Black Velvet Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting

Hey there, friend! Isla here from BiteTide. Have you ever craved a dessert that’s not just a treat, but a full-on experience? A cake that makes you stop, stare, and say, “Wow, I *made* that?” Well, pull up a stool and get ready, because this Black Velvet Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting is about to become your new baking superpower.

This isn’t your average chocolate cake. Oh no. This is a deep, dark, intensely chocolatey masterpiece with a crumb so tender it practically melts on your tongue. That stunning black color? It’s all thanks to a magical ingredient called black cocoa powder. It’s the same stuff they use in Oreos, and it gives this cake a flavor that’s rich and cocoa-forward without being overly sweet. Paired with a silky, lush dark chocolate frosting that’s like a blanket of pure indulgence, this cake is the ultimate showstopper. It’s perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or just a Tuesday when you need a serious dose of joy. Trust me, the look on your friends’ faces when you slice into this beauty is worth every single second.

The Cake That Started It All

This cake always takes me right back to my grandma’s kitchen, a place that always smelled like vanilla and salt air. She was a baker of few words but immense talent, and she believed a truly great cake should surprise you. One year for my birthday, instead of her usual golden layer cake, she presented me with this dramatic, midnight-dark creation. My eyes went wide. It looked like something from a fancy patisserie, not our flour-dusted kitchen table. She just winked and said, “Don’t let the looks fool you, Isla. The best things are always the ones with a little mystery.” That first bite was a revelation—deeply chocolatey, surprisingly light, and utterly unforgettable. It was more than a cake; it was a lesson that food could be playful, dramatic, and deeply comforting all at once. This recipe is my homage to her, a little slice of that magic, passed on to you.

Gathering Your Flavor Wave

Okay, let’s get our mise en place! Here’s everything you’ll need to create this dark and dreamy masterpiece. A quick pro-tip before we start: having your ingredients at room temperature (especially the eggs, buttermilk, and butter) is the secret handshake to a perfectly tender, evenly-baked cake. It makes all the difference!

For the Black Velvet Cake Layers:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour: The trusty foundation of our cake. For a slightly denser, more tender crumb, you can swap it 1:1 with cake flour.
• 2 cups granulated sugar: Sweetens the deal and helps create that beautiful, soft texture.
• ¾ cup black cocoa powder: This is the STAR of the show! It’s what gives the cake its intense color and Oreo-like flavor. Do not use Dutch-process cocoa here—the acidity in natural black cocoa is crucial for reacting with the baking soda. Find it online or in specialty stores.
• 2 tsp baking powder & 1½ tsp baking soda: Our dynamic leavening duo! They work together to give the cake a gorgeous rise and an open, airy crumb.
• 1 tsp fine salt: A must for balancing the sweetness and making the chocolate flavor pop. Don’t skip it!
• 2 large eggs, room temperature: They bind the batter and add richness and structure.
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature: The tangy hero! Buttermilk tenderizes the gluten, making the cake incredibly moist. No buttermilk? No problem! Make a quick substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
• 1 cup hot water (or hot coffee): This is my little chef’s hack! The hot liquid “blooms” the cocoa powder, intensifying its flavor. Using hot coffee will give you an even deeper, richer chocolate taste without making it taste like coffee.
• ½ cup vegetable oil: Oil keeps the cake moist for days, much more so than butter. It’s our insurance policy against dryness!
• 2 tsp vanilla extract: The flavor enhancer that rounds out all the chocolatey goodness.Print
  

  Black Velvet Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting

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  • Author: islamerrick
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 16–20 slices 1x

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  Description

  Moist, rich, and strikingly dark, this Black Velvet Cake is a chocolate lover’s dream with a dramatic twist. Made with black cocoa powder, the cake has a deep cocoa flavor and ultra-tender crumb, paired with a smooth dark chocolate frosting that melts in your mouth. It’s bold, elegant, and unforgettable—perfect for special occasions or anytime you want to impress.

