Black velvet cake is red velvet’s dramatic cousin: a soft, tender buttermilk cake made with black cocoa powder and a touch of black food coloring, so it bakes up nearly black with a mild, Oreo-like chocolate flavor. It’s mixed like a classic butter cake, baked in two 9-inch rounds and makes 10 slices, ready for cream cheese frosting or ganache.
How to make it: Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the oil, eggs, vanilla and vinegar, then add the sifted flour, black and regular cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt alternately with the buttermilk. Tint the batter with black gel coloring, divide it between two pans and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Striking color: deep black layers that look amazing against white frosting.
- Velvety crumb: buttermilk, vinegar and oil keep it soft and moist.
- Mild chocolate flavor: like a chocolate sandwich cookie, not a heavy fudge cake.
- Perfect for parties: Halloween, birthdays, New Year’s Eve and black-and-gold celebrations.
What Is Black Velvet Cake?
Black velvet cake is a velvet cake, a soft, fine-crumbed buttermilk cake with a little cocoa and vinegar, colored black instead of red. The color comes mainly from black cocoa powder, a heavily alkalized (Dutch-processed) cocoa that’s very dark and less bitter than natural cocoa. A little black gel coloring deepens it further. Like red velvet, it’s usually paired with tangy cream cheese frosting.
What Flavor Is Black Velvet Cake?
It tastes like a light chocolate cake with a hint of tang from the buttermilk and vinegar. Black cocoa gives it the familiar flavor of chocolate sandwich cookie wafers. It’s milder than a dark chocolate cake and richer than a plain vanilla one, which is why it works so well with sweet frostings.
Ingredient Notes
Black cocoa powder: 2 tablespoons, for the deep color and cookie-like flavor. Plus 1 tablespoon regular unsweetened cocoa for chocolate depth.
Flour, sugar and leavening: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Butter and oil: 1/2 cup softened butter for flavor and 1/4 cup vegetable oil for a moist crumb.
Buttermilk and vinegar: 1 cup buttermilk and 1 tablespoon white vinegar react with the baking soda for a tender, velvety texture.
Eggs and vanilla: 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Black food coloring: gel or paste, added a little at a time. Liquid coloring thins the batter.
More recipes you might like
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp black cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Black food coloring (gel or paste)
How to Make Black Velvet Cake
1. Prepare the pans. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
2. Cream. In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, incorporating air.
3. Add the oil. Add vegetable oil and beat until well combined to ensure moisture.
4. Add eggs, vanilla and vinegar. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract and white vinegar.
5. Sift the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift flour, black cocoa powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Combine. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
7. Color. Add black food coloring a few drops at a time until desired shade is reached.
8. Fill the pans. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with a spatula.
9. Bake. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Cool. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Black Velvet vs. Red Velvet vs. Black Forest
Red velvet and black velvet are the same style of buttermilk cake; the difference is the color and the cocoa. Red velvet uses natural cocoa and red coloring; black velvet uses dark black cocoa and black coloring, which gives it more chocolate flavor. Black forest cake is something else entirely: a German chocolate sponge layered with whipped cream and cherries.
Tips for a Deep Black Cake
- Use black cocoa. Regular cocoa alone bakes up brown.
- Use gel coloring. It’s concentrated and won’t thin the batter.
- Expect it to darken. The color deepens as the cake bakes and rests, so stop at dark gray-black.
- Don’t overmix. Stir just until combined after adding the flour.
- Cool completely before frosting. Warm layers melt the frosting.
Variations
- Cream cheese frosting: the classic pairing, and a bright white contrast.
- Chocolate ganache: for an all-black, extra chocolatey cake.
- Cupcakes: fill lined cups two-thirds full and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, checking early.
- Halloween: add a red drip or orange frosting.
- Coffee: swap a little of the buttermilk for cooled coffee to deepen the chocolate flavor.
Storage
Wrap unfrosted, cooled layers tightly and keep them at room temperature until frosting, or freeze them. Once frosted with cream cheese frosting, keep the cake in the refrigerator and let slices sit out briefly before serving.
What to Serve With It
Serve slices with fresh raspberries or strawberries, vanilla ice cream or a cup of coffee.
More chocolate cakes: homemade German chocolate cake, Texas sheet cake, Mississippi mud cake and Oreo dirt cake. For a white cake, try white almond wedding cake, or for caramel, salted caramel Kentucky butter cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is black velvet cake?
A soft buttermilk velvet cake colored black with black cocoa powder and black food coloring.
What flavor is black velvet cake?
Mild chocolate with a slight tang, similar to chocolate sandwich cookies.
What is the difference between red velvet and black velvet cake?
The cocoa and the color: red velvet uses natural cocoa and red coloring; black velvet uses black cocoa and black coloring.
Can I make it without black cocoa?
Yes, but it will be brown unless you add much more black coloring.
What frosting goes best with it?
Cream cheese frosting, vanilla buttercream or chocolate ganache.
Can I freeze the layers?
Yes. Wrap them tightly and thaw before frosting.
Final Notes
Use black cocoa and gel coloring, mix gently and cool the layers before frosting. If you make cupcakes or a Halloween version, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Black Velvet Cake
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour for structure
- 1 cup granulated sugar adds sweetness
- 1 cup buttermilk for moisture and tang
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened, adds creaminess
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil for moistness
- 2 large eggs binds ingredients
- 2 tbsp black cocoa powder for color and intense chocolate flavor
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder additional chocolate flavor
- 1 tsp baking powder leavening agent
- 1/2 tsp baking soda reacts with buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp salt balances flavors
- 1 tbsp white vinegar adds tenderness
- 1 tsp vanilla extract flavor enhancer
- black food coloring gel or paste for desired shade
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, incorporating air.
- Add vegetable oil and beat until well combined to ensure moisture.
- Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract and white vinegar.
- In a separate bowl, sift flour, black cocoa powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Add black food coloring a few drops at a time until desired shade is reached.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with a spatula.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
