Guys, today was FUN!
Just in case you missed it, today was my first ever Facebook livestream. Just me and 3,000 of my closest friends hanging out in my teeny kitchen. Whaaaa!?!!
It’s a brand-spanking-new feature that they’ve given to some business pages and I’m officially hooked! I shared my black velvet cake recipe, juggled my baby, and answered a few questions. I hope I get to do this again and again. If you weren’t able to make it, you can always watch the video here…
https://www.facebook.com/eringbakes
I’m already plotting my next bake-a-long. Chocolate buttercream, chocolate chip cookies, fondant, and vanilla chiffon cake are all on the list. Let me know what you’d like to see in the comments below!
Questions From Today
Q: Where can I find black cocoa powder?
A: Right here: Black Cocoa Powder
Q: What frostings and fillings work best with this cake?
A: Vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream is my favorite. (Tastes just like an Oreo!) Other frostings that work well are salted caramel, peanut butter, or American buttercream. Fruit flavored frostings or fillings that would work well include blackberry, raspberry, tart cherry, or plum.
Q: Do you add vinegar with the baking soda?
A: No, dark brown sugar is acidic enough to cause the reaction needed for the cake to bake properly.
Q: Do you teach classes?
A: Yes! I currently teach three classes available online on Craftsy and Bluprint. Classes are pre-recorded and can be watched whenever is convenient to you. More info about each of them and how you can stream all the classes on Bluprint here.
Q: Where can I find more of your recipes?
A: My favorite recipes are available here or in my book, Erin Bakes Cake. Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or a bookstore near you.
Q: Where can I find more info on cocoa powder?
A: Serious Eats has a wonderful article on the kinds of cocoa powders here. King Arthur Flour has terrific info here.
Black Velvet Cake Recipe
*This post and recipe was updated 10/12/18.
- 8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups hot water
- 1 1/2 cups black cocoa powder
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray and flour pans in your chosen size.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer), beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt at medium speed until fluffy and lighter in color, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure there are no butter lumps, about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, until completely combined. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through mixing and after adding the last egg.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and warm water until combined. Once the cocoa powder has dissolved, add the milk and whisk to combine.
- With the mixer on low, add half of the flour to the butter mixture until just incorporated. Slowly add half of the milk mixture until combined. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bow with a rubber spatula. Add the remaining flour and mix until just incorporated. Add the last of the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake, rotating the pans' positions halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs clinging to it. Bake times (keep in mind that every oven is different and baking times may vary) 55 minutes for two 3-inch tall & 8-inch round pans, 35-40 minutes for three 3-inch tall & 6-inch round pans, 25-30 minutes for a 9x13-inch sheet pan, or 16-18 minutes for cupcakes.
- Transfer the cakes to a rack to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto a flat surface, like plates or a clean countertop. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting, filling, or storing.
- Yeilds
- - 10 cups of batter
- - Two tall 8-inch round cakes
- - Three 6-inch round cakes
- - Appx. 3 dozen cupcakes
- 4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cups cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cups hot water
- 3/4 cups black cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray and flour pans in your chosen size.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer), beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt at medium speed until fluffy and lighter in color, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure there are no butter lumps, about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, until completely combined. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through mixing and after adding the last egg.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and warm water until combined. Once the cocoa powder has dissolved, add the milk and whisk to combine.
- With the mixer on low, add half of the flour to the butter mixture until just incorporated. Slowly add half of the milk mixture until combined. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bow with a rubber spatula. Add the remaining flour and mix until just incorporated. Add the last of the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake, rotating the pans' positions halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs clinging to it. Bake times (keep in mind that every oven is different and baking times may vary) 55 minutes for two 3-inch tall & 8-inch round pans, 35-40 minutes for three 3-inch tall & 6-inch round pans, 25-30 minutes for a 9x13-inch sheet pan, or 16-18 minutes for cupcakes.
- Transfer the cakes to a rack to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto a flat surface, like plates or a clean countertop. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting, filling, or storing.
Erin, this black velvet cake sounds wonderful, I definitely want to make it sometime soon. It says it yields 5; what is that five cakes, five layers or what. I have to find time to watch this broadcast my life is crazy these days.
Thanks, Jane
5 cups of batter
Hi Jane! 🙂 It’s five cups of batter. Thanks for letting me know! I just went in and fixed it.
Can I use this recipe for baked donuts?
Hmmm, I’ve never tried that! It’s a very soft cake, so I’m not sure that it would act like a regular cake doughnut. Let me know how it works out if you try it!
Hello Erin, I love love your work! Thanks for the recipe, Just a quick question, do you sift your flour for this recipe? Thanks again.
Thanks so much! I did not sift the flour.
Thanks for posting, this video was really neat! I loved seeing another bakers methods. Just a quick Q, u mentioned in the video u freeze batter, not the cakes. This,totally blew my mind! Anyway, my Q is what’s ur process? Do u just put in a container and freeze or in a freezer bag? I’d really love to know! Thanks again, please keep posting 🙂
Thanks so much, Aly! I portion the batter into tupperware containers or freezer bags and just pop them into the freezer. Pull the batter the night before you need to use it and let it thaw in the fridge. Works great with creaming method cakes, not so much with sponge or anything that relies on whipped egg whites. Worked like a charm for me at the bakery for years. I used to freeze single scoops of batter for tastings, too.
Quick question, how do you think layering red velvet and this black velvet would look?
