Why You’ll Love This Cake

This cake is deep, dark, and intensely chocolatey — but not bitter. The cocoa is balanced with sugar and buttermilk for a soft tang, while hot coffee blooms the chocolate flavor so it tastes rich and almost mysterious. The crumb is moist and tender thanks to oil, and the charcoal buttercream is silky, smooth, and not overly sweet.

If you love dramatic layer cakes that look expensive but are secretly easy to pull off, this is exactly the kind of centerpiece that makes people stop mid-conversation. If you’re planning a dramatic dessert table like the one in my Wuthering Heights party guide, this black velvet cake makes the ultimate gothic show-stopper.

It’s bold. It’s indulgent. It’s unforgettable.

Yield & Recipe Details

• Yield: One 3-layer 8-inch round cake
• Servings: 12–14 slices
• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Bake Time: 30–35 minutes
• Cooling Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: About 2 hours 15 minutes

Equipment

• Three 8-inch round cake pans
• Parchment paper rounds
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Large mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Offset spatula
• Bench scraper (for smooth sides)
• Wire cooling racks
• Cake turntable (recommended)
• Serrated knife (for leveling)

Estimated Nutrition (Per Slice – 1 of 14)

• Calories: ~520
• Fat: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 60g
• Sugar: 45g
• Protein: 5g

Nutrition is estimated and will vary based on decoration and portion size.

If rich, deeply flavored chocolate cakes are your thing, you’ll also love my Espresso Chocolate Fudge Cake or Irish Chocolate Guinness Cake.

What You’ll Need

For the Black Velvet Chocolate Cake

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot brewed coffee
• 1 teaspoon black gel food coloring (optional for deeper tone)

For the Charcoal Buttercream

• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3–4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1–2 teaspoons black gel food coloring

For Decoration

• 5–7 black roses (food-safe silk or edible wafer/fondant roses)
• 2 tablespoons silver sugar pearls
• Optional: edible silver luster dust for subtle shimmer

Pro Tips

1. Bloom the cocoa properly. The hot coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. It’s the secret to that intense, almost luxurious chocolate profile.
2. Chill before final smoothing. A 20-minute chill after crumb coating makes getting those dramatic smooth sides much easier.
3. Use gel coloring only. Liquid food coloring will thin your buttercream and ruin that smooth finish.
4. Keep roses clustered. Don’t overdecorate. One dramatic cluster makes it look elegant instead of busy.
5. Level your layers. A flat cake stack instantly looks more professional and prevents sliding.

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Pans

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients

Add:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix until smooth.

Step 4: Add Hot Coffee

Slowly pour in:

• 1 cup hot brewed coffee
• 1 teaspoon black gel food coloring

Mix gently (batter will be thin).

Step 5: Bake

Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 30–35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 6: Make the Charcoal Buttercream

Beat:

• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter

Add gradually:

• 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 3–4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1–2 teaspoons black gel coloring

Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Step 7: Assemble & Frost

Level cakes. Stack with buttercream between layers. Apply crumb coat. Chill 20 minutes. Apply final smooth

Step 8: Decorate

Add black roses in a clustered arrangement. Sprinkle silver pearls. Optional light dusting of silver shimmer.

If you’re a novice at cake decorating check out this guide on cake decorating

Substitutions & Variations

• Use hot water instead of coffee (milder flavor)
• Add espresso powder for deeper intensity
• Swap roses for fresh blackberries for a moody harvest look
• Make as two 9-inch layers instead
• Turn into a dramatic drip cake with dark chocolate ganache

Make-Ahead Tips

• Bake layers up to 2 days ahead (wrap tightly)
• Freeze unfrosted layers up to 1 month
• Buttercream can be made 3 days in advance

Leftovers & Storage

• Store covered at room temp up to 2 days
• Refrigerate up to 5 days (bring to room temp before serving)
• Freeze slices individually wrapped for up to 2 months

Make It a Dramatic Two-Tier Showstopper (Optional)

If you’d like to turn this into an even more unforgettable gothic centerpiece, you can adapt the recipe into a two-tier cake using 8-inch layers for the bottom tier and 6-inch layers for the top tier. Simply divide the batter between two 8-inch pans and two 6-inch pans (you may want to increase the recipe by 1½ times for taller tiers). Bake as directed, checking the 6-inch layers a few minutes earlier. Stack and frost each tier separately, inserting 3–4 wooden dowels or sturdy cake straws into the bottom tier before placing the 6-inch cake on top for support. Finish with the same charcoal buttercream, silver pearls, and dramatic black rose cluster for a bold, elegant tower that feels bakery-worthy but is completely doable at home.

