This is a perfect not too sweet Halloween Coffee Cake. Not only is it delicious, it is easy to double down on Halloween references and modify it into a spooky design. We’ve used skull molds to give it that special Halloween cake touch, but you can also use bats, pumpkins, spider…whatever says Halloween to you. Discover how to create a Coffee Cake that’s as delicious as it is spine-chilling.
Why Does Coffee Cake Not Have Coffee in It?
Coffee cake is made to go with coffee, not taste like coffee. Early versions of the recipe did include it, but over time, coffee got replaced with water or milk. The exact reasons for this are unclear, but pairing pastries with coffee became popular in European cities like Vienna and Copenhagen as café culture developed. The coffee cake is designed to be light, with a warm cinnamon flavor perfect for pairing along with a cup of espresso in the fall.
Halloween Coffee Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cups sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease or parchment mine a 9×13 inch baking pan. Set aside.
- Remove 2/3 cup of the dry cake mix and combine with 1/4 cup melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine remaining cake mix with the 3 eggs and sour cream, mix until smooth.
- Pour half the batter into your prepared pan and top with half of the pecan brown sugar mixture. Top with the remainder of the batter.
- For the second layer of the pecan brown sugar mixture, add 1 tablespoon of additional flour to the mixture and press into skull molds. Pop the molds into the freezer for 30 minutes before trying to remove them.
- Place the skulls on top of the coffee cake and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serve at room temp.
Recipe and Styling by Anna Franklin / Photography by Dave Bryce
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