Name: Brain Cake with Red Velvet Layers and Blood-Infused Buttercream Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 1 h 17 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups cake flour (300g); 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (10g); 1 tsp baking soda (6g); 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g); 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (113g); 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (350g); 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g); 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature (300g); 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil (120g); 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g); 1 tsp white vinegar (4g); 1 tsp red gel food coloring or 1 Tbsp liquid food coloring; 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (339g); 1 cup (8 oz) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (226g); 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g); 1 tsp fine salt (6g); 7 cups powdered sugar (904g) or a 2lb. bag; 3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature (45g); small squirt of red gel food coloring or 1 tsp liquid food coloring; 1/2 cup seedless raspberry or strawberry jam; 3 Tbsp water (45g); 1/4 tsp red gel food coloring or 1 tsp liquid food coloring (optional)

If you’re looking for a showstopper dessert that’s as thrilling as it is delicious, you’ve just found it — my Brain Cake with Red Velvet Layers and Blood-Infused Buttercream Recipe is the perfect blend of spooky and scrumptious. I absolutely love how this cake turns out every time: stunningly realistic brain layers, vibrant red velvet flavor, and a sinisterly sweet blood-like jam that makes it perfect for Halloween, horror-themed parties, or just surprising your friends and family. Trust me, once you try this, you’ll be hooked; it’s easier to make than it looks and genuinely a crowd-pleaser!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Visually Striking: The brain-shaped design with realistic red velvet layers and blood-infused buttercream is guaranteed to turn heads and spark conversations.
Flavorful but Balanced: You get the rich cocoa and tangy buttermilk notes in the red velvet cake paired with creamy, subtly sweet cream cheese buttercream that’s colored perfectly with blood-red hues.
Make-Ahead Friendly: The cake layers and frosting freeze beautifully, making prep flexible and stress-free—something I always appreciate for big occasions.
Fun to Decorate: Piping the squiggle lines that mimic brain folds is surprisingly easy and oddly satisfying, especially knowing that the edible fake blood makes it all look eerily authentic.

The image shows a cake shaped like a brain sitting on a round white cake board, which is placed on a white cake stand with a wide base. The cake is covered in glossy, bright red icing that is textured to look like the folds and curves of a real brain. The icing has a shiny, wet look with some small drops around the cake, adding a realistic and slightly messy effect. The background is a kitchen with light wood cabinets and a white marbled surface below the cake stand. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients You’ll Need

Every ingredient here works together to deliver that classic red velvet flavor with a perfect crumb, while the cream cheese buttercream frosting gets an exciting twist with blood-inspired coloring. Don’t skip the edible “blood” jam — it’s what really takes this cake to another level! Here are my notes to help you pick the best components.

Cake Flour: Use cake flour over all-purpose for that tender, soft crumb that red velvet is famous for.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Adds just the right hint of chocolate to deepen the red velvet flavor without overwhelming.
Baking Soda and Vinegar: These react to give the cake a nice rise and subtle tang, essential for red velvet’s signature taste.
Unsalted Butter: Room temperature is key for smooth creaming; it also helps the cake stay moist.
Buttermilk: If you don’t have any, a mix of milk and vinegar or lemon juice works—this brings in the tang and tenderizes the crumb.
Red Gel Food Coloring: Avoid liquid food coloring if you can — gel is more concentrated and won’t thin your batter or frostings.
Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese does wonders here, lending tang and richness to the buttercream without making it too heavy.
Powdered Sugar: Use sifted for smooth frosting — it helps avoid lumps which can trip you up during piping.
Seedless Raspberry or Strawberry Jam: This jam is what makes your blood-infused buttercream look disturbingly real — plus adds a sweet, fruity layer to balance the richness.

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

I love making this cake as-is, but I’ve also played around with a few tweaks depending on the occasion — feel free to make it your own! Personalizing this brain cake is a fun way to tailor it to your taste or dietary needs.