If you love bold black cocoa cakes, you might also enjoy my Black Cocoa Spiderweb Cake.

This cake isn’t just dessert — it’s a moment.

It’s the kind of bold, dramatic centerpiece that makes guests pause before cutting into it… and then immediately ask for seconds. And the best part? It’s completely doable in a home kitchen.

If you make this Ultimate Black Velvet Cake, I’d love to hear how you styled it. Leave a comment and tell me — did you go full gothic drama or keep it subtly moody?

Ella Cooks

Ultimate Decadent Black Velvet Chocolate Layer Cake (Gothic Showstopper)

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This cake is deep, dark, and intensely chocolatey — but not bitter. The cocoa is balanced with sugar and buttermilk for a soft tang, while hot coffee blooms the chocolate flavor so it tastes rich and almost mysterious. The crumb is moist and tender thanks to oil, and the charcoal buttercream is silky, smooth, and not overly sweet.If you love dramatic layer cakes that look expensive but are secretly easy to pull off, this is exactly the kind of centerpiece that makes people stop mid-conversation.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Resting Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 14

Course: Dessert

Calories: 520

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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What You’ll Need

For the Black Velvet Chocolate Cake

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream room temperature
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot brewed coffee
• 1 teaspoon black gel food coloring optional for deeper tone

For the Charcoal Buttercream

• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
• 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 –4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 –2 teaspoons black gel food coloring

For Decoration

• 5 –7 black roses food-safe silk or edible wafer/fondant roses
• 2 tablespoons silver sugar pearls
• Optional: edible silver luster dust for subtle shimmer

Equipment

• Three 8-inch round cake pans
• Parchment paper rounds
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Large mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Offset spatula
• Bench scraper (for smooth sides)
• Wire cooling racks
• Cake turntable (recommended)
• Serrated knife (for leveling)

Method

 

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Pans

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
   

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

1. In a large bowl, whisk together:
2. 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3. 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
4. 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
5. 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
6. 1 teaspoon baking powder
7. 1 teaspoon salt
   

Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients

1. Add:
2. 1 cup buttermilk
3. ½ cup sour cream
4. 1 cup vegetable oil
5. 2 eggs
6. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
7. Mix until smooth.
   

Step 4: Add Hot Coffee

1. Slowly pour in:
2. 1 cup hot brewed coffee
3. 1 teaspoon black gel food coloring
4. Mix gently (batter will be thin).
   

Step 5: Bake

1. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 30–35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 6: Make the Charcoal Buttercream

1. Beat:
2. 1 ½ cups unsalted butter
3. Add gradually:
4. 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
5. ¾ cup cocoa powder
6. 3–4 tablespoons heavy cream
7. 2 teaspoons vanilla
8. ½ teaspoon salt
9. 1–2 teaspoons black gel coloring
10. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
    

Step 7: Assemble & Frost

1. Level cakes. Stack with buttercream between layers. Apply crumb coat. Chill 20 minutes. Apply final smooth

Step 8: Decorate

1. Add black roses in a clustered arrangement. Sprinkle silver pearls. Optional light dusting of silver shimmer.
   

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 5gFat: 30gSugar: 45g

Notes

Substitutions & Variations

• Use hot water instead of coffee (milder flavor)
• Add espresso powder for deeper intensity
• Swap roses for fresh blackberries for a moody harvest look
• Make as two 9-inch layers instead
• Turn into a dramatic drip cake with dark chocolate ganache

Make-Ahead Tips

• Bake layers up to 2 days ahead (wrap tightly)
• Freeze unfrosted layers up to 1 month
• Buttercream can be made 3 days in advance

Leftovers & Storage

• Store covered at room temp up to 2 days
• Refrigerate up to 5 days (bring to room temp before serving)
• Freeze slices individually wrapped for up to 2 months

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

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The Ultimate Birthday Cake – Easy, Stunning & Totally Show-Stopping Mouth Watering Halloween Chocolate Cake with Orange Frosting Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Bar Cake – A Luxurious & Indulgent Dessert Easy Black Cocoa Spiderweb Cake, Party Showstopper The Ultimate Rich Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake for Grown-Ups