Name: Halloween Black Velvet Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8 Slices
Cuisine: American

Sunday Table

February 19, 2025

This is one of my favorite cakes to make for Halloween (or any special occasion!). It's made with a moist, one-bowl chocolate cake and simple chocolate-hazelnut buttercream. This recipe is easy, light, fluffy, and totally gorgeous. It's the best black velvet cake ever!

15 Ingredients

HARD

From the Cook

1/5

Halloween Black Velvet Cake

Sunday Table

Ingredients

Slices

WarningMilk and 5 other allergens identified

Instructions

Black Velvet Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 6-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, buttermilk, canola oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Then, add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Whisk just until the batter forms – don't over-mix!

Divide the batter evenly between the 3 cake pans (if you're using a scale, each should have about 315g of batter). Smooth with an offset spatula. Place the cake pans on a sheet pan.

Bake the cakes for 22-23 minutes, until an inserted toothpick has just a few moist crumbs on it. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 5 minutes. Then, use a knife to loosen the cakes from the sides of the pans. Carefully flip the cakes out of the pans and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Buttercream

In a large bowl, beat the butter and chocolate-hazelnut spread until it's light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and mix until smooth.

Next, mix in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until a thick frosting forms. Add a pinch of salt and 3 Tablespoons of milk. Continue adding milk, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired texture. (The buttercream should be thick but spreadable.)

Whip the buttercream for 2-3 minutes until it's fluffy. Set aside.

Assembly

Using a serrated bread knife, cut the domes off of the tops of the cakes.

Place one cake round on a plate or cake stand. Spread a thick layer of frosting on top. Top with another cake round, add frosting to the second layer, and top with the third cake round until you have a three layer cake.

Frost the outside of the cake and use a bench scraper to smooth out the sides. Decorate as desired. Slice and enjoy with hot coffee or milk!

Video Tutorial Bite Tutorial

Smart Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Dark Cocoa Magic 🍫
Use black cocoa powder instead of regular cocoa to achieve the deepest, most intense black color for your Halloween cake.
Buttercream Smoothness 🧈
Always bring butter to room temperature and sift powdered sugar to create a silky-smooth, lump-free chocolate-hazelnut buttercream.
Moisture Mastery 💧
Add a tablespoon of sour cream or Greek yogurt to the cake batter to ensure an incredibly moist and tender crumb.
Cake Layer Leveling 🍰
Use a serrated knife and gentle sawing motion to level cake layers perfectly, creating a professional-looking and stable Halloween cake.
Decorative Drama 🎃
Use black food coloring gel and metallic edible sprays to create dramatic Halloween-themed decorations that make your black velvet cake truly spooktacular.

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About the Cook

Sunday Table

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