This Black Velvet Halloween Cake is both spooky and delicious! It features a rich chocolate flavor with a dark, velvety texture. Perfect for your Halloween bash!
Let’s face it, black is the new orange! 🎃 I love dressing it up with fun toppings like candy eyeballs or creepy sprinkles. It’s a treat that’s as fun to look at as it is to eat!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
All-purpose flour: This gives the cake structure. You can substitute with a gluten-free blend if needed, but results may vary slightly in texture.
Buttermilk: It adds moisture and flavor. If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
Black cocoa powder: This is key for that intense black color and rich chocolate flavor. If unavailable, you could use regular cocoa powder, but the cake won’t be as dark. Adding a bit more food coloring can help.
Vegetable oil: For moisture and tenderness. You can use melted coconut oil or melted butter if you prefer, but the cake won’t be as light.
How Do I Achieve the Perfectly Smooth Buttercream Frosting?
Making the black buttercream frosting can be tricky. Here’s how to make it smooth and deep black:
- Start with softened butter; it should be smooth, not melted.
- Beat the butter until creamy to incorporate air for fluffiness.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well between additions to avoid lumps.
- Add heavy cream or milk a little at a time for desired consistency.
- Finally, incorporate the black food coloring slowly to get the perfect shade without over-mixing.
Tip: If your frosting isn’t dark enough, add more gel coloring carefully. Trust me, a little goes a long way!
Black Velvet Halloween Cake
Ingredients You’ll Need:
For the Black Velvet Cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp black cocoa powder (for ultra-black color)
- 2 tsp black gel food coloring
- ½ cup hot water
For the Blackberry Filling and Decoration:
- 1 cup fresh blackberries (some whole for decoration and some mashed for filling)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
For the Black Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- Black gel food coloring, as needed for a deep black color
Decorations:
- Fresh blackberries
- Black edible sugar flowers or piped buttercream flowers
- Sugar pumpkin or pumpkin-shaped decoration
- Plastic or edible spiders (for Halloween effect)
How Much Time Will You Need?
This delicious Black Velvet Halloween Cake will take about 20 minutes to prep, 30-35 minutes to bake, and around 1 hour for assembling and decorating. In total, plan for a couple of hours of fun in the kitchen!
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Prepare the Cake Batter:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking. In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, unsweetened cocoa powder, and black cocoa powder. In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and black gel food coloring until they are well mixed. Gradually combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until smooth. Finally, slowly add the hot water and mix until the batter is thin and smooth, which is perfectly normal.
2. Bake the Cakes:
Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing them to wire racks to cool completely.
3. Make the Blackberry Filling:
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the blackberry filling. In a small bowl, mash half of the blackberries with the sugar and lemon juice. Set this mixture aside to macerate while the cakes cool.
4. Prepare Black Buttercream:
To make the black buttercream frosting, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until it’s creamy and smooth. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well to incorporate air into the frosting. To finish, add the salt, vanilla extract, and heavy cream or milk, beating until fluffy. Slowly mix in black gel food coloring until you achieve a rich black color.
5. Assemble the Cake:
Place one layer of the cooled cake on your cake stand or plate. Spread a thin layer of the black buttercream on top, followed by the layer of blackberry filling. Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Now, cover the entire cake with a smooth layer of black buttercream frosting. Make it as smooth or textured as you like!
6. Decorate:
For the final touches, arrange fresh blackberries on top of the cake. You can pipe black buttercream flowers or create decorative edging around the sides. Add a festive touch with a small sugar pumpkin on top as a centerpiece. And don’t forget the spooky part – place the plastic or edible spiders around the cake!
7. Serve:
Slice up your stunning Black Velvet Halloween Cake, share it with friends and family, and enjoy the spooky festivities!
Happy Halloween and enjoy your deliciously dark creation!
Can I Use Regular Cocoa Powder Instead of Black Cocoa Powder?
Yes, you can use regular cocoa powder, but the cake won’t have the same deep black color or the rich flavor that black cocoa provides. If using regular cocoa, you might need to add a bit more black gel food coloring to achieve a darker hue.
Is There a Substitute for Buttermilk?
Absolutely! If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make a substitute by mixing 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes before using to mimic the acidity of buttermilk.
How Do I Store Leftover Cake?
Any leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to keep it longer, it’s best to refrigerate it or freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Can I Make This Cake Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can bake the cake layers in advance. Once cooled, tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to a month. Allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting and assembling.