Scratch-made Moist Black Velvet Cake with Black Frosting (No Food Coloring)
This black velvet cake is created with black cocoa powder and a dash of buttermilk to give it the traditional velvet cake flavor, then topped with rich black chocolate frosting and no food coloring is required.
This dessert is incredible. You’re missing out if you’ve never tried black cocoa powder. It seems to have a darker chocolate flavor, but it does not. It tastes more like an Oreo, in my view, and it’s delicious.
There is also no need for black food coloring. The black cocoa will deepen it organically on its own.
This black chocolate cake is ideal for Halloween, birthday celebrations, or any other occasion when you want a one-of-a-kind layer cake. To make it really elegant, add some gold sprinkles, a gold drip, or edible gold leaf, and some gold candles.
Essentially, this cake is similar to a red velvet cake, but instead of using a tiny quantity of standard cocoa powder, you’ll use a bigger amount of black cocoa powder, giving it a more chocolaty flavor.
Hello there! Before you browse, there’s a lot of vital information in this article!includes the FAQ section, which may help you with any queries you have regarding this recipe. Enjoy!
Contents
- Ingredient Notes:
- How to make this layer cake:
- Tips & FAQs:
- Supplies Used:
- Recipe:
- Moist Black Velvet Cake from Scratch with Black Frosting (No Food Coloring)
- Other posts you might like:
- FAQs
- How do you make a black cake without food coloring?
- How do you dye frosting black without black dye?
- What can I use in place of black food coloring?
- What can I use to color frosting without food coloring?
- How do you make black royal icing without black food coloring?
- How do you dye a cake without food coloring?
- What is black cake icing made of?
- How can I dye something black without black dye?
Ingredient Notes:
Let’s take a look at some of the components in this black velvet cake. (The printable ingredient list is included in the recipe card below.)
All-purpose flour: Because this recipe asks for normal all-purpose flour, there’s no need to worry about using a specialty flour like cake flour.
This cake’s standout component is black cocoa powder. It is not the same as plain unsweetened cocoa powder. It’s also not dark chocolate, and it lacks the taste of dark chocolate.
Black cocoa powder is essentially Dutch process cocoa powder, which is alkalinized cocoa powder.
Its not super strong in flavor like youd think. In my opinion, its got an Oreo cookie taste.
Unsweetened natural cocoa powder: You may be wondering why we included another sort of cocoa powder, and the answer is that black cocoa powder isn’t very chocolaty. To obtain a more chocolaty flavor, we’ll need to add some natural cocoa powder.
Buttermilk: Yes, buttermilk is a key component in velvet cakes, bringing out the other tastes and creating a moist cake with superb texture.
Oil and butter: We’ll use both vegetable oil and butter in this cake. Oil will increase the moist element, while butter will provide taste.
How to make this layer cake:
Let’s bake a black velvet cake with black velvet buttercream icing. (Printable directions are included in the recipe card below.)
Step 1:
First, prepare the cake. Set out the buttermilk and eggs ahead of time to allow them to come to room temperature before mixing the mixture.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter and flour two 8-inch round, 2-inch-deep cake pans.
Step 2:
Combine the flour, both cocoa powders, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing basin. Set aside after thoroughly mixing with a whisk.
Step 3:
In a separate dish, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, softened butter, vinegar, vanilla, and eggs. Set away after thoroughly whisking.
Step 4:
Add the liquid ingredient combination to the dry ingredient mixture and mix on medium speed just until the ingredients are mixed. Scrape down the edges of the basin and mix again until everything is fully incorporated.
If you mix the cake for too long, it will become thick and dry. When the ingredients are thoroughly blended, stop mixing.
Step 5:
Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pans and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Step 6:
Set the cake layers on wire racks to cool for approximately ten minutes before turning out and removing the pans to cool fully before assembling the cake and applying buttercream icing.
Step 7:
While the cake layers cool, prepare the icing. In a large mixing basin, combine the butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
Step 8:
Beat in both cocoa powders on low until blended, then on medium until thoroughly integrated. Scrape down the edges of the basin and stir one more.
Step 9:
Mix in 3 cups confectioners’ sugar. Beat on low until blended, then on medium until completely integrated.
Step 10:
Mix in 2 tablespoons milk and the remaining 2 cups confectioners sugar on low until blended, then on medium until thoroughly integrated. Scrape down the edges of the basin, then stir one more. (If it’s still too thick, add another tablespoon of milk and stir.)
Step 11:
Check the consistency of your buttercream, and if it’s still too thick, add a tablespoon of milk at a time, mixing after each addition.
If you want the buttercream to be a deeper black, add a few drops of black gel food coloring, although this isn’t usually required since the black cocoa powder is very dark on its own and appears to deepen the longer it sits on the cake.
