Black Velvet Halloween Cake – The Epicurean Mouse | Recipe | Sweet recipes, Halloween cakes, Baking
This Black Velvet Halloween Cake is a stunning and festive dessert perfect for spooky season gatherings. With a rich, deep chocolate flavor and a bold black crumb, this cake is balanced by a smooth, fluffy cream cheese frosting tinted in Halloween hues. It’s easy to make, customizable, and guaranteed to impress.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 14 1x
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tsp black gel food coloring
For the Frosting:
- 225g cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Orange gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add black gel food coloring and mix until fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix on medium speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until fluffy. If desired, mix in orange gel coloring for a Halloween look.
- Level the cooled cake layers if needed. Place the first layer on a cake board. Spread a generous amount of frosting over it. Repeat with the remaining layers.
- Apply a crumb coat and chill the cake for 20 minutes. Finish with a smooth final coat of frosting. Decorate as desired with Halloween-themed toppers, sprinkles, or ganache.
Notes
Use black gel food coloring for an intense black crumb without adding excess liquid.
Orange food coloring in the frosting creates a festive Halloween contrast.
Store the finished cake in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
To turn this into cupcakes, divide the batter into liners and reduce bake time to 18–20 minutes.