black velvet cake recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
 (I like Hershey DARK brand)
• 1 cup soft unsalted butter
• 2-1/4 cup white sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2-3/4 cups AP flour
• 
2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 teaspoons black food coloring
• Buttercream Frosting:
• 1 cup butter
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• food coloring (optional)
• 8 ounces dark chocolate, melted in the microwave
• Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three 8” pans with cooking spray and parchment rounds.
2. For the Cake:
3. Put the cocoa powder in a small bowl, and pour the boiling water on top of it.
4. Whisk the water and cocoa together until smooth, and then set aside until cooled.
5. In a mixing bowl or standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
6. Add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time until they completely combined.
7. Sift all of the dry ingredients together.
8. Gently add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and half of the chocolate. Mix to combine.
9. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and mix into a smooth batter. Add the black food coloring and mix completely in.
10. Divide the batter evenly between the three pans. Bake the cake layers about 25 minutes
11. Let the cake layers cool completely before frosting them.
12. To make the frosting:
13. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the soft butter, powdered sugar and milk and whip until fluffy. Add the vanilla and the food coloring and combine well.
14. Spread ¼ of the frosting in between each of the cake layers and save the other half of the frosting for the outside of the cake. When it is completely frosted, I recommend refrigerating it for about 30 minutes before adding the chocolate.
15. Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the cake and let is drip down the edges. Apply sprinkles immediately to wet chocolate.
16. Slice and serve!

Preparation time: 1 hour(s)

Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Recipe Source:heatherchristo