Get ready to bring a touch of Halloween magic to your kitchen with this Sally Skellington Nightmare Before Christmas Cake! Inspired by the beloved character, this cake is visually stunning and surprisingly simple to make. The bright and colorful tie-dye layers create a fun surprise with each slice, while the patchwork design mimics Sally’s iconic look. Perfect for fans of the Halloween classic, this cake is a delicious and creative way to celebrate the season—no need to be a pro baker to pull it off!
Sally Skellington Nightmare Before Christmas Cake Recipe
Even though there are quite a few steps, this is a very easy cake recipe to put together. It makes a super fun Halloween activity you can get your kiddos involved in, too. Mine love to help color the cake batter and swirl the colors together. We have a great time in the kitchen together! The result is bright and beautiful colors on the inside and outside of a moist vanilla cake with a vanilla buttercream frosting. They perfectly match Sally from the movie. This is such a fun birthday cake to make for a Nightmare Before Christmas party!
Looking for more Nightmare Before Christmas-themed treats? Try our Jack Skellington Halloween Pie and Jack Skellington Cookies.
Why You’ll Love This Nightmare Before Christmas Cake
- Jazzed up boxed cake mix. This cake is made using a boxed cake mix but we elevated the recipe a bit.
- Easy ingredients. The ingredients in this recipe are common and easy to find at any local grocery store.
- Affordable cake recipe. If you are on a budget, this recipe won’t break the bank!
What You’ll Need
Below are all of the essential ingredients for the Nightmare Before Christmas cake and the frosting. We have also added a couple of simple substitutions and tips.
For the cake
- French vanilla cake mix: I love the flavor of French vanilla cake, but you may use any white or yellow cake mix you prefer.
- Food coloring: I use pink, yellow, and teal food coloring in this cake to match Sally.
For the frosting
- Butter: Softened butter is a key ingredient of a good buttercream frosting. I also use unsalted here so the frosting doesn’t take on a salty flavor.
- Powdered sugar: I use powdered sugar to sweeten the frosting because it keeps it smooth and creamy. Granulated sugar adds a grainy texture.
- Heavy cream: Whipped heavy cream makes the frosting light and fluffy.
- Food coloring: I use the same pink, yellow, and teal colors that I used in the cake batter. I also use black for the frosting in between the layers and as the base for the outside of the cake.
How To Make This Nightmare Before Christmas Cake
Here are instructions on how to make the cake layers, the frosting, and how to assemble and decorate it! We included all of the steps required to make this spooky Sally Skellington cake.
For the cake
- Prep the oven and cake pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray 3 cake pans with non-stick cooking spray.
- Make the cake batter. Prepare the cake batter using the package directions.
- Divide and color. Pour the batter into 3 separate small bowls. Add a couple of drops of pink food coloring to one bowl and stir until well combined. Repeat the process with the other two colors.
- Scoop the batter into the pans. Alternate scooping the ¼ cup of each color batter into each cake pan to create a tie-dye effect.
- Bake. Put all 3 pans into the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean.
- Cool and remove. Allow the cake layers to cool completely in the pans and remove them.
- Level the layers. Using a cake leveler on a cutting board, slice the dome from the top of each layer so they are flat.
Frosting
- Make the frosting. Combine the butter, powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the ingredients until they are well combined and form stiff peaks.
- Divide and color. Scoop 1 cup of frosting into 3 separate bowls. Add a couple of drops of black food coloring to the remaining frosting. Then, add pink, yellow, and teal to the 3 bowls. Stir each until the color is well combined.
- Add to piping bags. Scoop the pink, yellow, and teal frostings into piping bags. Next, scoop about ½ cup of black frosting into another bag.
Assembly
- First layer. Scoop about 1 cup of black frosting onto the first cake layer and spread it evenly over the top.
- Second layer. Put the second cake layer on the frosting and add another cup of black frosting on top. Ensure it is spread evenly.
