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Black Velvet Cupcakes.

Black Velvet Cupcakes

Author: Celeste
These Halloween themed Black Velvet Cupcakes are unbelievably tender and are perfect for bringing to a festive party. They’re made with black cocoa powder and topped with a beautifully colored cream cheese frosting.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course Cake
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cupcakes

Equipment

  • 12-Cup Muffin Tin
  • Electric Mixer
  • Piping Bag
  • Piping Tip we use Wilton's 1M tip

Ingredients
 

For the Black Velvet Cupcakes:

  • 120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 25 g (¼ cup) black cocoa powder
  • 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp distilled white vinegar
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
  • 125 ml (½ cup) buttermilk room temperature, we use full-fat
  • 80 ml ( cup) strong hot coffee

For the Black Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 170 g (6 oz) full-fat block cream cheese room temperature
  • 240 g (2 cups) powdered sugar
  • 50 g (½ cup) black cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 ½ tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

Black Velvet Cupcakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 12-well muffin/cupcake tin with paper liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, black cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  • Add the egg, vanilla, vinegar, vegetable oil, and buttermilk and whisk until well combined.
  • Gradually add the hot coffee, mixing until smooth and combined. Don't over mix. The batter will be very thin.
  • Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full with batter (scrape out every last drop with a silicone spatula). Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. A few moist crumbs are ok as long as there's no wet batter.
  • Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then use a knife to gently pop them out of the tin. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting, about 50 minutes.

Black Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment), beat the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed for 1 minute until creamy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  • Add the powdered sugar, black cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Pulse on low speed a few times then continue mixing on low speed until well combined. This prevents the sugar from flying everywhere.
  • Add the heavy cream and mix until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes (we use Wilton's 1M tip). Decorate as desired and enjoy!

Notes

  • Set out the wet ingredients (except the coffee) 1-2 hours before baking to bring them to room temperature. This is important for proper batter consistency and cupcake texture.
  • Storage: Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. See post for freezing instructions.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupcake | Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 237mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 38g
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