If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably just as hungry as I am. Let’s get ready to ROT with this season’s The Rotting Room-inspired recipe…Bring Your Own Bucket Devil’s Food Cake!

Cake

• 3 cups almond flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup milk or almond milk
• 6 eggs
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar
• 3 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cookies

• 3 cups almond flour
• 4 Tbsp softened coconut oil
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• Melted chocolate for decorating

Pudding

• 1 package pistachio instant pudding mix
• 2 cups cold milk

Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 – 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Decoration

• Sprinkles
• Crumbled Oreos
• Chopped nuts

Instructions

1. Cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 9” cake pans. Mix all ingredients together until batter is smooth. Divide batter into two pans. Bake cakes for 14-16 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely.
2. Cookies: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a square 9x9” pan with butter. Combine all cookie ingredients until batter is smooth. Press into prepared pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until cookies are golden. When cool, cut into 18 uniform rectangles. Melt a bit of chocolate and pipe two lines along the cookies, one a half inch from the bottom and one a half inch from the top. Let set.
3. Pudding: Prepare pistachio pudding according to package instructions. Set aside in the fridge.
4. Frosting: Add almond milk to a glass mixing bowl and microwave for 1 minute, then add chocolate to warm milk. Cover with a towel and let sit for 2 minutes. When ready, stir with a wooden spoon. Incorporate softened butter and cover again. Let rest for 10 minutes. Next, use an electric mixer to combine everything. Add 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar and mix again. Put frosting in the fridge to set for 1-2 hours. When you’re ready to frost, beat the frosting again. Add more powdered sugar if needed.
5. Note: If you want to make this a bit easier, you can use store-bought devil’s food cake mix, store-bought frosting, and/or premade cookie dough for this cake!
6. Assembly: On a cake plate, set the first cake layer onto a bit of frosting. In the center of the cake, dig a small-ish hole to accommodate the pudding, but don’t press through to the bottom of the cake (we don’t want any leakage). Frost the top of the layer (but not the hole). Carefully cut a hole through the second layer, but keep the cake you remove. Cut that in half lengthwise. Put the second layer on top of the first. Fill the cavity with pistachio pudding, then plug with the cake circle. Cover the entire cake in frosting. Press the cookies around the cake. Finally, decorate the top of your cake with whatever looks the most rotten to you--sprinkles, raspberries, chopped nuts, crumbled cookies--be creative!
7. Slice the cake, enjoy the ooze, and pair with a glass of green juice!

Order THE ROTTING ROOM: https://www.amazon.com/Rotting-Room-Historical-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0DZD9B67S/

Sound effects courtesy of Pixabay

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
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Yes, horror movies and books are immersive, but have you ever wanted to be the main character in your own horror story (without the danger)? If so, you’ve got to check out Eerie Games. These are tabletop role-playing games that put YOU in the driver’s seat of the horrifying action. Join me and Eerie Games designer Scott Falzone as we explore the ins and outs of horror games--from inhabiting the role as a kind of therapy to using these games to build foundations of genuine connection with others!

Connect with Eerie Games: https://www.instagram.com/eeriegamesdev/

Play Eerie Games and join their Discord: https://www.eeriegames.com

Order Viggy’s books today: https://viggyhampton.com

Order THE ROTTING ROOM: https://www.amazon.com/Rotting-Room-Historical-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0DZD9B67S/

Sound effects courtesy of Pixabay

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
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- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
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In this episode, I’m joined by not one, but TWO incredibly interesting, intelligent, and insightful guests--Briana Cox and Kailee Pedersen. Briana is a horror screenwriter and author, and her novel Indigent will be published next spring (it’s already received glowing praise!). Kailee is the author of Sacrificial Animals, which is a Libby Books Award finalist for horror and an Otherwise Award long-listed book.

Join us as we discuss rage in writing, Own Voices, BIPOC and queer horror, representation, marginalized voices in publishing, and even opera! Trust me, you won’t want to miss this nuanced, lively conversation!

Connect with Briana: https://www.instagram.com/pedroparo2/

Connect with Kailee: https://www.instagram.com/kailee_pedersen/

Kailee’s website: https://kaileepedersen.com/

Order Viggy’s books today: https://viggyhampton.com

Order THE ROTTING ROOM: https://www.amazon.com/Rotting-Room-Historical-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0DZD9B67S/

Sound effects courtesy of Pixabay

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
- Viggy's Instagram: @viggyparrhampton
- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
- Sign up for Viggy's monthly newsletter at www.viggyhampton.com

Do you believe in ghosts? What about communicating with the dead through space and time? Whether you think it’s all very real or an elaborate hoax, the idea of contacting the dead has a long and storied history, especially through the Spiritualism movement. Join me and author Kathleen Kaufman as we discuss spirits, mesmerism, Gothic tales, and the history behind her wonderful novel, The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey.

