Black Velvet Cupcakes

Serves 12

45 mins prep

18 mins cook

63 mins total

These black velvet cupcakes are ultra tender and soft, and are naturally colored! It has a similar texture to red velvet cupcakes, but with black cocoa powder for flavor and color. And a naturally colored chocolatey cream cheese frosting. The black cocoa powder makes the cupcakes taste exactly like an oreo cookie! I even added a vibrant cherry filling and a black chocolate drip. They’re the perfect cupcakes for Halloween, New Years, or a gothic Valentine’s Day.

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Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a regular sized 12 hole muffin or cupcake pan with liners.
In a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder and hot water. Whisk until no more lumps are left. Set aside while you work on the rest.
⅕ cup black cocoa powder
⅕ cup water boiling hot
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine oil, butter, sugar, and salt. Beat with a paddle attachment until creamy and lightened in color. Scrape down the bowl so that it blends evenly.
⅕ cup oil
⅕ cup unsalted butter
⅕ cup granulated sugar
⅕ teaspoon sea salt
Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well to combine. Add vanilla, vinegar, and buttermilk into the mixture, mix well to combine.
⅓ large eggs
⅕ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅕ teaspoon vinegar
⅕ cup buttermilk
Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda right into the same bowl. Fold the cupcake batter with a whisk to combine. Halfway through mixing - while it’s still lumpy - add the dissolved cocoa powder mixture and fold with a whisk to combine.
¼ cups all purpose flour
⅕ teaspoon baking powder
⅕ teaspoon baking soda
Scoop the batter into the liners, filling them three quarters of the way up.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the pan.

Frosting

In a large bowl or standmixer, beat the butter until lightened in color and creamy. Scrape down the bowl well to blend evenly and use a paddle attachment.
⅕ cup unsalted butter
Add powdered sugar, half a cup at a time and beat well until creamy. Add cocoa powder and beat well.
½ cups powdered sugar
⅕ cup black cocoa powder
Add cream cheese, about one tablespoon at a time. Beat well between each addition until light and creamy. Add vanilla, salt, and mix together.
⅔ oz cream cheese
⅕ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅕ teaspoon sea salt
If you want it even fluffier, add one or two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream into the frosting. Beat well until light and fluffy.
¼ tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Transfer into a piping bag with a large star tip and set aside until ready to assembly.

Black Chocolate Drip and Assembly

Heat the cream until it starts to simmer and bubble. Place the candy melts into a medium heat safe bowl and pour the heavy cream on top. Cover with a lid or plate, and let sit for 5 minutes.
⅕ cup heavy whipping cream
1 oz black candy melts
Whisk the drip mixture together until smooth and creamy. Set aside while you frost and fill the cupcakes.
Using a small knife, cut out the middles of the cupcakes. Only cut halfway through the middle of the cupcake and save the middle of the cupcake that you pull out.
Fill the cupcake middles with a tablespoon of cherry pie filling and add the piece you cut out back on top to close up the hole.
⅕ cup canned cherry pie filling
Pipe the frosting in a tower on top of each cupcake. Add about one to two tablespoons of chocolate drip on top of the cupcake. Heat it up gently if it’s too thick or pop it in the fridge if it’s too hot or thin. Sprinkle with sprinkles and serve!
⅓ tablespoons Sprinkles