- Third layer. Add the top layer of cake and cover the entire outside of the cake with the remaining black frosting. Smooth it out around the top and the sides.
- Chill. Place the cake into the refrigerator for a few hours so the frosting can set.
- Pipe the lines. Using the black frosting, pipe the lines of Sally’s dress onto the cake.
- Add the colors. Fill each of the triangles and rectangles with the pink, yellow, and teal frosting, alternating until most of them are filled. Add black frosting to a couple of them as well to resemble Sally’s dress. Add a few more details like stitching with the black frosting.
- Chill. Put the cake back into the refrigerator for another couple of hours for the frosting to harden.
- Serve. Slice and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Allow the cake enough time to chill. Let the cake chill long enough before decorating and before slicing for the prettiest result.
- Use Ziploc bags for piping. You may add the frosting to resealable bags and snip off a corner instead of piping bags.
- Use store-bought frosting. For a shortcut, you may use store-bought frosting on this cake. I recommend a white frosting so the colors come out best.
Proper Storage
Store leftovers of this cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Cover it tightly and freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Make-Ahead and Freeze – If you want to freeze this Nightmare Before Christmas cake ahead of time, you will want to make and bake the cakes. Once the cake has cooled, you can wrap each layer of the cake well with plastic. If you want to put the cake layers together in one set of plastic wrap, you will want to put a piece of parchment paper between each layer of cake. Make sure the cake is wrapped well with plastic.
Another option is to wrap it with plastic and then put it in a freezer bag for added protection. When you are ready to make the cake, remove it from the freezer and then proceed to frost the cake.
More Halloween Cake Recipes to Try
Nightmare Before Christmas Cake
Ingredients
- 2 boxes French Vanilla Cake mix
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- Pink, Yellow and Teal Gel Food coloring
Vanilla Frosting
- 3 cups unsalted butter softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 5-7 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Pink, Yellow, Teal and Black Gel Food coloring
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray cake pans with pam baking spray. Follow the directions on the back of the cake boxes.
- Divide the batter into three bowls. Mix a few drops of pink gel food coloring into 1 one bowl until combined. Add a few drops of yellow gel food coloring into the second bowl until combined.
- Scoop about 1/4 cup of the yellow cake batter into the cake pan. Scoop 1/4 cup of the teal cake batter into the cake pan next to the yellow. Scoop 1/4 cup of the pink cake batter into the cake pan on top of the teal. Repeat steps one more time in one pan. Repeat steps in the remaining two cake pans.
- Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. Remove the cakes from the cake pans and place them onto a cutting board.
- Place one cake onto the cake board and use the cake leveler to remove the dome from the cake. Repeat steps with remaining two layers.
Vanilla Frosting
- Using a standing mixer, combine all ingredients except the food coloring and beat until smooth and stiff peaks form. Add 1 cup of frosting into 3 bowls bowls.
- Mix in the several drops of black food coloring into the remaining frosting. Mix in 1 color into each bowl.
- Scoop each color into its own piping bag. Scoop 1/2 cup of Black frosting into the 4th piping bag.
Building the cake
- Place one cake layer onto the cake board. Scoop about 1 cup of black frosting onto the first cake layer and spread evenly.
- Place the second cake layer on top of the first layer of frosting. Scoop another cup of frosting on top of the second layer of cake and spread evenly.
- Place the last cake layer on top. Using the remaining black frosting frost entire cake and smooth frosting.
- Place into the fridge for several hours.
Decorate
- Cut the tips off the four disposable piping bags. Using the black piping bag, pipe out the lines of Sally's dress.
- Take the Pink frosting and fill in a few of the squares or rectangles. Take the teal frosting and fill in a few of the squares or rectangles. Repeat the steps with the yellow and black frosting.
- Using the remaining the black frosting, pipe out the details of the dress. Place into the fridge again to allow the frosting to harden up.
- Cut into the slices and enjoy!
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