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–+ servings
Jason Clarke

Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake

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A delightfully dark and decadent cake infused with black cocoa and topped with blackberry compote, perfect for celebrating Halloween.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cake Base
  • 2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted for fluffiness)
  • ¾ cup black cocoa powder (the magic ingredient!)
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature for better mixing)
  • 1 cup buttermilk (get it good and tangy!)
  • 1 cup hot coffee (trust me, it deepens the cocoa flavor)
  • ½ cup canola oil (for that moist texture)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Blackberry Compote
  • 2 cups fresh blackberries
  • 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 stick cinnamon stick
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (to thicken it up)
For the Frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese (softened for easy mixing)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (softened, so it creams easier)
  • 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted for smoothness)
  • 1 cup black cocoa powder (yep, more of the good stuff!)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decoration
  • to taste Chocolate skulls for that extra spook factor
  • to taste Fresh blackberries and dried rose petals to make it pretty!

Method
 

Bake the Cake
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour your cake pans. In a large bowl, mix the sugar, flour, black cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Add the eggs, buttermilk, hot coffee, canola oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and shiny.
  3. Pour batter evenly into your pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Make the Blackberry Compote
  1. In a saucepan, combine blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, zest, cinnamon stick, water, and cornstarch.
  2. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes until it thickens.
  3. Remove the cinnamon stick and let the compote cool.
Whip Up the Frosting
  1. In a large bowl, mix softened cream cheese and butter until creamy.
  2. Gradually add powdered sugar and black cocoa until smooth. Add salt and vanilla, mixing until combined.
Assemble the Cake
  1. Once the cakes are completely cooled, place one layer on a serving plate.
  2. Spread a layer of blackberry compote, then top with frosting.
  3. Place the second layer on top, frost the entire cake, and decorate with chocolate skulls, fresh blackberries, and dried rose petals.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 200mgFiber: 2gSugar: 30g

Notes

Store your Spooky Black Velvet Halloween Cake in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze slices for longer storage. You can swap out fresh blackberries for other berries if desired. Leftover frosting can be used between graham crackers for a tasty snack.

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