Dairy-Free Version: I swapped out buttermilk for almond milk with lemon juice and replaced butter and cream cheese with vegan alternatives—turns out just as moist and delicious, perfect for vegan friends!
Intensified Chocolate: For more chocolate lovers, try adding an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder or a handful of mini chocolate chips between layers.
Flavor Twist: A splash of coffee in the batter deepens the red velvet flavor even more, and I sometimes add a pinch of cinnamon to the frosting for a subtle warmth.
Different Sizes: You can easily scale this recipe for a two-tier cake or cupcakes using my cake batter calculator — the taste stays sensational at any size.

How to Make Brain Cake with Red Velvet Layers and Blood-Infused Buttercream Recipe

Step 1: Prep Your Pans and Ingredients

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch or 7-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray and line them with parchment paper. This little trick ensures your layers slide out perfectly without any sticky disasters. Meanwhile, sift the dry ingredients—cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt—together so everything’s evenly distributed.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar, Then Add Eggs

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high until fluffy and pale—about 1-2 minutes. This step is crucial because creaming incorporates air, giving you a lighter texture. Then, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Don’t rush this part — well-incorporated eggs help prevent a dense crumb.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients and Add Dry Ingredients

Now, stir in the buttermilk, oil, vanilla, vinegar, and your vibrant red gel food coloring. The batter might sour a bit here and look slightly broken—don’t panic, I’ve been there! That’s normal. Slowly add in your sifted dry ingredients in two portions, mixing just until you don’t see any flour streaks. Overmixing here will make your cake tough, so a light touch is best.

Step 4: Bake and Shape Your Brain Layers

Divide the batter evenly between your pans (I weigh mine for accuracy—about 415g per pan). Bake for around 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. When done, let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely. To create the brain shape, trim 1-inch off two opposite sides to form an oval and gently round the tops using a sharp small knife. If your cakes seem fragile or crumbly while cutting, pop them in the freezer for 20 minutes — this tip saved me many times!

Step 5: Make the Blood-Infused Cream Cheese Buttercream

Beat together the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, then add vanilla and salt. Gradually add the powdered sugar and heavy cream, mixing on low to keep that sugar dust contained (cover your mixer if you want to avoid a cloud of sugar in your kitchen). Adjust the texture as needed, adding more cream if it’s too thick or sugar if it’s too thin. Finally, mix in a splash of red food coloring until you get a soft pink hue that looks just right. Keep the frosting covered so it doesn’t dry out as you assemble your cake.

Step 6: Prepare Your Edible Fake Blood

Whisk together seedless raspberry or strawberry jam with water and optional red gel coloring until smooth and blood-like. This simple mixture adds that creepy realism to your brain cake and sharpens its flavor profile with a fruity tang.

Step 7: Assemble and Decorate the Brain Cake

Start by placing your first cake layer on a cake board and securing it with a little frosting. Spread a uniform layer of buttercream on top, then add the next layer. Repeat for all layers, then trim edges again if needed for that brain shape. Spread a thin crumb coat over the whole cake and smooth it out, chilling the cake until the frosting firms up. Fit your piping bag with a large round tip and pipe squiggly lines down the middle to mimic the brain’s hemispheres and sulci — don’t stress perfection, these lines are supposed to look organic! Chill again until firm. Finally, brush your edible fake blood into every nook and cranny over the frosting, letting it drip a little at the base for a dramatic gore effect.

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Pro Tips for Making Brain Cake with Red Velvet Layers and Blood-Infused Buttercream Recipe

Freeze for Easier Shaping: Freezing the cake layers for 20 minutes before trimming made shaping much neater and less crumbly — a real game-changer for me.
Watch Your Frosting Consistency: I found that slightly thinner buttercream makes piping those brain squiggles smoother and easier to control.
Use Gel Food Coloring: I learned using gel takes the color up a notch without thinning out the batter or frosting, which can affect texture.
Don’t Stress the Imperfections: The edible blood jam covers small gaps in the piping, so focus on fun, organic patterns rather than precision.