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  Ingredients

  Scale 1x2x3x

  For the Cake Layers:

  2 cups all-purpose flour

  2 cups granulated sugar

  ¾ cup black cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)

  2 tsp baking powder

  1½ tsp baking soda

  1 tsp fine salt

  2 large eggs

  1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

  1 cup hot water (or hot coffee for deeper flavor)

  ½ cup vegetable oil

  2 tsp vanilla extract

  For the Frosting:

  1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature

  1 cup black cocoa powder

  5 cups powdered sugar

  ¾ cup heavy cream, room temperature

  1½ cups dark chocolate chips, melted and cooled

  2 tsp vanilla extract

  Pinch of salt

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  Instructions

  Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch round pans with parchment paper.

  Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, black cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

  Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Stir in the hot water or coffee.

  Combine: Gradually add wet to dry ingredients and mix until smooth. The batter will be thin.

  Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

  Make frosting: Beat butter until fluffy. Add cocoa, then slowly beat in powdered sugar and salt. Mix in vanilla and cream. Beat until smooth, then fold in melted chocolate.

  Assemble: Layer cakes with frosting in between, then cover the top and sides. Chill briefly to set.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: Dessert

  Nutrition

  • Calories: 520
  • Sugar: 45g
  • Carbohydrates: 60g
  • Protein: 5g

For the Dark Chocolate Frosting:

• 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature: Soft, room-temperature butter is non-negotiable for a light and fluffy frosting. I leave mine on the counter for a good 2 hours before I start.
• 1 cup black cocoa powder: We’re doubling down on that deep flavor and color for a frosting that’s as bold as the cake.
• 5 cups powdered sugar: This gives our frosting structure and sweetness. We’ll add it gradually to avoid a sugar snowstorm in your kitchen!
• ¾ cup heavy cream, room temperature: Using room temp cream prevents the butter from seizing up. This makes the frosting silky, spreadable, and dreamy.
• 1½ cups dark chocolate chips, melted and cooled: Using real melted chocolate takes this frosting from “great” to “I-need-the-whole-bowl” status. Let it cool to room temp so it doesn’t melt the butter.
• 2 tsp vanilla extract: A splash to complement the dark chocolate.
• Pinch of salt: The final key to cutting the sweetness and making the chocolate flavor shine.

Let’s Bake This Beauty: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to ride the wave? Follow these steps, and you’ll have a flawless cake. I’ve packed in all my best chef hacks to guide you. You’ve got this!

1. Preheat and Prep. Fire up your oven to 350°F (175°C). Now, let’s prepare our pans. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans with a little butter or baking spray. Then, cut out circles of parchment paper to line the bottoms. This is my ultimate secret for guaranteeing your cakes will release perfectly without a single crumb left behind. Trust me, it’s a game-changer!
2. Combine the Dry Team. In a large bowl, grab your whisk and thoroughly combine the flour, sugar, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisking for a good 30 seconds does two things: it blends everything evenly, and it aerates the mixture, which contributes to a lighter cake. No one wants a pocket of baking soda in their slice!
3. Unite the Wet Team. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Once that’s smooth and homogenous, carefully whisk in the hot water or coffee. The batter will be thin at this point—that’s exactly what we want! Don’t panic.
4. The Grand Batter Union. Now, pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently fold and stir with a spatula or whisk just until the last trace of flour disappears. Do not overmix! Overworking the batter develops gluten and can lead to a tough, dense cake. A few tiny lumps are totally fine; they’ll work themselves out.
5. Bake to Perfection. Divide the beautifully dark, thin batter evenly between your three prepared pans. I like to use a kitchen scale for ultimate precision, but eyeballing it works too! Slide them into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the tops spring back lightly when touched, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, not wet batter.
6. The All-Important Cool Down. Once out of the oven, let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for exactly 10 minutes. This allows them to set up enough to handle. Then, run a knife around the edges, invert them onto the wire rack, and peel off the parchment paper circles. Let them cool completely before you even *think* about frosting. I’m serious! Frosting a warm cake is a recipe for a melted, sliding mess.
7. Create the Frosting of Dreams. While the cakes cool, let’s make that luxurious frosting. In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until it’s pale, fluffy, and whipped. Add the black cocoa powder and beat until combined. Now, with the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar and pinch of salt. Once it’s mostly incorporated, add the vanilla and room-temperature heavy cream. Crank the mixer back up to medium-high and beat for a full 2-3 minutes until it’s incredibly smooth and fluffy. Finally, fold in the cooled, melted dark chocolate until it’s fully blended. Taste it. Go on, you deserve it. It’s heavenly, right?
8. Assemble Your Masterpiece. Place one completely cool cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand. Spread a generous, even layer of frosting over the top. Add the second layer and repeat. Top with the third layer. Now, apply a thin layer of frosting all over the cake—this is called a “crumb coat.” It traps any loose crumbs and gives you a smooth base for the final layer. Pop the cake in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to set this coat. Then, take it out and pile on the rest of the frosting, swirling it artfully over the top and sides. Don’t stress about it being perfect—rustic is charming!

