Bleeding Cemetery Cake Recipe

This Bleeding Cemetery Cake is a spooky, Halloween-themed dessert featuring a moist vanilla cake layered with strawberry puree and cheesecake ice cream, decorated with a creepy cemetery scene of marshmallow ghosts, graham cracker headstones, and a pretzel fence. The cake “bleeds” with strawberry puree when cut, making it a festive treat ready in about 1 hour of active time, plus freezing.

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Bleeding Cemetery Cake Recipe Ingredients

• About 15 packaged marshmallow ghosts
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 (11 oz.) box crushed vanilla wafer cookies
• 3 lbs. strawberries, pureed with sugar to taste
• 2 quarts strawberry cheesecake premium ice cream, softened
• About 4 graham crackers
• Black gel icing, for piping
• About 70 pretzel sticks

How To Make Bleeding Cemetery Cake

1. Prepare the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/gas 4). Grease and flour a 13×9-inch baking pan. In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until creamy. Stir in milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients on low speed until incorporated, then beat on high until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
2. Freeze the Cake: Once cooled, remove the cake from the pan, wrap tightly in aluminum foil, and freeze for at least 6 hours.
3. Prepare Strawberry Puree: Puree strawberries with sugar to taste (adjust based on berry sweetness). Reserve 1 cup for decoration and use the rest for assembly.
4. Assemble the Cake: Place the frozen cake in a clean 13×9-inch baking pan. Cover with crushed vanilla wafer cookies, then spread all but 1 cup of the strawberry puree over the cookies. Top with softened strawberry cheesecake ice cream, spreading evenly. Freeze for at least 6 hours.
5. Make Decorations: Break graham crackers along perforations into rectangles. Use black gel icing to pipe “RIP” or other headstone designs and let dry flat.
6. Decorate the Cake: Remove the cake from the freezer and place on a serving platter. Let soften slightly (5–10 minutes) to insert decorations. Arrange pretzel sticks around the edges to form a cemetery fence. Insert graham cracker headstones and marshmallow ghosts into the top. If the cake softens too much, return to the freezer to firm up.
7. Add the “Bleeding” Effect: Place 1/4 cup reserved strawberry puree in a zip-top bag, cut off the tip, and drizzle over the cake. Puddle the remaining puree around the cake on the platter.
8. Serve: Let the cake sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to soften slightly and “bleed” when cut. Slice and serve.

Recipe Tips

• Why freeze the cake? Freezing ensures the cake holds its shape when layered with puree and ice cream, making it easier to cut and decorate.
• How do I know the cake is done? A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, and the top should be lightly golden.
• Can I make this ahead? Yes, bake the cake and assemble with puree and ice cream up to 2 days ahead. Add decorations and puree drizzle just before serving.
• What if my strawberries aren’t sweet? Taste the puree and add sugar gradually (start with 1/4 cup per pound of strawberries) until it reaches desired sweetness.

What To Serve With Bleeding Cemetery Cake

This spooky dessert pairs wonderfully with:

• A warm mug of hot chocolate or apple cider for a cozy Halloween vibe
• Halloween-themed candies for extra festive fun
• A scoop of extra ice cream on the side for indulgence

How To Store Bleeding Cemetery Cake

Refrigerate: Not recommended due to the ice cream layer, which may melt. Store in the freezer instead.
Freeze: Store the fully decorated cake in the freezer, covered loosely with plastic wrap, for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze the undecorated cake for up to 1 month and add decorations before serving. Thaw slightly (20 minutes) before cutting.

Bleeding Cemetery Cake Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 slice (1/12th of cake)

• Calories: ~600 kcal
• Carbohydrates: ~85g
• Protein: ~8g
• Fat: ~25g
• Saturated Fat: ~15g
• Sugar: ~60g
• Fiber: ~3g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and preparation methods used.

FAQs

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• Petit Fours Recipe
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