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Chocolate Potato Skull Cake for #SundaySupper

September 28, 2014 By Renee 48 Comments

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Chocolate Potato Skull Cake | Magnolia Days

Halloween is simply a whole bunch of fun. Kids of all ages look forward to a special night filled with treats of all kinds. There is the treat of putting on a costume and going out looking very different than usual. I typically go for something funny or unique and make homemade Halloween costumes. There is the treat of celebrating and spending time with family and friends. One very special treat is the food prepared for the occasion. I had such fun baking this Chocolate Potato Skull Cake as it was an adventure all its own.

How did this cake adventure begin? The Idaho Potato Commission reached out to Sunday Supper and invited us to make fun and spooky Halloween potato recipes. I was all over it. For whatever reason, a sweet treat popped into my head first. I looked for cookies made with potatoes but the only ones I found were savory and would not be a good candidate for cutout decorated cookies. Then I discovered this awesome skull cake pan, ordered it, and couldn’t wait for it to arrive.

Chocolate Potato Skull Cake | Magnolia Days

The adventure was going well until decorating time. The cake popped out of the pan flawlessly. My husband suggested I use a vanilla frosting and I agreed. So I whipped up a batch of frosting and went to it. That is when the adventure took a challenging turn. The face kept sliding down. The angle was too much. Multiple bamboo skewers would not hold it in place. A little of the jaw in front broke off. I finally had to slice off a wedge from of the back to make it less of an angle. That did the trick. Frosting patched and covered up the broken jaw. I used a dollop of frosting to secure eyeball gumballs in the eye sockets. I put it on a platter and surrounded it with crushed chocolate graham crackers to look like dirt and scattered more gumballs around it. Total success in the end.

You know what is funny? It almost looks like this cake is covered with mashed potatoes. The Idaho® potato is in the cake and not the frosting. Vanilla buttercream frosting gives an imperfect aged look of a skull and it is also happens to be bone-colored. The cake is moist, rich, chocolate-y and no one will know it has potato in it unless you tell them. I think the potato contributes to the cake’s moistness along with buttermilk.

Chocolate Potato Skull Cake | Magnolia Days

What food do you make for Halloween? Do you decorate it for the occasion? You have got to check out all the fun and spooky potato recipes my fellow Sunday Supper contributors are sharing. Scroll down to find the list and be prepared to smile and get hungry when you see them. Also look at our Fun and Creepy Halloween Recipes Pinterest board. A very special thanks to my friend Terry who graciously let me borrow her beautiful black platter for the photos.

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More on Idaho Potato Commission: You can follow them on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and their website.

Chocolate Potato Skull Cake | Magnolia Days
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Chocolate Potato Skull Cake

This Chocolate Potato Skull Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting will be a hit your Halloween or Day of the Dead party. It's fun and delicious too.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Author Renee

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 large Idaho® russet potato enough to yield 1 cup mashed potato
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted plus more for dusting pan
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 cups confectioners sugar sifted
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons half-n-half
  • To decorate if using skull cake pan:
  • Eyeball gumballs
  • Crushed chocolate graham crackers

Instructions

For the cake:

  1. Peel and dice the potato and place in a saucepan. Cover with 1-inch of water. Do not add salt to the water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender. Drain water. Mash potato until smooth (no lumps!). Allow to cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a skull cake pan or 2 9-inch round cake pans. Dust pan(s) with cocoa powder.
  3. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
  4. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well after each addition. Add 1 cup mashed potato and mix to combine. (Reserve any remaining potato for another use if desired).
  5. Add flour mixture, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until just combined after each addition (do not over-mix).
  6. Transfer batter to prepared pan(s), dividing equally and spreading evenly in the pan(s).
  7. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. It could be anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending on the pan used (skull cake pan takes longer). Check every few minutes after 30 minutes of baking time.
  8. Cool cake in the pan(s) for 10 minutes then remove cake from pan(s) and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting:

  1. Beat butter until creamy. Add vanilla and salt and beat to combine.
  2. Add confectioners sugar and beat with enough half-and-half to reach desired spreading consistency.
  3. Spread frosting between cake layers and on sides and top of cake.
  4. If using skull cake pan, do not spread frosting in the eye or nose indentions or over teeth area. Put a very small dollop of frosting in the center of each eye indention. Press gumball on each dollop of frosting.
  5. Spread crushed graham crackers on the serving plate around the skull cake. Place more gumballs around the cake.

Recipe Notes

This Chocolate Potato Skull Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting will be a hit at your Halloween or Day of the Dead celebrations.

