Black Velvet Cake
A dark chocolate layer cake made with cocoa, buttermilk, and boiling water for a moist, tender crumb.
Equipment
- Two 9 inch round cake pans
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Sifter
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
Cooking
- Prep the pans. Set the oven to 350 degrees F, then grease and flour two 9 inch round pans.
- Combine the dry mix. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Make the batter. Whisk the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a second bowl, fold it into the dry mix until just combined, then stir in the boiling water until smooth.
- Bake. Split the batter between the pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool. Rest the layers in the pans for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack before frosting or serving.
Notes
Substitutions: Use 1 cup of whole milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in place of buttermilk.
Tips: Do not taste the raw batter, since it contains raw eggs and flour. Sift the cocoa so the batter stays smooth.
Storage: Keep unfrosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze wrapped layers for up to 3 months.