Black Velvet Halloween Cake is a show-stopping dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make, perfect for adding a touch of spooky elegance to your Halloween celebrations. This recipe offers a delightful combination of rich flavor and visual appeal, ensuring it will be a hit at any party.
Key Ingredients for Black Velvet Halloween Cake
- For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed recommended for deeper color)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1.5 oz black gel food coloring (or enough to achieve a deep black color)
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons milk (or heavy cream), as needed for consistency
- Optional: Black gel food coloring for a deeper Halloween hue
How to Make Black Velvet Halloween Cake
Get ready to impress with this incredibly moist and decadent Black Velvet Halloween Cake! Its rich, deep chocolate flavor, combined with a luscious cream cheese frosting, makes it the ultimate spooky treat. Despite its dramatic appearance, this cake is surprisingly straightforward to bake, taking approximately 30 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of baking, so you can have a showstopper ready in under two hours.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans, or line them with parchment paper.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Ensure all the dry ingredients are well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients (Except Boiling Water): In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add Wet to Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer (or by hand with a whisk) until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Incorporate Black Color and Boiling Water: In a small bowl, stir the black gel food coloring into the boiling water until it is fully dissolved and the water is a deep black hue. With the mixer on low speed, slowly and carefully drizzle the hot black water into the cake batter. Mix until the batter is smooth and uniformly black. The batter will be thin; this is normal.
- Divide and Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool the Cakes: Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto the wire rack to cool completely. Ensure the cakes are entirely cool before frosting.
- Make the Cream Cheese Frosting: While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter together until light and fluffy.
- Add Powdered Sugar and Vanilla: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, about a cup at a time, beating until combined. Add the vanilla extract.
- Achieve Desired Consistency: Add the milk or heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until the frosting reaches your desired spreadable consistency. If you want a deeper black frosting, add black gel food coloring gradually until you achieve the desired color.
- Assemble and Frost: Once the cakes are completely cooled, place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a generous amount of frosting over the top. Place the second cake layer on top.
- Frost the Entire Cake: Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting. You can create swirls or smooth finishes.
- Decorate for Halloween: Decorate your Black Velvet Halloween Cake with Halloween-themed sprinkles, edible glitter, candy corn, gummy worms, or even piped frosting cobwebs for an extra spooky touch!
Why You’ll Love This Black Velvet Halloween Cake
This Black Velvet Halloween Cake is an absolute stunner, boasting a dramatic deep black color that’s both mysterious and incredibly appealing for any Halloween gathering. Its intensely moist crumb and rich, dark chocolate flavor, often enhanced with a hint of coffee if you choose, makes it a truly decadent treat that tastes far more complex than it is to prepare. Making this cake at home is also a fantastic cost-saving option compared to purchasing a specialty cake from a bakery, and allows you the freedom to customize its spooky decorations exactly to your liking.
Unlike a standard chocolate cake, the addition of black food coloring and often a touch of espresso powder (to deepen the chocolate flavor without adding sweetness) gives this Black Velvet Halloween Cake a unique character that’s perfect for the season. The smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the deep chocolate notes, creating a balanced and irresistible flavor profile. It’s a truly unforgettable centerpiece that will have your guests raving.
Storing and Reheating Tips
- Room Temperature Storage: This cake, especially when frosted with cream cheese frosting, is best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. It should be kept in a cool, dry place.
- Refrigeration: For longer storage, refrigerate the cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The frosting will firm up when chilled.
- Reheating: If refrigerating, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving to soften the frosting and bring the cake back to its optimal texture. You can gently warm individual slices in a microwave for 10-15 seconds if you prefer a slightly warmer cake, but be cautious not to overdo it.
- Freezing: This cake freezes beautifully! Wrap the unfrosted cake layers tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before frosting. The frosted cake can also be frozen. Ensure it is completely chilled before wrapping tightly to prevent freezer burn, and thaw as described above.
Final Thoughts
This Black Velvet Halloween Cake is a perfect blend of visual drama and delicious flavor, making it an unforgettable addition to your Halloween festivities. Dive into the fun of creating this spooky masterpiece at home – your taste buds will thank you!
Black Velvet Halloween Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans, or line them with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Ensure all the dry ingredients are well combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer (or by hand with a whisk) until just combined. Do not overmix.
- In a small bowl, stir the black gel food coloring into the boiling water until it is fully dissolved and the water is a deep black hue. With the mixer on low speed, slowly and carefully drizzle the hot black water into the cake batter. Mix until the batter is smooth and uniformly black. The batter will be thin; this is normal.1.5 oz black gel food coloring, 1 cup boiling water
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto the wire rack to cool completely. Ensure the cakes are entirely cool before frosting.
- While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter together until light and fluffy.8 oz cream cheese, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, about a cup at a time, beating until combined. Add the vanilla extract.4 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the milk or heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until the frosting reaches your desired spreadable consistency. If you want a deeper black frosting, add black gel food coloring gradually until you achieve the desired color.2-4 tablespoons milk (or heavy cream), Black gel food coloring
- Once the cakes are completely cooled, place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a generous amount of frosting over the top. Place the second cake layer on top.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting. You can create swirls or smooth finishes.
- Decorate your Black Velvet Halloween Cake with Halloween-themed sprinkles, edible glitter, candy corn, gummy worms, or even piped frosting cobwebs for an extra spooky touch!