Step 12:
Decorate the cooled cake layers with the icing as desired. Enjoy!
Tips & FAQs:
Black velvet cake is identical to red velvet cake, except that it is prepared using black cocoa powder rather than simply a little quantity of unsweetened natural cocoa powder. Black cocoa powder is very dark, giving the cake and icing a rich black hue.
The chocolate flavor of black velvet cake is similar to that of Oreos. Looking at it, you’d assume it’d have a dark chocolate flavor, but it’s not bitter and doesn’t have an overpowering chocolate flavor. This cake is delicious and fluffy, with just the perfect amount of chocolate flavor.
Black cocoa powder is simply Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which is natural cocoa powder that has been alkalinized. It is available in various grocery shops, gourmet goods stores, and on Amazon. This is the one I used: Cocoa Powder (Black)
No, it has a somewhat distinct flavor. It’s not as chocolaty as a conventional chocolate cake since black cocoa doesn’t have the same intense chocolate flavor as ordinary unsweetened cocoa powder.
The flavor of black velvet cake is distinct. It’s still chocolate, but it’s more like Oreo cookie chocolate.
Red velvet cake contains just a trace of conventional unsweetened cocoa powder, which interacts with the baking soda to give it a red color. crimson food coloring is then added to make it even more crimson.
There is a little quantity of conventional unsweetened cocoa powder in black velvet cake, but there is significantly more black cocoa powder and no food coloring is required.
The reason this recipe asks for both is because black cocoa powder does not have a strong chocolaty taste on its own, but natural unsweetened cocoa powder does. Both varieties are used to give this cake extra chocolate taste.
Set out the buttermilk and eggs ahead of time for this recipe so they can reach closer to room temperature before mixing the batter. Set them out approximately 20-30 minutes before making the cake batter.
or thick.When measuring the flour, be careful not to pack it down. Fill the measuring cup halfway with flour and level it off. Packing the flour into the measuring cup adds too much flour to the batter, resulting in a dry and crumbly cake.
No, don’t do that. Baking soda and baking powder are not interchangeable and cannot be used interchangeably. If you want to learn more about the distinction, read this blog post: Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder
It’s preferable if you can use actual buttermilk since it creates a softer texture and adds flavor to the cake. If you can’t get it, use this sour milk recipe instead:For each cup of buttermilk called for, fill a measuring cup halfway with ordinary milk, remove 1 tablespoon, and replace it with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, stirring well. Allow for a five-minute rest before using. This will not work precisely like buttermilk, but it will suffice in a pinch.
Yes, it is preferable if you can. The vinegar in velvet cakes helps the texture bake up soft and interacts with the baking soda.
It’s better to use unsalted butter for this recipe so you know how much salt is in the cake mix and buttercream. If you can’t find unsalted butter, use salty in the cake and buttercream, but leave out the extra salt that each recipe asks for.
or dry. When the components are thoroughly blended, you may stop mixing.Once the liquid components have been combined with the dry ingredients, take care not to overmix. Overmixing the cake batter will result in a thick and dense cake.
When a toothpick put into the center of each layer comes out clean or with a few wet crumbs on it, the cake is done.
If desired, this cake may be prepared ahead of time and frozen. Allow the cooked cake to cool fully before wrapping the layers in plastic wrap and foil and freezing them for up to a month. They will most likely last a number of months, but I like to use them within a month.
Place the covered cake layers on the counter at room temperature to defrost thoroughly before removing the wrapper. Fill and cover the cake with icing after it has been defrosted.
This cake may be kept at room temperature for a couple of days, then covered and refrigerated for a few more days to retain freshness.
I haven’t tried this recipe as cupcakes yet, but it should be good. Fill 2 cupcake pans (24 cupcakes) halfway with cupcake liners and fill with batter. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, checking for doneness halfway through.
This cake tastes best when served at room temperature. Set the cake out for approximately 20 minutes to reach closer to room temperature if it has been cold.
There are affiliate links in this post. I earn money as an Amazon Associate by making qualifying purchases.
Supplies Used:
- Black Cocoa Powder
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Silicon spatula
- Whisk
- 8-inch round cake pans
- Oven mits
- Cooling racks
Coming soon!
***I write recipes in volume (cup) measures since that is what people in the United States are accustomed to seeing and using. Click the metric button beneath the ingredients in the recipe card to get weight in metric measures. The weights are converted by a software, not by me, and the results are an educated approximation. Please keep in mind that while I prepare recipes in cups, I cannot guarantee that weighing the components will provide the same results.
Recipe:
Moist Black Velvet Cake from Scratch with Black Frosting (No Food Coloring)
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2cupsall-purpose flour
- cupblack cocoa powder
- 1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not dutch processed) Answers to ingredient queries may be found in the blog post’s FAQs.
