Halloween cakes can be playful, dramatic, or surprisingly elegant, and these three designs from Martha Stewart offer a little of everything. There’s a gathering of white ghosts, a chocolate-and-caramel dessert with an intricate spiderweb, and a beautiful white pumpkin-shaped cake. Each takes a different approach to seasonal decorating, making this a lovely collection of inspiration for your next Halloween celebration.

What I love about these cakes is that they don’t depend on a rainbow of icing colours to make an impression. Shape, texture, and a few carefully chosen details do the work. Tiny eyes give the ghosts personality, an amber web transforms a slice of cake, and a simple white finish lets the pumpkin’s sculpted shape stand out.

These designs were originally featured on MarthaStewart.com, and credit for the original cakes and photographs belongs to Martha Stewart and the respective creators credited in the original publications. Some recipe links from our 2011 feature have since changed, so we’re revisiting the photographs as decorating inspiration rather than reproducing the original recipes.

A Boo-tiful Ghost Cake

The white ghost cake is the one I’d choose for a Halloween table that mixes spooky details with a sense of fun. Little pointed ghosts gather across the top and around the base, while loosely swirled white frosting gives the cake plenty of texture. The black stand and slender black candles create a striking contrast.

The ghosts’ tiny dark eyes are enough to give them character. There’s no need for elaborate expressions—their different heights and slightly uneven shapes make the group feel lively.

For a simpler cake inspired by this look, you could decorate a white-frosted cake with ready-made edible ghost decorations. Keep the arrangement varied, with a few taller figures toward the back and smaller ones near the front.

Chocolate, Caramel, and a Spiderweb

The pictured chocolate caramel cake takes a more dramatic approach. Dark cake layers and caramel-coloured filling sit behind an upright amber spiderweb, finished with a tiny dark spider.

I particularly like the way the web becomes the focal point of an individual serving. It’s a reminder that Halloween decorating doesn’t always require covering an entire cake in elaborate details. One carefully placed decoration can make a familiar dessert feel special.

The delicate web is the more ambitious element here. If you’re adapting the idea at home, a piped chocolate web could offer a different finish without attempting the original sugar decoration.

An Elegant White Pumpkin Cake

The white pumpkin marble cake is a lovely choice for anyone who enjoys seasonal baking with a quieter decorative style. Its rounded shape, defined ribs, small brown stem, and white leaf make it recognisable without an orange coating or a carved face.

I can imagine it on a simple white stand, surrounded by a few small pumpkins and folded linen napkins. It would suit a Halloween supper, an autumn gathering, or a dessert table where you want something seasonal and understated.

More Halloween Food Inspiration

If you’re planning a celebration around your cake, explore our Halloween party food ideas for snacks to serve alongside it. For a smaller decorating project, these black cat pudding cups bring another playful character to the table.

I’d choose one cake as the centrepiece and let the surrounding food stay simple. Whether you prefer the little ghosts, the delicate spiderweb, or the white pumpkin, these Martha Stewart designs show how a thoughtful detail can turn dessert into part of the Halloween decorations.