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A sliced Witch Cake showing the deep black chocolate crumb and high contrast frosting

Witch Cake

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5 from 13 reviews

Description

A technically sophisticated chocolate cake that utilizes black cocoa and hot liquid blooming to create a moist, midnight-dark crumb. This recipe features a striking contrast between silky vanilla and rich, dark chocolate buttercreams for a professional-grade finish.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup black cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup hot water or coffee
  • Super black food gel
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces dark chocolate
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) and prepare four 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, black cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt for at least 30 seconds to ensure even distribution.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla, then gradually incorporate the hot water or coffee to create a stable emulsion.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until just incorporated, then add black food gel and mix for exactly 20 seconds.
  5. Divide the batter among the prepared pans (11-12 ounces each) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
  6. Cool in pans for 15 minutes before transferring to a rack, then wrap and chill the layers to make them easier to level and stack.
  7. Prepare the black buttercream by beating butter until fluffy, then streaming in melted chocolate and a thick cocoa-water paste before adding powdered sugar and black gel.
  8. For the vanilla buttercream, cream the butter and powdered sugar with heavy cream and vanilla, beating for 5 to 7 minutes to incorporate micro-fine air bubbles.

Notes

When assembling the cake, chilling the layers overnight is highly recommended as the dense black chocolate crumb can be fragile when warm. If your black food gel is very concentrated, start with a small amount; the color will naturally deepen as the frosting sits and the cocoa oxidizes over several hours.

  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

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Find it online: https://cakepeak.com/witch-cake/