Connect with Kathleen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleen.kaufman/

Connect with Kathleen on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkathleenkaufman/

Order Viggy’s books today: https://viggyhampton.com

Order THE ROTTING ROOM: https://www.amazon.com/Rotting-Room-Historical-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0DZD9B67S/

Sound effects courtesy of Pixabay

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
- Viggy's Instagram: @viggyparrhampton
- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
- Sign up for Viggy's monthly newsletter at www.viggyhampton.com

I’ve got an incredible guest for this episode: the very cool, very talented, and very fun CJ Leede! CJ is a horror writer, hiker, Trekkie, and all-around very interesting person. Her debut novel, Maeve Fly, won the Golden Poppy Octavia E. Butler Award, the Splatterpunk Award for best novel, and was a Bram Stoker Award nominee as well as an Indie Next pick. Her second and most recent novel, American Rapture, was also an Indie Next pick. Join me and CJ as we discuss religious horror, crafting characters that feel like real people, finding catharsis through writing, and incorporating Place (with a capital P) in stories. You won’t want to miss this one!

Connect with CJ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceejthemoment/

CJ’s website: https://cjleede.com

Order Viggy’s books today: https://viggyhampton.com

Order THE ROTTING ROOM: https://www.amazon.com/Rotting-Room-Historical-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0DZD9B67S/

Sound effects courtesy of Pixabay

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
- Viggy's Instagram: @viggyparrhampton
- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
- Sign up for Viggy's monthly newsletter at www.viggyhampton.com

Who doesn’t love a good monster? Author and podcaster Brad Ricks is a monster connoisseur with a special penchant for vampires. Join Brad and me as we discuss creepy creatures, the craft of writing horror, and the best parts of podcasting!

Keep up with Brad: https://www.bradricks.com

Order Viggy’s books today: https://viggyhampton.com

Order THE ROTTING ROOM: https://www.amazon.com/Rotting-Room-Historical-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0DZD9B67S/

Sound effects courtesy of Pixabay

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
- Viggy's Instagram: @viggyparrhampton
- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
- Sign up for Viggy's monthly newsletter at www.viggyhampton.com

Horror isn’t always dark and terrifying--it can also be hilarious and just plain fun. Nobody knows that better than Sean McDonough, author of many gleefully gruesome books. Join Sean and me as we discuss the most fun horror era ever: the 1980s!

Connect with Sean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houseoftheboogeyman/

Connect with Sean on TikTok: @‌seanmcdhorror

Order Sean’s books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07SJWGX6M?ccs_id=5848f8c8-a09f-4c94-b59e-6f21d3813a87

Order Viggy’s books today: https://viggyhampton.com

Order THE ROTTING ROOM: https://www.amazon.com/Rotting-Room-Historical-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0DZD9B67S/

Sound effects courtesy of Pixabay

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
- Viggy's Instagram: @viggyparrhampton
- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
- Sign up for Viggy's monthly newsletter at www.viggyhampton.com

Caitlin Starling, nationally bestselling author of The Starving Saints (2025), The Death of Jane Lawrence (2021), Last to Leave the Room (2023), and the Bram Stoker-nominated The Luminous Dead (2019), as well as the forthcoming The Graceview Patient (which will publish October 14 of this year), knows how to scare readers. Join Caitlin and me as we discuss the meaning of horror, its various subgenres (Religious! Claustrophobic! Medical! Psychological! Moist!), and the research involved in crafting a rich fictional world.

Connect with Caitlin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcstarling/

Caitlin’s website: https://www.caitlinstarling.com

Order Viggy’s books today: https://viggyhampton.com

Order THE ROTTING ROOM: https://www.amazon.com/Rotting-Room-Historical-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0DZD9B67S/

Sound effects courtesy of Pixabay

Keep up with Horror Humor Hunger:
- Instagram: @horrorhumorhungerpodcast
- Viggy's Instagram: @viggyparrhampton
- Twitter: @HHHPodwithViggy
- Sign up for Viggy's monthly newsletter at www.viggyhampton.com