How to Serve Brain Cake with Red Velvet Layers and Blood-Infused Buttercream Recipe

A shiny, bright red brain-shaped cake sits on a white plate with red glaze dripping around its base; the cake has detailed, rounded folds that look like brain wrinkles covered evenly in glossy, smooth red icing. At the top, a woman's hand holding a blue brush is spreading more glaze on the cake, adding a fresh layer of shiny texture. The background is a soft, blurred kitchen scene with a white marbled surface beneath the plate. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

I usually keep garnishes simple—just a few fresh raspberries around the base complement the jam’s flavor and add a pop of natural color. Some edible silver beads or tiny red sugar crystals sprinkled sparingly give a subtle eerie glisten that really finishes the look without competing with the brain design.

Side Dishes

This cake is definitely the star of the show, but for a spooky dessert table, I love pairing it with dark chocolate truffles, tangy black cherry sorbet, or even a simple mint tea to balance all the sweetness.

Creative Ways to Present

For Halloween parties, placing this brain cake atop a cake stand surrounded by faux cobwebs, plastic spiders, or dry ice fog creates a chilling mood. I once decorated mine with “vein” piping in a contrasting red buttercream for an even more realistic, gruesome effect that guests couldn’t stop talking about. You could even slice it and serve pieces nestled inside a “skull” bowl for extra drama.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Leftover brain cake actually keeps really well when stored properly! I wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge; it stays moist for up to a week thanks to the buttercream sealing in moisture. Be sure to cover cut edges with some extra frosting to prevent drying out.

Freezing

I freeze leftover cake slices wrapped individually in plastic and foil, which preserves flavor and texture for about a month. When I want to enjoy it again, I thaw it overnight in the fridge. The quality holds up surprisingly well!

Reheating

Since this is a buttercream-based cake, I avoid microwaving as it can melt the frosting. Instead, I let slices come to room temperature naturally, which usually takes about an hour, and that brings back the soft cake texture and creamy frosting experience perfectly.

FAQs

Can I make this Brain Cake with Red Velvet Layers and Blood-Infused Buttercream Recipe ahead of time?

Absolutely! I recommend baking the cake layers a day or two in advance and freezing them to make assembly easier. You can also prepare the frosting ahead and refrigerate it. The fully assembled and frosted cake can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.
What’s the best way to get the brain shape for the cake?

After your layers have baked and cooled, I like trimming about an inch from two opposite sides to create an oval, then rounding the top edges carefully with a sharp knife. If you have any trouble, chilling or freezing the layers first makes cutting much easier and cleaner.
Can I substitute the cream cheese buttercream with a plain buttercream?

Yes! If you prefer, you can increase the butter in place of cream cheese for a classic buttercream. The cream cheese adds a nice tang and richness, but plain buttercream will still taste great and pipe well for the brain design.
How do I avoid the frosting looking too thin or runny?

Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to maintain the consistency, and adjust your frosting thickness by adding powdered sugar little by little if it feels too thin. Refrigerate the cake between piping sessions to keep the structure intact.
Is the edible fake blood recipe safe and tasty?

Definitely! The seedless jam combined with water and food coloring creates a sweet, tangy glaze that’s totally edible and adds real flavor, making the cake look spectacular without compromising taste or safety.

Final Thoughts

This Brain Cake with Red Velvet Layers and Blood-Infused Buttercream Recipe has become one of my absolute favorites to bake because it’s not just striking, it’s genuinely delicious and surprisingly manageable to make at home. Whether you’re aiming to impress guests at a spooky party or just want to try a fun baking project, this cake delivers on all fronts. Give it a shot—I promise you’ll love both the process and the jaw-dropping result. Plus, everyone loves a little dramatic flair on their dessert plate, right?