Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake Recipe
If you want to be the talk of this year’s Halloween party, look no further than this irresistible Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake. Its dark, dramatic crumb, creamy tangy frosting, and playful decorations come together for a dessert that tastes as wickedly good as it looks. Whether you’re celebrating with little ghouls or spooky grownups, this cake is guaranteed to vanish before midnight!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gather your favorite mixing bowls, because the ingredients for this show-stopper are simple but oh-so-essential. Each element not only builds flavor and texture, but also creates that signature midnight-black hue you can only find in a Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake!
- All-purpose flour: Gives the cake structure and a tender crumb that holds up beautifully to frosting.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the batter just right for that classic, crowd-pleasing flavor.
- Baking soda: Helps the cake rise for a lofty, bakery-worthy texture.
- Baking powder: Adds extra lift for an even lighter slice.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness, making every bite pop.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Brings rich chocolate flavor as the base of your black velvet crumb.
- Black cocoa powder: Adds deep color and intense, almost Oreo-like flavor; essential for that inky finish.
- Buttermilk (room temperature): Gives the crumb its signature velvety tenderness and subtle tang.
- Vegetable oil: Keeps the cake extra-moist and soft, perfect for make-ahead slicing.
- Large eggs (room temperature): Bind everything together while adding richness and structure.
- White vinegar: Activates the leaveners and brings that classic “velvet” chemistry into play.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the chocolate flavors for irresistible complexity.
- Hot water: Blooming the cocoa deepens its flavor and ensures a tender crumb.
- Black gel food coloring: For the spookiest, deepest black cake you’ve ever seen; use just enough for your desired hue.
- Cream cheese (softened): The tangy base for our luscious frosting, balancing the cake’s sweet intensity.
- Unsalted butter (softened): Makes the frosting satiny-smooth and richly flavorful.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting until spreadable and dreamy.
- Pinch of salt: That little sprinkle that takes the frosting from good to unforgettable.
- Black gel food coloring (optional, for frosting): For those extra-dark, extra-dramatic finishing touches.
- Halloween sprinkles, candy eyes, black sanding sugar, plastic spiders (optional): Go wild with these for maximum creepy-cute flair!
How to Make Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake
Step 1: Prep Your Pans and Ingredients
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Give your two 8-inch round cake pans a thorough greasing, then line the bottoms with parchment for super easy removal later. Let your buttermilk and eggs come to room temperature for the smoothest batter, and make sure your cocoa and food coloring are at the ready!
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, unsweetened cocoa, and that rich black cocoa powder. This blend is your cake’s backbone, infusing each bite with a deep chocolate flavor and a stunningly dark color.
Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients
Grab another bowl and thoroughly combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, white vinegar, and vanilla extract. This combo ensures your Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake is not only flavorful but also impossibly moist and tender.
Step 4: Create the Batter
Slowly add your wet ingredients into the dry, mixing until just combined—no need to over-stir. Stir in the hot water to bloom the cocoa and transform your batter into a silky, pourable masterpiece. Start adding black gel food coloring a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stop when you’ve hit that haunting deep black shade!
Step 5: Bake the Cakes
Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once finished, let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely—the hardest part is resisting the urge to sneak a bite before they’re frosted!
Step 6: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat softened cream cheese and butter until ultra-creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until smooth and fluffy. Stir in vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and more black gel food coloring if a pitch-black look tempts you. This frosting is swoon-worthy and perfect for slathering between and over those jet-black cake layers.
Step 7: Assemble and Decorate
Level the cooled cakes if needed. Spread a generous layer of frosting between them, stack, then coat the outside with more swirls of that hauntingly delicious frosting. Sprinkle on Halloween-themed decorations to your heart’s content—think candy eyes, sprinkles, black sugar, or even a few (clean!) plastic spiders for extra drama. Chill the cake 30 minutes before slicing for sharp, clean edges.
