Unleash your dark side with a dessert that is as dramatic and mysterious as it is delicious. These Black Velvet Cupcakes are the ultimate in Edgy Desserts, featuring a rich, moist, and tender crumb with a subtle chocolate flavor, all dyed a stunning, deep black. Topped with a silky smooth Black Icing For Cupcakes, this is a truly show-stopping Halloween Cupcake Recipe. Perfect for a Halloween party, a gothic-themed event, or whenever you’re craving Spooky Treats For Adults, these Black Cupcakes are a guaranteed way to impress.
Why This is the Perfect Recipe for Spooky Cupcakes
When it comes to Witchy Food Ideas, these cupcakes are a must-make. They are the perfect blend of style and substance.
- Stunning Visuals: The deep black color of both the cake and frosting is incredibly striking and perfect for a spooky or gothic theme.
- Rich & Velvety Texture: Just like its red cousin, this Black Velvet Cake Recipe From Scratch creates a wonderfully soft, moist, and velvety crumb.
- Deliciously Decadent: The subtle cocoa flavor of the cupcake is perfectly complemented by the sweet and creamy vanilla buttercream frosting.
- Surprisingly Easy to Make: While they look incredibly impressive, the recipe is a straightforward and simple cake recipe that anyone can master.
Your Ingredient Checklist
This recipe is broken down into the cupcake batter and the dramatic black frosting.
For the Black Velvet Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp black food coloring gel
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
For the Black Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp black food coloring gel
Step-by-Step Instructions
Get ready to bake the most dramatic and delicious cupcakes of the season.
Part 1: Bake the Black Velvet Cupcakes
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with Black Cupcake Liners for the full dramatic effect.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, then beat in the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and black food coloring gel until well combined.
- Mix Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Final Touches: In a small cup, stir the hot water and apple cider vinegar together. With the mixer on low, slowly stream this into the batter until it is smooth.
- Fill and Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Completely: Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This is essential before frosting.
Part 2: Make the Black Icing and Decorate
- Beat the Butter: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy.
- Add Sugar and Cream: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream, until it’s all incorporated.
- Add Flavor and Color: Beat in the vanilla extract and the black food coloring gel. Continue to beat on medium-high speed for another 2-3 minutes until the frosting is smooth, creamy, and a deep black color.
- Frost the Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread the black frosting on top. For an extra spooky touch, you can add black sprinkles or edible glitter.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the best way to get a true black frosting color? The key to a rich Black Icing For Cupcakes is using a high-quality black gel food coloring. Gel colors are much more concentrated than liquid colors. For an even deeper black, you can start with a chocolate buttercream base (by adding ½ cup of dark cocoa powder to the recipe) and then add the black gel coloring. The color will also deepen as the frosting sits for a little while.
2. Can I make this a full-sized Black Velvet Cake? Yes, this Black Velvet Cake Recipe From Scratch can easily be adapted. Simply double the cupcake recipe ingredients and pour the batter into two greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely before frosting. This makes for one of the most stunning Spooky Cakes For Halloween.
3. What are some other ideas for Scary Halloween Cupcakes? There are so many fun ways to make Scary Halloween Cupcakes! You can top them with edible glass shards made from sugar, create a “graveyard” scene with crumbled Oreo “dirt” and a cookie tombstone, or pipe on a simple spiderweb design. These Edgy Cupcakes are a great canvas for creativity.
4. Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time? Absolutely. You can bake the cupcakes up to two days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. The frosting can also be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Just be sure to let the frosting come back to room temperature and give it a quick whip with your mixer before frosting the cooled cupcakes on the day you plan to serve them.
Spooky Black Velvet Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Cupcake liners (black for effect)
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp black food coloring gel
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (for frosting)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream (for frosting)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)
- 1 tbsp black food coloring gel (for frosting)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with black cupcake liners.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, then beat in buttermilk, vanilla, and black food coloring until smooth.
- Gradually add dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
- In a cup, mix hot water and vinegar. Slowly stream into batter while mixing on low until smooth.
- Divide batter among liners (about 2/3 full). Bake 18–20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
- Beat softened butter until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with heavy cream. Mix in vanilla and black gel coloring. Beat 2–3 minutes until smooth and deep black.
- Frost cooled cupcakes with black icing. Optionally decorate with black sprinkles or edible glitter.