Description
Indulgent black velvet cake merges rich cocoa depths with velvety smooth texture, creating a luxurious dessert that whispers elegance. Chocolate lovers will savor each decadent bite of this classic Southern-inspired treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Base Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
Leavening and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Flavoring and Coloring Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon black gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare workspace by preheating oven to 350F (175C) and positioning rack in center. Thoroughly coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line bottoms with parchment paper.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl, ensuring no lumps remain. Set aside dry ingredient mixture.
- Create wet ingredient emulsion by whisking sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and black food coloring in a separate large bowl until thoroughly combined and uniformly dark.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture using gentle circular motions. Mix until just incorporated, stopping when no flour streaks remain. Avoid aggressive stirring to prevent dense cake texture.
- Distribute batter evenly between prepared cake pans, using a spatula to smooth surfaces and eliminate air pockets. Tap pans gently on counter to release potential trapped bubbles.
- Slide pans into preheated oven and bake for 28-32 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a clean toothpick into cake center – it should emerge with minimal crumbs.
- Remove cakes from oven and allow to rest in pans for 12 minutes. Carefully transfer to wire cooling rack and let completely cool for approximately 45-60 minutes before applying cream cheese frosting.
Notes
- Customize the cake’s darkness by adjusting the amount of black food coloring, creating a deeper or lighter black velvet shade.
- Ensure ingredients are at room temperature for smoother mixing and better cake texture, especially eggs and buttermilk.
- Swap buttermilk with a mixture of milk and vinegar if unavailable, using 1 tablespoon of vinegar per cup of milk as a quick substitute.
- Prevent dry cake by carefully measuring flour and avoiding overmixing, which can develop tough gluten and result in a dense texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 368
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 204 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 37 mg