Happy almost Halloween! I’ve got a killer cake for you today (ha) that is sort of equal parts Red Velvet Cake and super chocolatey chocolate cake. Not be overly hyperbolic, but I think I’m fully obsessed with this cake. It’s the color for me, or I suppose the lack thereof. This cake is intensely black, thanks to a couple of special ingredients that make it so. I’ll go into detail about the need-to-knows of this cake in today’s post, but feel free to just jump ahead to the recipe if you’re ready to go, and don’t really care to learn everything there is to know about Black Velvet Cakes. It’s cool. I get it! You do you, boo. (That was another Halloween joke.)
We’ve got tons of cake-like content here on MKL, by the way. Search below to bring them up, and bake till your heart’s content …
What is Black Velvet cake?
Black Velvet Cake is essentially like a Red Velvet Cake, but with the chocolate aspect turned way up. Think of this cake as the most incredible dark chocolate cake you’ve ever had but with nods to the red velvet as well. A nice cross between two great cakes, I think.
We’ll use a very dark cocoa powder to achieve the black aspect of the cake, so it really REALLY lives up to its name (and it will). I also use other dark ingredients in the cake batter to drive home the whole “black velvet” aspect of this very special dessert. Sweet balsamic vinegar, freshly brewed coffee, and even dark brown sugar all work together to build the darkest, most inky black cake you ever did see.
The Frosting
It’s also important to note just how great this frosting is. I made this up on a whim, as I was frankly trying to use up some of the heavy cream I’d purchased for another recipe. Rather than making a standard cream cheese frosting here, I swapped out the usual butter in favor of some whipped cream. By adding in some pre-whipped cream cheese (easy to find anywhere), you get this unbelievably light and fluffy frosting the tastes amazing and spreads like a dream.
The black cocoa powder also sees some action in this frosting, in addition to the cake batter, and it really makes for a unique chocolate flavor. Different than a typical chocolate, buttercream, but equally as delicious. The addition of a little coffee serves to ramp up the chocolatey flavor (as it does) and lastly, I’m going to have you use as much powdered sugar as you see fit. People tend to be all over the map in that regard, so I say start with two cups and add more as needed. easy!
What is the difference between Red Velvet Cake and Black Velvet Cake?
My mom and mother-in-law both are big fans of a classic red velvet cake – I think it’s both of their favorite. As such, I made a point of mastering it a long time ago, but can I be honest with you? (I’m always honest with you). Red Velvet Cake just doesn’t do much for me. As much as I appreciate it’s fetching vermilion hue, it’s never as delicious as I want it to be. Sorry not sorry, I guess. I know people LOVE red velvet cake, but this Black Velvet Cake is so much more interesting, more flavorful, and just … more.
The main difference between the two is the lack of red coloring and the dramatic increase of cocoa powder. Red Velvet Cake usually calls for a small amount of cocoa powder (the traditional ingredient that gives cake a velvety texture), and in our black velvet version, we’re going to just use a lot more and a really special dark kind.
What is Black Cocoa Powder
Speaking of the special cocoa powder, a dessert with a name like “black velvet cake” calls for an extra dark cocoa powder. This black cocoa is great for super dark cake like this, but also for things like homemade Oreos, which are really fun to make. Anyway, black cocoa powder is a cocoa powder that has been heavily dutched. It’s got a very “brusque” flavor, as David Leibovitz, puts it. And you do often see it used in conjunction with other cocoas, as a way of deepening the flavor and darkening the color.
What is “Dutched” cocoa poeder?
As opposed to “natural cocoa powder,” a cocoa powder that has been “dutched” involves cocoa beans that were washed in an alkaline solution of potassium carbonate which neutralizes them, rendering their natural acidity obsolete.
Cocoa in its natural state is acidic and therefore reacts with other baking ingredients, like baking soda, which therefore allows the food to rise. But since we’re using acidic buttermilk in our cake today, we don’t need to also use acidic natural cocoa powder. The buttermilk will react with the teaspoon of baking soda I call for. Yay! Good news. Thanks, buttermilk.
Hershey’s Natural Unsweetened is a great cocoa powder to keep around for just this purpose.
Black cocoa powder substitutions
Alright, if you don’t feel like ordering the black cocoa powder that I’ve linked to throughout this post – I get it. You can swap in Hershey’s Special Dark and it will get you pretty close. Will it be as deeply black? No, it won’t. But it will still taste amazing.