Serving Up the Drama

Now for the best part: serving! For the ultimate experience, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry for each slice—this gives you those stunning, clean cuts through all that dark layers. I love serving this cake on a simple white or brightly colored plate to really make its dramatic color pop. A little dusting of powdered sugar, a few fresh raspberries, or even a sprinkle of edible gold flakes takes it to a whole new level of elegance. But honestly? A giant slice on a plate with a fork is all you really need.

Ride Your Own Flavor Wave: Fun Variations!

Feel like mixing it up? This cake is a fantastic canvas for your creativity!

• Mocha Madness: Add 1-2 tablespoons of instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients for a rich mocha flavor.
• Orange Zest Twist: Add the zest of one large orange to the cake batter and a tablespoon of orange liqueur (like Cointreau) to the frosting for a classic chocolate-orange combo.
• Mint Chocolate Chip: Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the frosting and fold in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips for a refreshing, fun twist.
• Dairy-Free Delight: Use your favorite plant-based milk mixed with vinegar for the buttermilk, and use vegan butter and dark chocolate. The cake itself is easily adaptable!
• Cookie Crunch: Stir ¾ cup of crushed Oreo cookies into the frosting for a fantastic textural surprise.

Isla’s Chef’s Notes & Kitchen Stories

This recipe has been a labor of love in my kitchen. The first time I tested it, I was so impatient that I frosted the layers while they were still slightly warm. Let’s just say I ended up with something that looked more like a delicious chocolate landslide than a cake! We still ate it, of course, but I learned my lesson about patience the hard way.

Over time, I’ve found that this cake actually tastes even better the next day. The flavors have time to meld and deepen, making it the perfect make-ahead dessert for a stress-free celebration. And don’t be shy with the black cocoa—it’s what makes this cake so uniquely special and is a total pantry powerhouse. I always keep a bag on hand for emergencies (like when a serious chocolate craving hits at 3 PM).

Your Questions, Answered!

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about this cake over the years! Here are the most common ones to help you bake with confidence.

1. Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of black cocoa? You can, but the cake will be a light-to-medium brown color and will have a more traditional chocolate cake flavor. It will still be delicious, but it won’t be “Black Velvet.” For that dramatic look and unique flavor, black cocoa is essential.
2. My batter was so thin—did I do something wrong? Nope, you did everything perfectly! This cake batter is supposed to be very thin. This is what helps create that incredibly moist and tender crumb. Just be careful when pouring it into the pans.
3. Why did my cakes sink in the middle? This usually happens for one of three reasons: 1) The oven door was opened too early, causing a temperature drop. 2) The cakes were underbaked. 3) There was too much leavening (baking soda/powder) or it was accidentally mis-measured. Use a digital scale for flour if you can, and always test for doneness with a toothpick!
4. My frosting is too runny / too thick. Help! No worries, frosting is fixable! If it’s too runny, your butter might have been too soft or your kitchen too warm. Just pop the whole bowl in the fridge for 20-30 minutes and re-whip. If it’s too thick, simply beat in another tablespoon or two of room-temperature heavy cream until it reaches your desired spreadable consistency.

Nutritional Info (Approximate)

Servings: 16-20 slices | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: ~1 hour + cooling

Per Slice (Approximate): Calories: 520 kcal | Fat: 30g | Carbs: 60g | Sugar: 45g | Protein: 5g

Well, that’s it, my friend! You are now fully equipped to create the most dramatic, delicious, and soul-satisfying chocolate cake of your dreams. I am so, so excited for you to try it. When you do, please tag me on social @BiteTide so I can see your beautiful creation! Happy baking!

– Isla 💛