Description

These Graveyard Mini Dirt Loaf Cakes are a fun and spooky Halloween treat perfect for parties. Moist mini loaf cakes are baked in individual pans, frosted generously with chocolate frosting, and topped with crushed Oreos to resemble dirt. Decorated with creepy candy eyeballs, skulls, and other Halloween-themed sprinkles, each mini cake transforms into a deliciously eerie graveyard scene accented with a mini dessert shovel for added festivity.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

1 boxed cake mix (any flavor you prefer)
Ingredients required by the cake mix (typically egg, oil, water)

Frosting & Toppings

1 tub chocolate frosting (adjust quantity depending on desired thickness)
Crushed Oreos (enough to cover tops of mini cakes; about 15-20 Oreos)
Decoratives: Candy eyeballs (e.g., Bloody Bones Sprinkle Mix, Candy Skulls)
Other Halloween sprinkles (tombstones, zombie hands, mini pumpkins, etc.)

Equipment

Mini loaf pans with lids
Mini dessert shovels
Non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready when your batter is prepared.
Prepare Cake Batter: Follow the instructions on your boxed cake mix to make the cake batter, typically combining egg, oil, and water as specified.
Prepare Pans & Fill: Lightly spray the mini loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Pour the prepared cake batter into each pan, filling about two-thirds full to allow room for rising. Arrange the pans on a large baking sheet for easy handling.
Bake Cakes: Place baking sheet with mini pans into the oven and bake for 18-25 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a cake—if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, they’re done.
Cool Cakes: Allow the mini cakes to cool completely in the pans to maintain shape and prevent frosting from melting.
Frost Cakes: Using an offset spatula or butter knife, generously frost each cooled mini cake with chocolate frosting to cover the top and sides.
Prepare Oreo Crumbs: Crush Oreos to create “dirt” topping. You can use a food processor or place Oreos inside a plastic bag and crush them gently with a rolling pin until finely crumbled.
Add Dirt Topping: Sprinkle the crushed Oreos over the frosted cakes to create the dirt effect.
Decorate: Add your festive Halloween toppings such as candy eyeballs, Bloody Bones Sprinkle Mix, candy skulls, tombstones, zombie hands, or mini pumpkins on top to create a spooky graveyard scene.
Final Touch: Place a mini dessert shovel on each mini cake as a fun Halloween accessory and cover with the plastic lid of the mini loaf pan for storage or transport.

Notes

If you don’t have mini loaf pans, cupcake pans can be used as a substitute, adjusting baking time accordingly.
Use any flavor cake mix to customize these mini cakes; chocolate or red velvet works great for a darker graveyard effect.
To keep decorations stable during transport, refrigerate the cakes after frosting and decorating.
For a gluten-free version, choose a gluten-free cake mix and ensure all toppings are gluten-free.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Halloween dessert, mini loaf cakes, dirt cake, spooky treats, chocolate frosting, Oreo crumbs, Halloween party food