Tips for cake making success
While I’ve written the recipe for a three-layer cake, you can also use this batter in a 9-by13-inch baking pan and make a Black Velvet Snack Cake sort of thing. How you stack it really is up to you, just know that the two round cake pans will bake for a little less time than the larger, 9 by 13-inch pan.
You will need to procure some black cocoa powder for this recipe as well, which is a teeny bit fussy, I know. This stuff isn’t usually found in traditional supermarkets, but its very easy to snag online. Here are the two brands that I have used and can vouch for:
What You’ll Need
What makes a black velvet cake a black velvet cake? It’s all in the ingredients, baby. This cake is very much like a cross between a classic Southern Red Velvet Cake and a very chocolate chocolate cake. I think it really takes the best parts of each, has a little marriage ceremony in the oven, and then results in something pretty magical.
INGREDIENTS
For the cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup black cocoa powder
1.5 cups packed dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup canola or vegetable oil (liquid coconut oil works, too)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¾ cup full-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons hot brewed coffee, divided (the coffee helps to boost the chocolate flavor, and it adds incredible moisture to the cake)
For the Black Velvet Buttercream
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 ¼ cup black cocoa powder
2.5 cups confectioner’s sugar
How to make a Black Velvet Cake
This cake is so damn good, y’all. It’s the special combo of ingredients that all come together to make a particularly flavorful sponge, that is also really great around Halloween. You just can’t beat this one and here, I’ll do an official breakdown of the who (very easy and straightforward) baking process. This is a three-layer cake, so we’ll need three round cake pans, and I’d also suggest using parchment paper for easy removal.
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Spray or grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.Â
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a mixing bowl using a hand held mixer, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda until well combined.Â
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Incorporate this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add the coffee and mix on high speed just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 25 to 26 minutes or until a cake tester (knife or toothpick) comes out clean. Cool almost completely in the pan before turning each layer out, and cool completely before frosting with the buttercream (below).  Â
For the Buttercream:
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl with a hand-held mixer, add the heavy cream and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the cream cheese, cocoa powder, cooled coffee, and 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Whip on high speed until smooth and well-mixed. Taste and add more sugar to suit your sweetness preferences.
If you like the looks of this Black Velvet Cake, you might also want to check out:
Dark Chocolate Cake with Pumpkin Pie Frosting
One Bowl Texas Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting
Black Velvet Cake
A rich and deeply chocolatey cake made in the same style as a classic Southern red velvet cake (Vinegar! Buttermilk! Cocoa!) but with greater depth of flavor. We’re ditching the red color in favor of an intense, midnight black sponge that looks amazing when topped with an equally-as-black coffee-scented cream cheese frosting.
- Yield: one, 3 layer, 8-inch cake 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup black cocoa powder
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¾ cup full-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons hot brewed coffee, divided
- Chocolate sprinkles, for decorating (optional)
For the Black Velvet Buttercream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup whipped cream cheese (such as Philadelphia Whipped)
- 3/4 cup black cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 tablespoons (cooled) freshly brewed coffee, sifted cocoa powder, cooled coffee, and 2 cups of powdered sugar. Whip on high speed until fluffy and smooth. Taste and add more sugar if you like a sweeter frosting.Â
- 2 to 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Spray or grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.Â
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a mixing bowl using a hand held mixer, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda until well combined.Â
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Incorporate half of this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Add the coffee and mix on high speed just until smooth and fully combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 25 to 26 minutes or until a cake tester (knife or toothpick) comes out clean. Cool almost completely in the pan before turning each layer out, and cool completely before frosting with the buttercream (below).
- To frost, place one of the cut cake halves onto a plate or cake stand and top with a generous amount of frosting. Smooth the frosting to the edges and then top with the unsliced cake layer. Top with more frosting and repeat until all three layer are secured. Slather lots of frosting all over the cake, over the top and down the edges and sides. Top with sprinkles, if you like. (This frosting is very creamy and light, so using dowels or toothpicks to secure the cake in place can be helpful – will keep it from sliding. Just be sure to remove them!)
For the Buttercream:
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl with a hand-held mixer, add the heavy cream and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the cream cheese, cocoa powder, cooled coffee, and 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Whip on high speed until smooth and well-mixed. Taste and add more sugar to suit your sweetness preferences.Â
Notes
If you are unable to find or don’t feel like ordering black cocoa powder, you can find Hershey’s Special Dark almost anywhere now, and it will get you pretty close. See post for a little more about cocoa powders.
