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Black Velvet Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.3 from 34 reviews
  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 27 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 20 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Black Velvet Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting is a rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey dessert that features the intense flavor of black cocoa powder and dark chocolate. The layers are tender and infused with espresso to enhance the chocolate notes, while the luscious buttercream frosting, made with black cocoa and melted dark chocolate, adds a creamy and decadent finish. Perfect for special occasions or chocolate lovers looking for a dramatic-looking cake with a bold flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (260g)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
  • 3/4 cup black cocoa powder (75g)
  • 2 tsp baking powder (8g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (9g)
  • 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
  • 1 cup hot water (240g)
  • 2 tsp instant espresso or coffee (5g)
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature (240g)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil (110g)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)

Frosting Ingredients

  • 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (454g)
  • 1 cup black cocoa powder (100g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
  • 5 cups powdered sugar (625g)
  • 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (180g)
  • 1 1/3 cups dark chocolate chips, melted and cooled (230g)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans or four 7-inch pans to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
  3. Dissolve Espresso in Hot Water: In a medium bowl, stir the instant espresso or coffee into the hot water until fully dissolved to enhance the chocolate flavor.
  4. Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the espresso mixture. Stir briefly until smooth and uniform.
  5. Mix Wet into Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently by hand until fully incorporated. The batter will be thin, which is intended for a tender crumb.
  6. Divide Batter and Bake: Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans, using a kitchen scale to ensure equal amounts. Bake for 24 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool Cake Layers: Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then loosen the edges with a spatula and invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
  8. Level Cake Layers: Once cooled, use a serrated knife to level the tops of the cakes for even stacking. Freeze layers if preparing ahead of time.
  9. Make Buttercream Frosting: Beat the unsalted butter on medium speed for 30 seconds until smooth. Add black cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt, mixing on low speed until combined.
  10. Incorporate Powdered Sugar and Cream: Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing continuously. Halfway through, add heavy cream to ease mixing and achieve a smooth frosting texture.
  11. Add Melted Dark Chocolate: Slowly mix in the melted and cooled dark chocolate on low speed, ensuring it is liquid but not hot. Continue mixing until frosting is fully combined and smooth.
  12. Optional Coloring: For a deeper black color, add black gel food coloring if desired. Cover the frosting with plastic wrap to prevent crusting until ready to use.
  13. Assemble Cake: Place the first cake layer on a greaseproof cake board secured with a small dab of frosting. Spread an even layer of buttercream on top, then stack the remaining layers.
  14. Crumb Coat and Chill: Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting to the entire cake and smooth with a bench scraper. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
  15. Final Frosting Layer and Decorate: Apply a second thicker layer of frosting, smooth again with a bench scraper, decorate as desired, and serve this rich, moist Black Velvet Cake.

Notes

  • Using instant espresso or coffee enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
  • Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature for the best texture and mixing results.
  • The batter will be thin; this is normal for a tender crumb and moist cake layers.
  • Leveling the cake layers ensures an even, professional-looking cake assembly.
  • Chilling the crumb coat helps achieve a smooth final frosting layer and reduces crumbs mixing with the frosting.
  • Black gel food coloring is optional but can intensify the cake’s dramatic black color.
  • Store the cake covered in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.

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