Black Velvet Cake

5 from 1 vote

Black Velvet Cake with Red Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing, beautifully moist and decadent, a deliciously layered Halloween dessert. The intense black sponge is achieved by using black cocoa powder, which has a distinctive deep flavour, while the cream cheese icing is bright red and so spooky. Super easy to make, what a Halloween treat!

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Cooling Time1

Total Time1 55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 699kcal

Author: Daniela Apostol

Ingredients

For the sponge

250 g plain flour (2 cups)
60 g black cocoa powder (2 oz)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
250 g granulated sugar (1 cup)
300 ml vegetable oil (1 ½ cup)
250 ml buttermilk (1 cup)
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting

500 g icing sugar (confectioners' sugar, 4 cups)
250 g butter, soften (1 cup)
4 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
250 g cream cheese (1 cup)
1 teaspoon red food colouring (paste)

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

To make the sponges, sift the flour and black cocoa powder in a large bowl, add the bicarb of soda and sugar, and mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine the oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract.
Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients using a spatula, until you get a smooth batter.
Butter and flour 2 cake tins with the diameter of 19 cm/ 7.5 inches - mine have detachable walls and removable bottom which helps a lot.
Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 tins and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
To make the frosting, sift the icing sugar and add it to a food processor together with the soft butter, food colouring, vanilla extract and milk.
Mix until you get a smooth paste, then add the cream cheese and mix again.
When the sponges are cool, spread cream over one sponge, top with the second sponge, and spread more cream on the top and sides.
Decorate with more icing or Halloween decorations.

Video

Notes

To see the measurements in cups and ounces, please click on the US CUSTOMARY link.
The amount of ingredients listed can be adjusted depending on the number of servings you need, just click on the number next to SERVINGS.
This beautiful cake doesn't need to be refrigerated, it lasts very well at room temperature for at least 4-5 days - it keeps its moisture well and it doesn't dry out at all.
When refrigerated, the icing becomes too hard, and the sponge hardens up and becomes crumbly - and while it's still edible, that's not the best texture.
Make sure the cream cheese isn't too watery, that's why the full-fat one is the best. Too watery cream cheese might result in a split buttercream which is pretty hard to salvage.
You can also decorate the cake to make it as spooky as you wish, if you are going to serve it for Halloween. The white cream cheese frosting can be turned black if you add black cocoa powder to it too.

Nutrition