- 1 cupssugar
- 1teaspoonbaking soda
- teaspoonbaking powder
- teaspoonsalt
- 1 cupsbuttermilk
- cupvegetable oil
- 1 cupunsalted butter (not warm or hot butter, just lay the butter out a few hours ahead of time so it will be soft enough to combine nicely)
- 1teaspoonwhite vinegar
- 2teaspoonsvanilla extract
- 3large eggs
For the frosting:
- 2cupsunsalted butter, room temperature
- 1pinchof salt
- 2teaspoonsvanilla bean paste(or extract)
- cupblack cocoa powder
- cupnatural cocoa powder
- 5cupsconfectioners sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk (additional tablespoon optional)
Instructions
For the cake:
- Set the buttermilk and eggs out ahead of time to come to room temperature before mixing the mixture. (This is critical.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 8-inch circular cake pans by greasing and flouring them.
- Combine the flour, both cocoa powders, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing basin. Set aside after thoroughly mixing with a whisk.
- In a separate dish, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, softened butter, vinegar, vanilla, and eggs. Whisk thoroughly.
- Mix the liquid components into the dry ingredients on medium speed until they are barely mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend one more. If you mix the cake for too long, it will become thick. When the ingredients are thoroughly blended, stop mixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans and bake for 35-40 minutes. When a toothpick put into the center of each layer comes out with a few moist crumbs or clean, but no raw cake batter, the cake is done.
- Set the cake layers on wire racks to cool for approximately ten minutes before turning them out onto the racks and removing the pans to cool fully before assembling the cake and adding buttercream icing.
For the frosting:
- In a large mixing basin, combine the butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Mix in both cocoa powders on low until blended, then on medium until fully combined. Scrape down the edges of the basin and stir one more.
- Mix in 3 cups confectioners’ sugar. Mix on low until blended, then on medium until completely combined.
- Add 2 tablespoons milk and the remaining 2 cups confectioners sugar. Mix on low until blended, then on medium until completely combined. Scrape down the edges of the basin, then stir one more.
- Check the consistency of your buttercream, and if it’s still too thick, add a tablespoon of milk at a time, mixing after each addition.
- If you want the buttercream to be a darker black, add a few drops of black gel food coloring, although this isn’t usually necessary since the black cocoa powder is rather dark on its own and tends to deepen as it sits on the cake.
Notes
To eat, set the cake out to come closer to room temperature.
Nutritional values are an estimate.
Make sure to check out the TIPS & FAQs for this recipe in the blog post, which will answer questions about ingredients, substitutions, the mixing method and more.
*This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition
Other posts you might like:
- Black and White Cake
- Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
- Double Chocolate Black Forest Cake
- Chocolate Butter Cake
- Easy Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Best Chocolate Cupcakes
FAQs
How do you make a black cake without food coloring?
To naturally give your frosting a strong foundation color, use black cocoa and melted dark chocolate. If you can’t locate black cocoa, use dark cocoa powder instead. Allow the melted chocolate to cool for approximately 10 minutes before incorporating it into the frosting.
How do you dye frosting black without black dye?
One part blue food coloring, two and a half parts green food coloring, and three parts red food coloring should be combined. Incorporate this into your frosting or fondant.
What can I use in place of black food coloring?
Begin by blending equal parts blue, red, and green dyes. Add more droplets of red and green. To get a really inky black, you’ll probably need to add a few more drops of red and green (a little more red than green).
What can I use to color frosting without food coloring?
4 tsp. of turmeric powder. A wonderful substitute is dried mango or pineapple powder.2 cups buttercream, a decent starting point is 1Mix turmeric powder with white buttercream, beginning with a tiny quantity and adding more as required until the desired color is achieved. For 1 1
How do you make black royal icing without black food coloring?
Starting with cocoa powder is one of the finest ways to obtain a dark black icing color without adding a lot of gel color. You won’t get chocolate flavored frosting with my approach since I just use a little bit of cocoa powder. It will have a cocoa flavor, but not enough to make it taste like chocolate.
How do you dye a cake without food coloring?
Cocoa, coffee, tea, spirulina, spices, and cocoa are all available in powder form, making them simple to use. As with food colors, start with a little quantity of these natural frosting coloring alternatives and add more as required to get the desired colour.
What is black cake icing made of?
To begin, combine frosting, cocoa powder, and a tablespoon of the black food gel in a large mixing dish. Combine. Add additional black food gel as needed until the frosting is the appropriate color.
How can I dye something black without black dye?
Natural black dye may be made from iris roots. Put the cloth to die in a saucepan with 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water. Simmer for one hour, stirring periodically. Then, in the sink, run it under cold water for 1 to 2 minutes to eliminate part of the vinegar.