Black Velvet Cake Recipe
You guys, this black velvet cake is seriously one of the most stunning desserts I’ve ever seen! It’s the perfect centerpiece for any Halloween party, and the great thing is, it tastes as good as it looks! What gives the black velvet cake its color isn’t food coloring but black cocoa powder. For all of you cookies and cream lovers out there (myself included), this is the same stuff used in Oreo cookies! Looking for more desserts to take your Halloween party to the next level? Try these Halloween cupcakes or donut hole pops! These easy witch-hat cookies are another great option.
Cake and Frosting Ingredients
Granulated Sugar: A must-add to give your cake sweetness. Dark Brown Sugar: I like to add this in addition to the granulated sugar to give the cake a deeper sweetness. Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture to the black velvet cake batter. Large Eggs: The cake’s trusty binding agent. Vanilla Extract: Helps to enhance the overall flavor of the black velvet cake. Black Cocoa Powder: Gives the cake its black color and Oreo flavor. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: To add a little extra chocolatey goodness to the cake. All-Purpose Flour: For structure. Baking Soda and Baking Powder: You need both so your black velvet cake rises properly. Salt: Just a pinch to boost all of the flavors. Buttermilk: The acidity in buttermilk makes the texture of the cake extra tender. Sour Cream: Makes the cake nice and tender! Hot Coffee: Helps deepen the cake’s chocolate flavor.
Black Ermine Frosting
Granulated Sugar: Gives the frosting sweetness. Black Cocoa Powder: So your frosting has a nice deep color and more of that delicious chocolatey flavor. Flour: Helps to give the frosting a bit of structure. This makes it easier to frost. Milk: Adjusts the consistency of the frosting. Unsalted Butter: To give the ermine frosting some tasty richness. Vanilla Extract: For deeper, warm flavor. Salt: Just a pinch is all you need!
How to Moist Make Black Velvet Cake
Gather up those ingredients and get ready to make a cake that everyone will be talking about! Once they taste it, they’ll want a second slice.
To Make the Cake:
To Make the Frosting:
Sift Your Cocoa Powder: Be sure to sift the black cocoa powder before you measure it out for the cake. Otherwise, it’ll clump together in the batter. Why Black Cocoa Powder is Important: It has to be black cocoa powder, not regular cocoa powder or Dutch process. Black cocoa powder is more alkalized than Dutch process cocoa, which gives it a darker chocolate flavor. It also changes the way it interacts with leavening agents, which is what dictates the amount of baking soda and baking powder needed. Can I Skip the Coffee? This recipe uses coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor, not to add coffee flavor. If you don’t want to use coffee, you may replace it with hot water, but the cake’s chocolate flavor will be less intense. What Non-Stick Spray to Use: When using pan spray on the cake pans, the best kind for cakes is one with flour in it. Alternatively, you can use a regular pan spray and dust the pan with flour. I highly recommend not skipping the parchment round in the bottom of the pan. Use a 9×13 Pan: Instead of two 8-inch cake pans, this cake can be baked in a 9×13 for 45-50 minutes. Resist the urge to open the oven too soon, which may cause the cake to fall flat. Chill Your Layers: For easier frosting, wrap the cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge or freezer overnight. Frost the cake while the layers are fresh out of the fridge.
Leftover Cake: Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or on the counter for up to 3 days. Freezing: The cake layers may be baked and frozen ahead of time. Wrap them individually in 3-4 layers of plastic wrap and then place each layer in a plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
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