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

Chocolate Potato Skull Cake
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:
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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.
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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.
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Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
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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).
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Add flour mixture, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until just combined after each addition (do not over-mix).
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Transfer batter to prepared pan(s), dividing equally and spreading evenly in the pan(s).
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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.
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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:
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Beat butter until creamy. Add vanilla and salt and beat to combine.
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Add confectioners sugar and beat with enough half-and-half to reach desired spreading consistency.
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Spread frosting between cake layers and on sides and top of cake.
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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.
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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
Join 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).
Alida says
What an impressive cake! You did an amazing job Renee. And I’m intrigued by chocolate potato cake…must try it!
Renee says
Thanks Alida
Liz says
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!
Renee says
You potato candy spiders turned out great too. And next time we have a challenge like this we should give each other a call.
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
Renee, this cake is absolutely amazing! That is one creepy skull. Pinned.
Renee says
Thank you Jennie and I really appreciate the pin.
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
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!
Renee says
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.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
I love how spooky this turned out!
Renee says
Thanks Brianne
Susan says
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?
Renee says
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.
Cindys Recipes and Writings says
Wow Renee sooooo scary! 😉
Renee says
Thanks Cindy
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
Wow Renee! I never would have thought of a chocolate potato cake! I love it! Your design, idea is perfect! I am impressed!!
Renee says
Thanks a bunch Jennifer
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
How creepy! I want a piece!
Renee says
I wish I could send you a piece right now.
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
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!
Renee says
I can see you baking a cake with potato for sure. Glad you discovered it here.
Kimberly says
WOW … I am so impressed with this cake … great job!
And it sound positively divine too!
Renee says
It is totally divine. It is a chocolate cake and that is always a good thing.
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) says
Ok, this cake is it. I absolutely love it! So creepy and it sounds amazing!
Renee says
Thank you Kim
Hezzi-D says
This is so creepy looking! So awesome Renee!
Renee says
Thanks Heather
Shaina says
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!
Renee says
Too funny Shaina. I could not imagine a cake covered in mashed potatoes.
Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen says
I was laughing at your description of the face falling off, but you would never know it. The cake looks so creepishly good!
Renee says
Thanks Bobbi and I’m glad I made you laugh. Everyone needs a good laugh every now and then.
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
I totally thought this was made of potatoes at first. I love that it’s actually hidden in the cake though!
Renee says
I think the frosting tricks people into thinking it is covered in potatoes which is another reason it is great for Halloween.
Katie says
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!
Renee says
Thanks Katie
Family Foodie says
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. 😉
Renee says
I’m now wondering is there is a way to incorporate potato into frosting. Hmmm…
Amy Kim (@kimchi_mom) says
This is SERIOUSLY AWESOME AND SPOOKY!
What is the texture of the cake like?
Renee says
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.
Betsy @ Desserts Required says
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!
Renee says
Thanks Besty
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
You did an amazing job! The cake is super spooky and cool, plus I bet it was delish!
Renee says
Yes, the cake is very delish – rich and chocolate-y.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
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!
Renee says
Thanks Nancy and I can tell you have fun with Halloween. I hope you give this cake a try.
Stacy says
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. 🙂
Renee says
What an excellent thought – meatloaf in that pan then covered with mashed potatoes. Brilliant Stacy and thanks!
Becca from It's Yummi! says
Oh my gosh… this is SO creepy, but wildly creative and fun, too!
Renee says
Thanks Becca