It would look amazing! I’ve also layered it with vanilla for a black and white look. Post pics and tag if you make it! 🙂
Where can I find your vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream frosting recipe,?
Hi just have a question
Is it baking soda or baking powder in this recipe?
Just asking because everywhere I read about black cocao it states that it doesn’t react to baking soda to sub for baking powder
Baking soda – and the recipe works beautifully as-is!
Do you have this recipe in grams?
Hi! So sorry, but I do not. This conversion chart might be helpful, https://www.craftsy.com/blog/metric-coversions-cooking/
Hi,I have a question,I’m going to make this cake but I’m using 6″pans ,how many cups of batter? thank you.
Hi! This recipe makes 5 cups of batter. Should work out well for you to make two 6″ round cakes.
Hi ! ERIN,this may sound crazy,bit I’m going to bake this AMERICAN FLAG CAKE,for baking contest at my church,I have all the tools,for the 6’pans ,the black Cocoa the tip,but my question is would I use 2-cups,or,2 1/2 cups per pan,and do I fill 2/3 full or half full.thank you.
Hi! Doesn’t sound crazy at all! 🙂 You could just divide the batter between the 6″ pans. 1/2 full or 2/3 full both work, you would just have shorter cakes or taller cakes. It’ll work either way!
Hi Erin,more question so I decided to fill 1/2 full,so I can have a higher cake ,then I Cut in half and fill,with butter cream frosting,and one batch would do it?,and the recipe doesn’t call for any vanilla extract ?, should I use or not? thank you.
Hi Erin,more question so I decided to fill 1/2 full,so I can have a higher cake ,then I Cut in half and fill,with butter cream frosting,and one batch would do it?,and the recipe doesn’t call for any vanilla extract ?, should I use or not? thank you.
One batch would be just fine to do two 6″ rounds that you could split and fill with buttercream. No vanilla needed! But you can definitely add a tsp if you prefer it. It wouldn’t change the outcome of the cake.
Hi Erin, i’m from Philippines and i don’t have black cocoa….can I use black color gel instead?
Hi! You can if you’re just looking to achieve the color.
Hi I’m wondering how many cupcakes this recipe will make ?? I want to use this for a Halloween cupcake. But with a plain white icing. Which do you recommend. To use. I need white because of Spooky decorations… Thank you so much in advance for your response
Hi! This recipe makes 5 cups of batter, so it just depends on how full you fill your cupcake liners. I’d say a little less than 2 dozen standard size cupcakes.
Hi Erin, Today is mine and my husband’s 25th (Silver!) wedding anniversary, so I wanted to make something special for him. He hates Red Velvet cake (yeah, weird, huh? lol), but loves chocolate cake, so your recipe looks like *exactly* what I wanted.
So I bought the black cocoa and will be making it in just a few minutes. But as I was looking back over the recipe I noticed there was no vanilla extract in it, so I was going to ask you about it. As a cake decorator myself for 40+ years, I was surprised that there was no vanilla in it, and wondered if it was an oversight when posting the recipe. But then I saw where someone else had already asked you, so now I’m just here to tell you thanks for such a great recipe! I’ll be making a satin buttercream icing (he also doesn’t like ‘regular’ buttercream, but loves my satin buttercream) for it (chocolate, of course, with black cocoa), and I’m really excited about trying your recipe! Again, thanks for such an awesome looking recipe! I know it will be delicious, both to him and to myself. 🙂
Terrific! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Hi Erin,
This cake looks amazing. Could I just use normal cocoa powder and black food gel?
Thanks
Hi! You totally could if all you need is a black cake. The black cocoa is definitely worth seeking out. The flavor is a little different, but regular cocoa will still be great!
I’ll give it a go if I can find some black cocoa but if not at least I know I can use normal cocoa and black food colouring. Thank you 🙂
This was amazing & owsm !!!
http://www.deesbakestudio.com
I tried this today and I can’t tell you how happy I am with it. It’s my new favorite cake in the universe. I’m happy I was able to try my black cocoa I’ve had for awhile. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Bit of a late comment but I’ve baked this recipe four times now, one half-batch, two full-batches and also a half-batch adapted for cupcakes (I baked them for 15 minutes), I love that it makes a proper quantity of cake rather than a tiny amount, I was fed up with recipes which showed tall cakes on the picture yet made very thin ones when you followed the instructions- this is great, very easy, and reliable, everyone loves the deep black colour and chocolaty flavour. Thank you so much!
This is my new favorite cake ever. I’ve had people requesting I make it for their birthday cakes too. It is my first recipe trying the black cocoa and it is wonderful. Thanks so much!
Is there a mistake in the sugar proportions? I’m seeing 2.5 cups brown sugar in the full recipe but 3/4 cup in there half recipe… and as I sadly stare at what I now think might be wasted creamed step I just wanted to check. With. It looks beautiful.
Hi Mary!
So sorry, but that was a typo. It should have read 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar. I’ve updated it now. Fortunately, I’m confident the recipe would still be great with just a touch less sugar. I hope it worked out for you! And thank you for bringing that to my attention. 🙂
Hi Erin!
This recipe looks yummy and I haven’t even tried it! If i cannot get black cocoa and use normal cocoa, do I still use the same amount as shown in the recipe? Thanks.
Hi! Yes, you can definitely use regular Dutch processed cocoa. The flavor will be slightly different, but you’ll still have chocolate cake. 😉