Introduction

Ghostly Black Velvet Cake is a dramatic and delicious dessert perfect for Halloween or any spooky celebration. This rich, dark chocolate cake is layered with smooth buttercream and decorated with charming ghost designs, making it both festive and irresistible.

The cake is tall with three visible layers covered in smooth purple frosting that has light lavender and white swirls. Small white ghost shapes with tiny black eyes and a textured look are evenly spaced around the sides. Dotted among the ghosts are small black, silver, and white pearl-like sprinkles along with tiny silver star sprinkles. On top, there is a thick ring of creamy white swirled frosting, decorated with tiny silver, purple, and black sprinkles. The cake sits on a white scalloped-edge plate placed on a white marbled texture. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 cup boiling water
1 ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips
1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¾ cup black cocoa powder (e.g., King Arthur brand)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk*
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
Purple gel food coloring
Sprinkles for decoration

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line four 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease them with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, stir together boiling water, instant espresso powder, and semi-sweet chocolate until the chocolate dissolves completely and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, black cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
Step 4: In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth.
Step 5: Add the cooled espresso-chocolate mixture to the batter and gently stir until just combined.
Step 6: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool completely.
Step 7: To make the buttercream, beat the room temperature butter, salt, and vanilla extract on high speed for 4-5 minutes until fluffy and pale.
Step 8: Reduce speed to low and gradually add powdered sugar, about one cup at a time. Add 4 tablespoons of heavy cream and mix until combined. Add more heavy cream if the frosting is too thick.
Step 9: Increase speed to medium-high and beat for about 3 minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
Step 10: To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread an even layer of buttercream on top. Continue layering the remaining cakes and buttercream.
Step 11: Chill the assembled cake in the freezer for 30 minutes to stabilize it for easier frosting.
Step 12: Once chilled, frost the entire cake with buttercream and return it to the freezer for another 30 minutes until the buttercream firms up.
Step 13: For decorating, place ½ cup of buttercream in a bowl and tint it purple with gel food coloring. Tint another ½ cup a lighter purple.
Step 14: Apply thick patches of both purple shades around the cake, then use the reserved white buttercream to cover any large empty spots. Smooth the surface with an offset spatula until you achieve the desired look.
Step 15: To pipe ghosts, fill a piping bag fitted with a large round tip with white buttercream. Pipe circular shapes on the sides of the cake, dragging slightly to create curls. Use black sprinkles for the eyes.
Step 16: Fill another piping bag with remaining buttercream fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a border on top of the cake and sprinkle with decorations as desired.

Tips & Variations

Use black cocoa powder for the signature deep black color and intense chocolate flavor.
Instant espresso powder enhances the chocolate taste without adding a coffee flavor.
Chilling the cake layers between frosting steps helps achieve clean, smooth edges and easier decorating.
Substitute buttermilk with milk plus 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice if needed.
Try different food coloring shades or themed sprinkles to customize the cake for various occasions.

Storage

Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Before serving, let refrigerated cake come to room temperature for the best texture. You can also freeze the cake for up to 2 months wrapped tightly; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

How to Serve

The image shows a close-up of a two-layer dark chocolate cake slice with a rough, crumbly texture, separated by a thick creamy white layer in the middle. The outside edges are frosted with a smooth off-white cream accented by a thin purple border along the frosting seam. The cake slice rests on a white plate, set on a white marbled surface, with a blurred background featuring soft purple and white tones. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of black cocoa powder?

Regular cocoa powder will work but the cake won’t have the same dark black color or the unique flavor that black cocoa powder provides. For best results, use black cocoa powder as specified.

What if I don’t have buttermilk?

You can easily make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.