Description
This spooky and elegant Black Velvet Halloween Cake combines rich black cocoa layers with a tangy blackberry compote and creamy black cocoa frosting. Perfect for a family celebration or Halloween party centerpiece!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups White granulated sugar
- 2 cups All-purpose flour (sifted)
- ¾ cup Black cocoa powder (sifted)
- 2 teaspoons Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup Buttermilk (room temperature)
- 1 cup Hot coffee
- ½ cup Canola oil
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 2 cups Fresh blackberries
- 2 tablespoons White granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 8 oz Cream cheese (softened)
- ½ cup Unsalted butter (softened)
- 3 cups Powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 cup Black cocoa powder (sifted)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Chocolate skulls
- Fresh blackberries (for decoration)
- Dried rose petals
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray two 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
- Sift together flour, black cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated without overmixing.
- Stir in the hot coffee until combined to create a smooth batter.
- Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cakes completely before removing from pans.
- To make the blackberry compote, combine blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 5-6 minutes.
- Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir into berry mixture. Simmer until thickened, remove cinnamon stick, and chill.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy.
- Level cakes if needed. Place first layer on plate and pipe a ring of frosting around edge. Fill with compote inside the ring.
- Top with second cake layer and apply crumb coat. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Frost the cake with remaining frosting, smoothing as desired.
- Decorate with chocolate skulls, fresh blackberries, and dried rose petals. Optional: drizzle with extra compote for effect.
Notes
This cake is perfect for Halloween and doesn’t require any food coloring thanks to black cocoa powder. Get creative with the spooky decorations!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 55mg