Black Velvet Cupcakes

5 from 1 vote

Dive into the hauntingly delicious taste of Black Velvet Cupcakes. Infused with eerie black cocoa powder, these treats boast a deep chocolate flavor, crowned with jet-black cocoa cream cheese frosting. An elegant dessert that's perfect for Halloween!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Cooling time15

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 375kcal

Author: Briana

Equipment

cupcake tin
large cookie scoop
parchment paper cupcake liners
hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments!)
mixing bowls
Rubber Spatula
metal sieve
digital food scale

Ingredients

Black velvet cupcakes

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup granualted sugar
½ cup black cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup buttermilk, room temperature
⅓ cup avocado oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
¼ cup hot espresso or strong brewed coffee

Black cocoa cream cheese frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, slightly softened (½ cup)
8 ounces cream cheese, cold (1 block)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup black cocoa powder
2-4 cups* powdered sugar (to taste, and as needed to achieve the consistency you want)
1-2 tablespoons* heavy cream, room temperature added really slowly to achieve the right consistency)

Instructions

Black velvet cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F.Prepare a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
In a large mixing bowl, sift in 1 cup of all purpose flour, 1 cup of white sugar, ½ cup of black cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Use a whisk to make sure everything is evenly dispersed. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, add the eggs, ⅓ cup of avocado oil, ¼ cup of buttermilk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar. Whisk the mixture until completely combined.
Slowly combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Mix until smooth, and then stop. Be sure to scrape the sides to ensure everything is incorporated.
Pour in the ¼ cup hot coffee or espresso while whisking to prevent cooking the eggs in the batter. Continue mixing until completely combined and smooth. Switch to a rubber spatula about halfway through when the batter becomes thicker. The batter will be quite wet.
Add the batter to the prepared muffin tins using a large cookie scoop and fill the cupcake liners up only about halfway. Bake for 17-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Black cocoa cream cheese frosting

While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. In a mixing bowl, mix together the slightly softened 1 stick of unsalted butter for about 4 minutes until smooth using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. The butter should become light fluffy and pale in color.
Add in the 1 block of cream cheese, and cream together for an additional 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is completely soft and free from lumps. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times.
Add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, then sift in the ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ cup of black cocoa powder, and 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mix on low to combine.
Add more powdered sugar or a little cream to thin if desired until the consistency is where you'd like it. Just be careful and add cream slowly! It's really easy to thin the frosting too much, but hard to thicken it if it becomes too thin.
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with your favorite piping tip. The recipe will make enough frosting for a generous amount on each. Add sprinkles if desired for decoration. Enjoy!
Store the frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to three days to keep the cream cheese frosting from spoiling. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 10-20 minutes or so before serving for the best texture.

Notes

Use room-temperature ingredients for the cupcake batter. Ingredients at room temperature will mix together much more smoothly. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time, including the eggs, buttermilk, and the heavy cream.
We prefer to use cold butter and cream cheese while making the frosting, however. Cream cheese frosting tends to get a little runny over time, but if you want a frosting that is more on the stiff side, simply remove it from the fridge 20 minutes before using.
Use fresh baking soda. We want these cupcakes to rise properly, so make sure your baking soda is fresh! To check if it's still good, mix a teaspoon of baking soda with a little bit of lemon juice or vinegar. If it bubbles up vigorously, it's good to go!
Measure ingredients precisely. If you have a kitchen scale, use it as different cups come in different sizes. Exact measurements can take baked goods from decent to excellent!
Avoid mixing the batter too much. Mix them just enough to integrate all the ingredients into the batter. This will guarantee that your cupcakes are soft and airy rather than dense and hard.
Use parchment paper cupcake liners. If possible, these create a foolproof non-stick liner every time. If you don't have any cupcake liners, be sure to grease the cupcake tin very well.
Use a #20 cookie scoop. This large cookie scoop is perfect for filling the cupcake liners up about halfway neatly, quickly, and easily. Plus, it’s a good way to make sure there’s about the same amount of batter in each cupcake.
Make sure the cupcakes are chilled completely before frosting, or else they will begin to melt and run.
When making the frosting, mix the butter and cream cheese slowly. Before adding the powdered sugar and salt, we want to make sure the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Make sure to cream the butter for 4-5 minutes before adding the cream cheese. We know it seems like a long time, but the finished product will be smooth and creamy!
Don't use too much heavy cream in the frosting. Add less than you think you'll need. You can always add more if necessary, but once it's in the frosting, it can be difficult to adjust the texture if it becomes too thin or runny.
When adding heavy cream to the frosting, use room-temperature heavy cream. Chilled heavy cream might cause the frosting to stiffen and seize up.
To freeze. Freeze fully frosted cupcakes in airtight containers for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight. It’s best to freeze the cupcakes separately from the frosting whenever possible, as the cream cheese frosting will change in texture over time.

Nutrition