Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and coat three 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, ¾ cup cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt.

In a separate bowl, cream together 1 cup of unsalted butter and 1¾ cups of granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

Add 4 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Gradually blend in the dry ingredients with 1 cup of buttermilk, alternating between the two.

Divide the batter into two bowls; add black gel icing color to one and red gel icing color to the other.

Drop alternating spoonfuls of red and black batter into the prepared pans and swirl gently with a knife.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frost the cooled layers with black buttercream, drizzling melted red candy melts on top and adding spooky sprinkles.