How to Serve Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake
Garnishes
A Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake is truly a blank (and black!) canvas for all your creative garnishing dreams. Pile on candy eyes, neon Halloween sprinkles, or a shimmering dusting of black sanding sugar to make each slice a piece of edible art. Don’t be shy—more is more, especially when you want that dramatic wow factor.
Side Dishes
This cake is an absolute star on its own, but pairing it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream provides a cool contrast to the rich chocolate and tangy frosting. Fruity sides—like blood orange segments or a berry compote—also shine next to each decadent slice, giving your dessert spread some fresh Halloween zing.
Creative Ways to Present
For maximum impact, serve your Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake on a black cake stand or a platter draped with faux cobwebs. Slice it at the table so everyone can gasp at the midnight-black interior! Cupcake versions or single-serve squares work beautifully at bigger bashes. Don’t forget to snap photos—this is one cake that begs to be shared, both in person and online!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftovers (though it’s rare!), store slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The cream cheese frosting keeps the cake moist and irresistible, but make sure everything is covered tightly so it doesn’t dry out or pick up fridge odors.
Freezing
For longer storage, freeze individual slices or entire unfrosted cakes wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil. They’ll stay fresh for up to two months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting or serving, and your Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake will be just as magical as the day it was baked.
Reheating
This cake is best enjoyed at room temperature for full flavor and optimal frosting texture. Remove what you plan to eat from the fridge or freezer and let it sit out for 20–30 minutes. No need to heat, but if you crave a gently warmed slice, a quick 10–15 seconds in the microwave shouldn’t hurt—just enough to take the chill off!
FAQs
Can I make Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake without black cocoa powder?
Absolutely! If black cocoa is unavailable, just use more unsweetened cocoa powder. The result will be a lighter but still deeply chocolaty cake. For the classic look, stick with black cocoa if you can find it—it gives that extra-dark, “Oreo” effect.
Is it necessary to use gel food coloring?
Gel food coloring is highly recommended because it delivers intense color without watering down your cake batter. Liquid coloring might not bring the same bold black, and it can affect your cake’s texture.
Can I make the Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake in advance?
Yes! This cake is actually better if made a day before serving. It gives the flavors a chance to mingle and the frosting to set, making slicing and serving easier at your party.
How do I keep the cake moist?
The secret is in the oil and buttermilk—they work together to ensure a moist crumb, along with careful storage. Always wrap leftovers well and refrigerate, especially because of the cream cheese frosting.
What other decorations can I use?
Get creative! Besides the classics like sprinkles and candy eyes, try edible glitter, piped spiderwebs, or even homemade meringue ghosts. There’s no wrong way to top a Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake—just have fun with it!
Final Thoughts
This Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake is the treat your celebration deserves—moist, rich, hauntingly beautiful, and endlessly customizable. Don’t let the dramatic look fool you: it’s surprisingly simple to make, and it never fails to impress a crowd. Gather your favorite fiends, turn up the spooky tunes, and make this cake the highlight of your Halloween spread!
Print
Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in the spookiest dessert with this rich and decadent Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake. A moist black velvet cake topped with creamy black cream cheese frosting, perfect for Halloween parties!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon black cocoa powder (or use additional unsweetened cocoa if unavailable)
- 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup hot water
- black gel food coloring (as needed)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- black gel food coloring (optional)
Decoration:
- Halloween sprinkles
- candy eyes
- black sanding sugar
- or plastic spiders (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare cake pans.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powders.
- Combine wet ingredients: In another bowl, mix buttermilk, oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla.
- Combine and bake: Mix wet ingredients into dry, add hot water, color with gel, divide into pans, and bake for 30–35 minutes.
- Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter, add sugar, vanilla, salt, and food coloring.
- Frost and decorate: Frost cooled cakes, decorate with sprinkles, eyes, or spiders, and chill before serving.
Notes
- Black cocoa powder provides rich flavor and color.
- Gel food coloring is recommended for vibrant color.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 310mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
