The first iteration of this luscious layer cake was featured in our March/April 2017 issue. We removed its caramel filling, swapped unsweetened cocoa powder in the layers to black cocoa powder, and replaced the cream cheese frosting in favor of a double-chocolate no-cook buttercream to deliver an intense chocolate experience. Plus, this cake requires no heavy lifting of equipment—simply stir it together! Whether celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, or simply craving the ultimate indulgence, this cake delivers satisfaction with every bite.
Black Velvet Cake
Makes 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (660 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
- 1¼ teaspoons (3.75 grams) kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking soda
- 1 cup (85 grams) black cocoa powder
- 1½ cups (360 grams) hot brewed coffee or hot water
- 1 cup (240 grams) sour cream
- ¾ cup (168 grams) vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon (13 grams) vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature
- Black Cocoa Buttercream (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- In a medium bowl, place cocoa; whisk in hot coffee or hot water until cocoa dissolves and mixture is smooth. Whisk in sour cream, oil, and vanilla until combined. Whisk in eggs. Add cocoa mixture to flour mixture, and whisk until no dry streaks remain. Divide batter among prepared pans (about 2½ cups or 678 grams per pan).
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert cake layers onto wire racks, and let cool completely.
- Using a large serrated knife, level cooled cake layers if desired.
- Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1½ cups (about 300 grams) Black Cocoa Buttercream onto cake layer. Top with second cake layer, and spread 1½ cups (about 300 grams) buttercream on top. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining buttercream on top and sides of cake as desired. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Black Cocoa Buttercream
Makes 8 cups
Ingredients
- 2½ cups (567 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- 6¼ cups (750 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1¼ cups (106 grams) black cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (95 grams) heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled
- ¾ teaspoon (3 grams) vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and salt at medium speed until smooth.
- In a large bowl, sift together confectioners’ sugar and cocoa. With mixer on low speed, slowly add sugar mixture to butter mixture, about 1 cup at a time, alternately with cream, about 1 tablespoon (15 grams) at a time, beating until smooth after each addition and stopping to scrape bottom and sides of bowl and paddle. Slowly add melted chocolate, beating until well combined. Beat in vanilla. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until thick and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape bottom and sides of bowl.
Notes
PRO TIP: The frosting will gradually darken in color as it stands. Frosting can be made a day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Let it come to room temperature and then whip it until light and fluffy before using.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
There is a typo in the buttercream recipe, the powdered sugar should be 3 1/4 cups not just 1/4 cup.
Hi Tessa,
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The recipe has been corrected above.
Just reading the recepie for the Black velvet butter cream, I conclude there must be an mistake.
1/4 cup sugar is never 750 grams
And
1 and a 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder is never 100 grams.
I guess I just use the weight advise . The cup advise is probably switched.
looking forward to try this recepie.
Greetings ineke
Hi Ineke,
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The confectioners’ sugar should read 6 ¼ cups (750 grams). The dark cocoa powder is correct as-is per our gram standard of 1 cup = 125 grams. Happy baking!
The recipe also states at the very top, that it makes one, 8 inch cake. To a baker, that means one, 8” layer cake but this actually makes 3, 8 inch cakes.
Hi Tara,
Yes, this recipe yields one 8-inch cake with 3 layers. Happy baking!