Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake
A delightful and elegant cake featuring layers of moist black velvet cake, rich black cocoa frosting, and vibrant Halloween decorations, perfect for any festive occasion.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
- ¾ cup black cocoa powder (sifted)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 pieces eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 1 cup hot coffee
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Blackberry Compote
- 2 cups fresh blackberries
- 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 piece cinnamon stick
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
For the Black Cocoa Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 cup black cocoa powder (sifted)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Decoration
- to taste Chocolate skulls
- to taste Fresh blackberries
- to taste Dried rose petals
Instructions
Preparation
- Start by gathering your ingredients and tools. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
Combining Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sifted flour, black cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until well combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, buttermilk, hot coffee, canola oil, and vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and blend until just combined. Do not overmix.
Baking the Cakes
- Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Making the Compote & Frosting
- In a saucepan, combine blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, and water. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Add cornstarch to thicken; set aside to cool.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, black cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract until creamy and smooth.
Assembling the Cake
- Once the cakes are completely cool, place one layer on a serving plate. Spread blackberry compote, followed by a layer of black cocoa frosting. Place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides with remaining frosting.
- Decorate with chocolate skulls, fresh blackberries, and dried rose petals.
Notes
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week. Can also be frozen for 2-3 months.