Black Velvet Cake
Serves 14
45 mins prep
20 mins cook
65 mins total
This black velvet cake is naturally colored, soft, moist, has a luscious chocolate cream cheese frosting, and a vibrant red cherry filling. It has the rich and tender texture of a red velvet cake but uses black cocoa powder to make it black. The black cocoa powder makes this cake taste like an oreo cookie! It’s the perfect cake for Halloween, New Years, or even for Valentine’s day.
Cake Layers
Frosting & Assembly
Cake Layers
Add cocoa powder into a medium heat safe bowl. Pour hot water into the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature while you make the cake.
cup black cocoa powder
cup water
Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Grease three 8” round baking pans with a pat of butter or baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Set aside for later.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine butter, oil, sugar, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until lightened in color and creamy.
cup vegetable oil
cup unsalted butter
cup granulated sugar
tsp sea salt
Add eggs, one by one into the same bowl, beating well in between each egg. Scrape the sides of the bowl down with a spatula.
large eggs
Add vanilla, vinegar, and buttermilk right into the same bowl and mix to form a runny mixture.
tbsp pure vanilla extract
tbsp vinegar
cup buttermilk
Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda right into the same bowl. Fold with a wire whisk until mostly combined.
cup all purpose flour
tsp baking powder
tsp baking soda
Pour the cocoa powder mixture into the cake batter and fold until most of the lumps are gone. You can give the batter a few quick whisks with the whisk to smooth it out but don’t overmix.
Evenly divide the batter among the three cake pans. Use a scale or a measuring scoop to help. Spread out the cake batter to level and bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached. You won’t be able to notice if the cake is browning too much so it’s important to use a toothpick to tell if the cake is ready.
Let the cake layers cool inside the cake pans for 10 minutes before flipping them over to release on a cooling rack and letting them cool to room temperature.
Frosting & Assembly
Add softened butter to a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar, cup by cup, beating well in between each cup. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth, very light and fluffy.
cup unsalted butter
cup powdered sugar
oz cream cheese
Add vanilla, salt, and cocoa powder into the same bowl and beat until smooth and fluffy. Make sure you scrape down the bowl halfway. If you want to fluff the frosting even more, add one or two tablespoons of milk and beat again (I didn’t because my frosting didn’t need this).
cup black cocoa powder
tsp pure vanilla extract
tsp sea salt
tbsp milk
Place a small dollop of frosting on your cake serving plate. Add the first cake layer, right side up. Spread a thin layer of frosting and pipe a border around the perimeter with a large open star piping tip (or just use a piping bag with the end cut off). Fill the middle with cherry filling, stack, and repeat until the very last layer.
cup cherry pie filling
Place the last layer of cake on top, bottom side up. Cover the whole cake with a thin layer of frosting, smooth, and freeze the cake for 10 minutes to set. This stabilizes the cake structure and prevents the filling from seeping out.
Frost the outside of the cake with more frosting, smoothing the sides and top. Use piping tips to pipe borders and swoops on the cake. Top with sprinkles and candles (optional). Slice and serve!
Sprinkles