featured 27656

Decadent Black Velvet Cake Recipe for Moist, Rich Layers

This indulgent Black Velvet Cake with Marshmallow Spiderweb combines deep, rich black cocoa in the cake layers with a silky black cocoa buttercream. A sticky, spun marshmallow spiderweb wraps the cake and cradles candy “spider eggs” for a dramatic Halloween centerpiece that tastes as good as it looks.

If you’re planning a Halloween party or just want festive treats for family, this cake pairs well with other seasonal favorites like Halloween no‑bake cheesecake and Oreo bat cupcakes.

This post was created for #HalloweenTreatsWeek. Opinions are my own.

Black velvet cake with black cocoa buttercream, marshmallow spiderweb and black spiders. Topped with candy spider eggs on a cake plate
Watch the short video on the recipe card to see how impressive this cake looks in motion.

Designed with kids in mind, this black velvet cake looks spooky but is tender, moist and wonderfully chocolatey. The black cocoa gives it an intense dark color and flavor, while the marshmallow web adds a playful, eerie effect.

Slice of layered black velvet cake with black cocoa buttercream topped with candy sixlets.

Black Velvet Cake Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Black cocoa powder
  • Baking soda, baking powder and salt
  • Eggs
  • Cold coffee
  • Buttermilk
  • Vegetable oil
  • Vanilla extract
  • Black gel food color (optional — Americolor Super Black recommended)
Ingredients for making black velvet cake

Black Cocoa Buttercream Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter (melted)
  • Black cocoa powder
  • Powdered sugar, sifted
  • Milk
  • Vanilla extract
  • Black gel food color
Black velvet buttercream frosting ingredients

Marshmallow Spiderweb and Decorations

  • Jumbo marshmallows
  • Round candies (sixlets or similar) for “spider eggs”
  • Spiders (edible or plastic) for decoration
A piece of black velvet cake getting served from a cake stand

How To Make Black Velvet Cake with Black Cocoa Buttercream

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 9‑inch round cake pans.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, sugar, black cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  3. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl combine eggs, cold coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.
  4. Combine: Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until combined. The batter will be thin. Stir in black gel color if using.
  5. Bake: Divide batter evenly between pans and bake about 25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
  6. Cool: Let cakes rest in the pans 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely before assembling.
flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large white bowl
eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in a mixing bowl

How To Make Black Cocoa Frosting

  1. In a large bowl, combine melted butter and black cocoa powder.
  2. Add sifted powdered sugar alternately with milk until you reach a spreadable frosting consistency.
  3. Stir in vanilla and black gel food color; mix until smooth.
Black Cocoa frosting in a large bowl with a gray spatula.
  1. Assemble the cake, spin the marshmallow web and add decorations.
two round pans with black velvet cake on a cooling rack
black frosting over one of the cakes

How To Make The Marshmallow Spiderweb

  1. Place 10–12 jumbo marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl and heat about 30 seconds until they begin to soften. Stir and let cool slightly until warm but not scalding.
  2. With disposable gloves on (for easy cleanup), dip your fingers into the warm marshmallow and quickly pull and stretch thin strands to form web‑like threads.
  3. Carefully wrap the stretched marshmallow strands around the frosted cake to create the spiderweb. Allow to set about 10 minutes.
Soft and fluffy melted marshmallow in a white mixing bowl

Once the marshmallow web is in place, add a cluster of round candies for “spider eggs” and tuck in a few spiders to complete the look. You can be as subtle or as dramatic as you like.

Finished black velvet cake with web and spiders

What Is Black Velvet Cake Made Of?

Black velvet cake is a moist, tender buttermilk cake colored and flavored with black cocoa powder. It resembles red velvet in texture but has a deeper, richer chocolate profile thanks to the black cocoa.

Where Can I Find Black Cocoa Powder?

Black cocoa powder is commonly sold online. If you can’t find it locally, Dutch‑processed or dark cocoa powder will yield a similar texture and flavor in this recipe.

Difference Between Red Velvet and Black Velvet Cake

Red velvet relies on a small amount of cocoa and red food coloring for its signature look, resulting in a mild chocolate flavor with tang from buttermilk. Black velvet uses a larger amount of black cocoa for a much darker color and more intense chocolate flavor while still remaining moist thanks to buttermilk.

Slice of layered black velvet cake served on a black plate.

Recipe Tips

  • Use room temperature ingredients for even mixing and better rise.
  • Cool the cakes completely before frosting to prevent melted frosting or a sagging marshmallow web.
  • The marshmallow web is fun but messy—cover your work surface with parchment and wear gloves to avoid sticky fingers.
  • If you don’t have sixlets, substitute yogurt-covered blueberries, white chocolate covered nuts or other round candies for the “spider eggs.”
Black velvet cake on a cake platter

Black Velvet Cake with Marshmallow Spiderweb

Wickedly decadent black velvet cake with black cocoa buttercream and a marshmallow spiderweb topped with candy “spider eggs.”
Prep 30 mins
Cook 30 mins
Total 1 hr
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup black cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup cold coffee
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1–2 teaspoons black gel food color (optional)

Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/3 cups black cocoa powder
  • 5–6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon black gel food color

Marshmallow Web

  • 10–12 jumbo marshmallows

Decorations

  • Round candy for spider eggs (sixlets or similar)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9‑inch round pans and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, black cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, cold coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.
  4. Slowly pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Add black gel color if desired.
  5. Divide batter between pans and bake about 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in pans 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. For the frosting: mix melted butter with black cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk until you reach a frosting consistency. Stir in vanilla and black gel color.
  7. Assemble the cake: level the tops if needed, stack the layers with frosting between them, then frost the top and sides.
  8. Make the marshmallow web: melt marshmallows in a microwave‑safe bowl about 30 seconds, stir and cool slightly. With gloves, pull thin strands of marshmallow and wrap around the cake to form a web. Let set 10 minutes.
  9. Top with a cluster of round candies as “spider eggs” and add spiders for decoration.

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing and even baking.
  • Cool cakes completely before frosting or adding the marshmallow web.
  • Cover your workspace with parchment and wear gloves when handling melted marshmallow; it’s very sticky.
  • Substitute other round candies or yogurt‑covered berries if you don’t have sixlets.

Nutrition

Calories: 546 kcal, Carbohydrates: 96 g, Protein: 5 g, Fat: 18 g

For more seasonal inspiration, explore other #HalloweenTreatsWeek recipes and enjoy creating spooky, delicious treats this Halloween season.