Recipe adapted from Chocolate Potato Cake on Taste of Home

It’s time to get ready for Halloween! Check out these recipes using Idaho® potatoes you can make for your celebration:

Fun and Spooky Potato Savory Bites:

  • A Bowlful of Creepy Crawlies by kimchi MOM
  • Bloody Mary Potatoes by The Messy Baker
  • Devilish Potato Mummies by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
  • Halloween Baked Potato Skin Pizzas by Alida’s Kitchen
  • Jack O’Lantern Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Peppers by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
  • Jalapeno Chili Stuffed Potato Mummies by Feed Me, Seymour
  • Loaded Mashed Potato Spider Web Casserole by NeighborFood
  • Mashed Potato Grave by Peanut Butter and Peppers
  • Mashed Potato Monsters by Ruffles & Truffles
  • Monster Mash Potatoes by Curious Cuisiniere
  • Roasted Potato Eyeballs by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
  • Roasted Potato Graveyard by Take A Bite Out of Boca
  • Spooky Halloween Potatoes Graveyard by Clarks Condensed
  • Spooky Spiderweb Loaded Mashed Potato Cakes by Rhubarb and Honey
  • Stuffed Potato Spiders by Family Foodie
  • Twice Baked Potato Graves by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
  • Twice Baked Potato Mummies Covered with Roaches by The Wimpy Vegetarian

Fun and Spooky Potato Sweet Treats:

  • Chocolate Potato Skull Cake by Magnolia Days
  • Potato Candy Spiders by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  • Chocolate Raspberry Ghoulash by Desserts Required

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Disclosures: This post is sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission. All opinions are my own. This post contains an affiliate link to Amazon (skull cake pan).

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Filed Under: Cake Tagged With: cake, chocolate, Halloween, recipe, skull

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Comments

  1. Alida says

    September 28, 2014 at 6:19 am

    What an impressive cake! You did an amazing job Renee. And I’m intrigued by chocolate potato cake…must try it!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:12 am

      Thanks Alida

      Reply
  2. Liz says

    September 28, 2014 at 7:24 am

    LOL, I think I needed you on speed dial when I was making my spiders…we could have given each other pep talks! But your skull cake turned out perfectly! Terrific Halloween dessert!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:11 am

      You potato candy spiders turned out great too. And next time we have a challenge like this we should give each other a call.

      Reply
  3. Jennie @themessybakerblog says

    September 28, 2014 at 8:26 am

    Renee, this cake is absolutely amazing! That is one creepy skull. Pinned.

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:11 am

      Thank you Jennie and I really appreciate the pin.

      Reply
  4. Renee - Kudos Kitchen says

    September 28, 2014 at 8:52 am

    LOL. This cake sounds like it was a complete challenge to make and frost. But you know what? It looks fantastic! At first I did think it was frosted with mashed potatoes. Anyway, it turned out great, Renee!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:10 am

      At least next time I make a cake in this pan I’ll know to cut off an angle in the back before frosting and putting it together. It will be much easier that way.

      Reply
  5. Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says

    September 28, 2014 at 9:00 am

    I love how spooky this turned out!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:09 am

      Thanks Brianne

      Reply
  6. Susan says

    September 28, 2014 at 9:06 am

    Well if you hadn’t told us we’d never know you had trouble. The cake looks incredible and potatoes are good in desserts! So now which part of the skull to start with first?

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:09 am

      Funny you should ask since I also had a time deciding which part of the skull to cut first. My husband cut off the back of the head. I went for the jaw.

      Reply
  7. Cindys Recipes and Writings says

    September 28, 2014 at 9:14 am

    Wow Renee sooooo scary! 😉

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:07 am

      Thanks Cindy

      Reply
  8. Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says

    September 28, 2014 at 9:54 am

    Wow Renee! I never would have thought of a chocolate potato cake! I love it! Your design, idea is perfect! I am impressed!!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:07 am

      Thanks a bunch Jennifer

      Reply
  9. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says

    September 28, 2014 at 10:42 am

    How creepy! I want a piece!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:06 am

      I wish I could send you a piece right now.

      Reply
  10. The Wimpy Vegetarian says

    September 28, 2014 at 12:54 pm

    What a fantastic idea! I’ve never thought to put potatoes in cakes – now I’ve got a whole new thing to experiment with! And the skull looks perfect. It doesn’t look like you ever had a problem with it!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:04 am

      I can see you baking a cake with potato for sure. Glad you discovered it here.

