Black Velvet Cupcakes
These black velvet cupcakes are naturally colored with black cocoa powder and taste absolutely delicious! They're rich, chocolaty, and taste like an Oreo cookie!
Servings: 12
Calories: 475kcal
Ingredients
Black Velvet Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature 180g
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips 60g
- 2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 70g
- 1 tsp white vinegar 4g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour 100g
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
- 1/3 cup dark or black cocoa powder 30g
- 1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
Black Buttercream Frosting
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 170g
- 1/3 cup dark or black cocoa powder 30g
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 2g
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 313g
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips 90g
Optional Topping
Instructions
Black Velvet Cupcake Recipe
- Make the black velvet cupcakes first. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
- Add 3/4 cup buttermilk and 1/3 cup chocolate chips into a heat proof bowl. Heat in the microwave at power level 8 for 1 minute or over a double boiler until the chocolate has melted. Don't worry if the buttermilk separates a bit. Let the mixture sit for a minute, then whisk together until combined. Make sure all the chocolate is melted.
- Add in 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vinegar and 1 tsp vanilla. Whisk together until smooth.
- Sift 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup black cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt into chocolate buttermilk mixture. Whisk until just combined.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a spatula.
- Pour the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and fill them about 2/3 full. Bake for about 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Black Cocoa Buttercream Frosting
- While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the black cocoa buttercream. Beat 3/4 cup of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Mix in 1/3 cup black cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt on a low speed.
- Slowly mix in 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as need with a rubber spatula.
- In a small, heat-proof bowl, add 1/3 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, then let the mixture sit for a minute. Stir until combined, then slowly mix into the frosting on a low speed.
- If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it seems too thin, add in another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
- Stir by hand with a rubber spatula to get the frosting SUPER smooth. Place into a large piping bag fit with a Wilton 1M frosting tip.
Decorating These Black Velvet Cupcakes
- The final step is to pipe on a frosting swirl! To give these cupcakes a little extra flair, pipe a small swirl on top of each cupcake and dunk the cupcake into a bowl of your favorite sprinkles. Each cupcake should be topped with a nice, even layer of sprinkles.
- Then pipe on large buttercream swirls and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Making Mini Black Velvet Cupcakes
If you want to make mini black velvet cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they only need to bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.Tips for Making the Best Black Velvet Cupcakes
- Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Properly measure the flour (spoon into the cup measure and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Once you add the flour, mix the cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
- Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure your cupcakes end up being the same height.
- Bang the cupcake pan on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
- Seal off the top of your piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bags easier to use.
Black Velvet Cupcake Variations
To make gluten free black velvet cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for, and be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.Making These Black Velvet Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips
You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature overnight or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container. However, they taste best when they're freshly baked! These cupcakes can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to frost them until they're thawed. You can also make your buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. The buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month. Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again. You can also store buttercream in piping bags in the fridge. I find they keep their consistency well in piping bags and don't require any mixing after they've thawed.Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 254mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 49g