Black Birthday Cake
A bold, dramatic, and decadent chocolate cake with deep black frosting—perfect for making any celebration unforgettable. Balanced with cocoa, coffee, and creamy frosting, this cake is both stunning and delicious.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Hand or Stand Mixer
- Three 8-inch Cake Pans
- Parchment Paper
- Cooling Rack
- Offset Spatula
Ingredients
Cake Base
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder or black cocoa
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup hot coffee freshly brewed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 cup black cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or as needed for consistency
- black gel food coloring to desired shade
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch round pans with parchment.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, mix buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in hot coffee last.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter evenly among pans and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool layers completely on wire racks before frosting.
- For frosting: beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, black cocoa, and cream. Mix in black gel food coloring until deep shade is reached.
- Stack cooled cake layers with frosting in between. Coat cake with a smooth outer layer of frosting. Decorate with black sprinkles, glitter, or gold leaf as desired.
Notes
Decorate as a Black and Gold Cake with metallic accents, or keep it sleek and modern with smooth matte black frosting. Cake layers can be baked in advance and frozen up to a week.