      Reply
  11. Kimberly says

    September 28, 2014 at 1:57 pm

    WOW … I am so impressed with this cake … great job!

    And it sound positively divine too!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:03 am

      It is totally divine. It is a chocolate cake and that is always a good thing.

      Reply
  12. Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) says

    September 28, 2014 at 2:36 pm

    Ok, this cake is it. I absolutely love it! So creepy and it sounds amazing!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:03 am

      Thank you Kim

      Reply
  13. Hezzi-D says

    September 28, 2014 at 2:43 pm

    This is so creepy looking! So awesome Renee!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:02 am

      Thanks Heather

      Reply
  14. Shaina says

    September 28, 2014 at 2:55 pm

    At first glance, I totally did think you frosted your cake with mashed potatoes!!! Part of me was like, wow, Renee, that’s creative and the other part of me was like, wow, Renee, that’s gross! LOL. Glad to know it’s vanilla frosting 🙂 I will have to try using potatoes in a cake sometime, sounds so interesting!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:02 am

      Too funny Shaina. I could not imagine a cake covered in mashed potatoes.

      Reply
  15. Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen says

    September 28, 2014 at 6:43 pm

    I was laughing at your description of the face falling off, but you would never know it. The cake looks so creepishly good!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:02 am

      Thanks Bobbi and I’m glad I made you laugh. Everyone needs a good laugh every now and then.

      Reply
  16. Courtney @ Neighborfood says

    September 28, 2014 at 8:28 pm

    I totally thought this was made of potatoes at first. I love that it’s actually hidden in the cake though!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 9:01 am

      I think the frosting tricks people into thinking it is covered in potatoes which is another reason it is great for Halloween.

      Reply
  17. Katie says

    September 28, 2014 at 9:33 pm

    Seriously spectacular! As soon as you showed me that pan, I knew this was going to be a fun post! You’d never know there were troubles as you assembled -it looks creepy and awesome! I really want to try making a cake with potato in it now!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 8:59 am

      Thanks Katie

      Reply
  18. Family Foodie says

    September 28, 2014 at 10:28 pm

    You know what? I did think that was potato frosting (rather than cake)! This sounds delicious and looks like Hannibal Lecter’s favorite Halloween treat. 😉

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 8:59 am

      I’m now wondering is there is a way to incorporate potato into frosting. Hmmm…

      Reply
  19. Amy Kim (@kimchi_mom) says

    September 29, 2014 at 9:37 am

    This is SERIOUSLY AWESOME AND SPOOKY!

    What is the texture of the cake like?

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 8:58 am

      The texture of the cake is similar to a pound cake but not quite as dense. I’d say a medium texture in the cake world.

      Reply
  20. Betsy @ Desserts Required says

    September 29, 2014 at 3:05 pm

    Until I read your post and recipe, I really did think the skull was covered in mashed potatoes. This is fantastic…in a terrifying, creepy, Halloween way!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 8:57 am

      Thanks Besty

      Reply
  21. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

    September 29, 2014 at 7:09 pm

    You did an amazing job! The cake is super spooky and cool, plus I bet it was delish!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 8:56 am

      Yes, the cake is very delish – rich and chocolate-y.

      Reply
  22. Nancy @ gottagetbaked says

    October 1, 2014 at 12:37 pm

    Renee, I can’t tell you how much I love this cake! It is so deliciously creepy and ghoulish and macabre. I’ve been buying up Halloween decorations like nobody’s business in the past month and now that it’s October 1st, it’s all going up in my house! I appreciate your cake even more after reading about all the trouble it gave you with the broken jaw ‘n slipping face. You fixed it up like a champ!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 8:54 am

      Thanks Nancy and I can tell you have fun with Halloween. I hope you give this cake a try.

      Reply
  23. Stacy says

    October 2, 2014 at 5:57 am

    I’ve been trying to get over here all week to see your amazing skull cake! It came out beautifully and the joy of icing is that it tastes delicious while covering any structural defects. I’ve made bread with mashed potatoes so it never occurred to me that they weren’t in your batter but I do see how some people could be confused.

    Thought for a future event: Meatloaf in the skull pan, indeed covered by creamed potatoes. You are welcome. 🙂

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 8:52 am

      What an excellent thought – meatloaf in that pan then covered with mashed potatoes. Brilliant Stacy and thanks!

      Reply
  24. Becca from It's Yummi! says

    October 3, 2014 at 8:34 pm

    Oh my gosh… this is SO creepy, but wildly creative and fun, too!

    Reply
    • Renee says

      October 4, 2014 at 8:48 am

      Thanks Becca

      Reply

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