Buttermilk Black Cocoa Cake
Buttermilk Black Cocoa Cake is velvety, moist, and so gorgeous to look at! Complete with a fluffy black cocoa Swiss meringue buttercream, this impressive layer cake is not to sweet and has a wonderfully unique look and flavor you will absolutely love.
What is black cocoa powder?
Before we get started, let's learn a little bit about black cocoa!
Many people aren't familiar with black cocoa and have never baked with it before. However, you may be a little more familiar with it than you think.. Black coca is what's used to make Oreos! So basically this buttermilk black cocoa cake tastes like Oreos in cake form.
Black cocoa powder is cocoa powder that has been heavily dutched/alkalized, which means it has been treated to neutralize acidity. Alkalizing cocoa also makes it easier to dissolve in liquids and gives it a much milder flavor.
This type of ultra-dutched cocoa powder also ends up with a much lower fat content than regular cocoa powder. The buttermilk in this recipe adds moisture back into the cake.
I would describe the taste of black coca as earthy, velvety, and not too sweet. Just think Oreos (but better)!
Buttermilk black cocoa cake
I adapted this recipe for a black cocoa cake from my Grandma's recipe for buttermilk chocolate cake! It's a staple in my kitchen and I'm super excited to be sharing this adaptation with you.
I've baked with black cocoa in the past and I've always loved the taste. But the inspiration for a black cocoa layer cake definitely came from wanting to make something spooky for Halloween!
Black cocoa powder is so great because you get literally the blackest black color without having to use any food coloring!
Swiss Meringue Buttercream 101
If you have never tried this type of frosting, you are in for a treat! It’s so creamy, dreamy, and smooth and isn’t overpoweringly sweet like many other frostings can be. It’s great for this buttermilk black cocoa cake because it allows the black cocoa flavor to shine through not only in the frosting, but in the cake too!
Don't be intimidated if you've never made Swiss meringue buttercream before! It’s easier to make than you think. This buttercream only has four ingredients: egg whites, sugar, butter, and black cocoa.
To make the buttercream, first, whisk the egg whites and sugar together in a heat-proof bowl. Then, heat the mixture over a double boiler, whisking constantly.
Once all the granules of sugar are dissolved, you can transfer the mixture directly to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip it into a meringue. You can test whether the mixture is ready by rubbing a bit of the mixture between your fingers. If you still feel som sugar granules, continue whisking over the heat.
Whip the meringue until it cools down to room temperature and forms stiff, glossy peaks.
Switch to the paddle attachment on your mixer and add the butter one tablespoon at a time. Wait for the butter to fully mix in before adding the next tablespoon.
After all the butter is added, sift in the black cocoa powder and mix until its completely combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Tips for black cocoa Swiss meringue buttercream
Stiff peaks: if it takes more than about 20 minutes to reach the stiff glossy peak stage, transfer it to the fridge for 10 minutes to cool down and then continue whipping.
Butter: the butter should be on the colder side of room temperature. If the butter and the meringue are too warm, the buttercream will become liquid-y. In this case, transfer the buttercream to the fridge to cool for a few minutes, then continue whipping.
Bubbles: if you are letting the frosting sit for a little bit before you use it, make sure to give it a good whip before frosting your cake as it tends to form bubbles while it sits.
Color: what's also interesting about this black cocoa Swiss meringue buttercream is that the color of the buttercream gets darker and darker as it sits! Mine started out a grayish color and then darkened significantly after about 20 minutes.
Buttermilk black cocoa cake: the best cake for halloween!
This black cocoa cake is absolutely perfect for Halloween! I mean the velvety black cake paired with dark frosting? Spooky. Name a better cake flavor for halloween?!
I decorated this black cocoa halloween cake for with little candy ghosts. I got the inspiration for this decoration from a Tik Tok that a friend shared with me!
The ghosts for this halloween cake are just so cute and superrr easy to make! They are just white candy melts , smeared with a small spoon, and the eyes are drawn on with black edible food coloring marker. After the ghosts dry you just peel them off the parchment paper and stick them on the frosted cake. I shared a video of me making them on my Instagram if you want to check it out!
Decorating buttermilk black cocoa cake
To assemble this black cocoa cake, there are a few steps:
Trim. Level the tops of each cake with a cake leveler or a serrated knife.
Frost and stack. Add frosting to the top of one of the cakes. Spread into an even layer; repeat until all the layers are stacked.
Tip: to make sure each layer has an equal amount of frosting, use a large cookie scoop to measure out how much each layer gets.
Crumb coat. Thinly frost the top and the sides of the cake. This layer of frosting is meant to catch all the crumbs to make the main coat of frosting as smooth as possible.You should still be able to see some of the cake through the frosting. Refrigerate for 10 minutes until frosting is firm to the touch.
Frost and decorate. Frost the top and the sides of the cake with a thicker coat of frosting. Smooth out using a scraper or offset spatula, or go freestyle and make pretty swoops in the frosting using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula! Add ghosts for halloween like the cake pictured here, sprinkles, or even edible glitter.
I used a small star piping tip to create the black buttercream swirls on top of the cake.
What pans should I bake buttermilk black cocoa cake in?
This cake can be baked into a 9x13-inch sheet cake, two 9-inch round pans for a two layer cake, or four 6-inch round cake pans for a four layer cake.
Make sure the pans are well-greased and are filled evenly for even cake layers. I like to measure the pans on a digital scale while adding the batter to make sure they all have the same amount.
If you make this recipe, I would love it if you would leave a rating and a comment down below! You can also share on Instagram and tag me @lalaskitchentable- I love to see what you make!
Buttermilk Black Cocoa Cake
Buttermilk Black Cocoa Cake is velvety and frosted in a fluffy black cocoa Swiss meringue buttercream. Plus, the all-natural natural black color is perfect for Halloween!
Black Cocoa Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup black cocoa powder (sifted)
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Black Cocoa Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 5 egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/4 cup black cocoa powder (sifted)
Black Cocoa Cake
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Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare cake pans by spraying with non-stick spray and lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
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Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl; set aside. In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream together 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup softened butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
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To the butter, sugar, and egg mixture, add 1/2 cup black cocoa powder, buttermilk, and vanilla; mix until combined. Gradually add dry ingredients; blend well. Pour into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or unitl a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool for about 15 minutes, then remove from pans and allow to cool completely on wire racks.
Black Cocoa Swiss Meringue Buttercream
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Whisk together egg whites and sugar in a heat-proof glass bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water; make sure the water does not touch the bowl.
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Whisk over heat until all granules of sugar are dissolved. Transfer mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment; mix on high for a few minutes, then switch to medium speed until the mixture becomes room temperature.
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Switch to paddle attachment on the mixer; add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, allowing for each tablespoon to fully incorporate before adding the next.
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After all the butter is incorporated, add the sifted black cocoa powder and mix until combined.