the cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. This makes them easier to stack and frost.
• Make sure the buttercream is the right consistency before frosting your cake. It will help give your cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
• Use gel food coloring to avoid throwing off the consistency of the frosting and cake layers or giving them a bitter taste.
• Make this brain cake vegan or dairy-free if needed! Use your favorite type of dairy-free milk to replace the buttermilk and heavy cream, and use vegan butter sticks in place of the butter. For the eggs, I recommend using an egg replacer like this.
• Don’t stress if your piped frosting isn’t perfect or if there are some small gaps, the frosting is going to get completely coated in jam and no one will notice!!
• Use the leftover cake trimmings to make cake pops, enjoy them as a snack with leftover buttercream, or crumble up the layers and sprinkle on top of ice cream! Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make this Halloween brain cake, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Let me know by leaving a rating below.

If you plan to share on social media, be sure to tag me @chelsweets and #chelsweets so I can see your amazing creations!

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