If you’re looking for a fun and delicious way to celebrate Halloween, this Brownie Monster Cake is just for you! It’s a combination of fudgy brownies, creamy vanilla buttercream, and a whole lot of colorful monster madness. This recipe makes an impact but is so easy to decorate. You do not need to be a cake decorator to do this design and I love that! Topped with candy eyes, these little creatures will be the talk of any dessert table!
Recipe Tips:
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: When making the buttercream, ensure your butter is at room temperature. This helps achieve a smooth and fluffy frosting that’s easy to pipe.
- Prevent Over Mixing the Brownie Batter: When combining the wet and dry ingredients for the brownies, be careful not to over mix. Over mixing can result in tough brownies. Stir just until the ingredients are incorporated.
- Line Your Springform Pan: To prevent the brownie from sticking, line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper. This will make it much easier to remove the brownie without any mess or breaking.
- Cool Completely Before Decorating: Let the brownies cool completely before you start piping the buttercream. If the brownie is even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and lose its shape.
- Chill Buttercream for Piping: If your buttercream gets too soft while decorating, you can chill it for 5-10 minutes in the fridge to help firm it up for more defined monster textures.
- Gel Food Coloring for Vibrant Colors: Gel food coloring is best for buttercream because it provides bold colors without thinning out the frosting. Start with a small amount and build up the intensity to your liking. For this design I used 4 different colors but feel free to use as many as you’d like!
- Piping Tip Practice: If you’re new to using piping tips, practice on a sheet of parchment paper before piping onto the brownie. This way, you can get the hang of the pressure needed to create the right monster texture with tip #233.
- Candy Eyes Placement: Place the candy eyes on the buttercream right after piping while the frosting is still soft, so they stick well. You can mix and match different sizes of candy eyes for variety.
- Storage Tips: If you’re not serving the cake right away, store it in the fridge to keep the buttercream firm. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes to soften the buttercream just enough for easy slicing.
With these tips, your Brownie Monster Cake will not only look amazing but taste incredible too!
This Brownie Monster Cake is not only delicious, but it’s also a ton of fun to make—perfect for getting kids involved or for wowing guests at a spooky gathering. Happy baking!
Monster Brownie Cake
If rich, chocolate packed, fudge brownies are your thing than you're going to want to make this brownie cake! The vanilla frosting is light and sweet and pairs perfectly with the deep chocolate brownies. Adding the monsters on top makes this perfect for a Halloween treat!
Ingredients
For the brownies:
- 1 cup salted butter melted
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Ghirardelli cocoa powder
- 1 cup Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips you can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate if you prefer!
For the frosting:
- ¾ cup salted butter room temperature
- 2 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- gel food coloring
- candy eyes
Instructions
For the brownies:
- Preheat the oven to 350° and grease and line a 9 inch springform with parchment paper. You can also use a 9 inch cake pan. In a large bowl combine melted butter, oil, granulated and brown sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk quickly for 30-60 seconds until light in color.
- Sift in flour, cocoa powder and salt. Mix lightly until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and use a spatula to fold them in. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 30 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles. If you want fudgy brownies, do not over bake! If you prefer cakey brownies, bake for 5-8 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the butter and powdered sugar for 1-2 minutes until combined and smooth. Add in the vanilla, salt and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and beat until smooth. Add in additional heavy cream to get the consistency you prefer. Once smooth, divide the frosting into the amount of bowls you need for the different colored monsters. Dye each bowl a different color (I used 4 different colors)
For assembly:
- Add the grass piping tip (#233) to a piping bag. Add in the first frosting color and pipe monster shapes spaced out around the brownies. Switch out colors and repeat until the cake is covered. Top with candy eyes, slice and serve!