Hocus Pocus Cake

5 from 1 rating

This Hocus Pocus cake is the perfect Halloween cake! It's moist, decorated with buttercream, and naturally colored with dark cocoa powder!!

Prep Time10

Cook Time26

Additional Time30

Total Time1 6

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 20

Calories: 484kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Black Cocoa Cake Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour 260g
2 cups granulated sugar 400g
3/4 cup black cocoa powder 75g
2 tsp baking powder 8g
1 1/2 tsp baking soda 9g
1 tsp fine salt 6g
1 cup warm water 240g
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 240g
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil 110g
2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g

Buttercream Frosting

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 454g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
6 cups powdered sugar 750g
1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature - divided 120g
1/2 cup black cocoa powder 50g
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled 180g
Yellow, orange, and purple gel food coloring

Recommended Tools

7- inch Cake Pans
Spinning Cake Stand
10- inch Greaseproof Cake Board
Large Offset Spatula
Bench Scraper
Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
4 Small Piping Bags
4 Small Piping Tips like a Wilton 3

Instructions

Black Cocoa Cake Layers

Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 175 C. Line and grease four, seven-inch pans or four, six-inch pans with parchment paper and nonstick baking spray or homemade cake release.
Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup black cocoa powder, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp of salt in a large bowl. Whisk together until combined.
In a separate, large bowl, add 1 cup of warm water, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Give the mixture a quick stir to combine the ingredients.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix by hand until fully incorporated. The batter will be on the thin side, but that’s the consistency you're after!
Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake for about 24-27 minutes. I like to use a kitchen scale to weigh the pans. It makes sure each pan has the same amount of batter and helps the cake layers bake up to be the same height.
Remove the cake layers from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Gently run an offset spatula around the rim of the cake pans to loosen them, then flip them onto wire racks to finish cooling.
Once cooled, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer. If you make these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

Buttercream Frosting

While the cake layers bake, make the buttercream frosting. Beat 2 cups of butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.
Add in 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Slowly mix in 6 cups of powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream on a low speed until combined.
Scoop 1/3 cup of frosting into a small piping bag fit with a small round tip (like a Wilton 3). Seal the top of the bag with a clip or rubber band and set aside. If you don't have that size of piping tip, snip a small opening at the base of the bag that is about 1/2 cm wide.
Add 1/3 cup of frosting into a separate bowl and color yellow with gel food coloring. Place the yellow frosting in a small piping bag fit with a small round tip (like a Wilton 3). Seal the top of the bag with a clip or rubber band and set aside.
Color 1/3 cup of frosting orange in the same bowl with gel food coloring. Don't worry if there's a bit of yellow frosting still in the bowl, the colors will blend together. Place the frosting in a small piping bag fit with a small round tip (like a Wilton 3). Seal the top of the bag with a clip or rubber band and set aside.
Then color 1/3 cup of frosting purple in the same bowl with gel food coloring. Place the frosting in a small piping bag fit with a small round tip (like a Wilton 3). Seal the top of the bag with a clip or rubber band and set aside.
Next, mix in 1/2 cup sifted black cocoa, the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream, and 1 cup of cooled, melted semi-sweet chocolate on a low speed. Mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. If you want the buttercream to be a deeper shade of black, you can mix in a squirt of black gel food coloring.
Cover the black frosting flush with plastic wrap to prevent crusting and set aside.

Assembling This Hocus Pocus Cake

Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board using a dab of black cocoa frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
Add an even layer of black cocoa buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula.
Spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake that fully covers the cake layers.
Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
Add a second, thicker layer of black cocoa frosting to the cake and smooth using a bench scraper.
Chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) one more time until the buttercream is firm to the touch.
Then use a toothpick or scribe to outline the silhouette of the Sanderson sisters and to write your favorite quote from the movie. I chose to write "It's all just a bunch of hocus pocus" but "I smell children" would be fun too! Use the yellow, orange, and purple frosting to pipe the hair like in the pictures above. Smooth the frosting with a small offset spatula and/or acetate sheet. Pipe the quote in white buttercream.
Use the remaining colorful buttercream to pipe dots around the cake, then enjoy!

Video

Notes

Making Different Sized Cakes with This Recipe

If you want to use a different size cake pan or make a sheet cake using this recipe, please refer to the "Making This Hocus Pocus Cake in Different Sizes" Section above. It includes baking instructions and notes on how to do so.

Tips for Making the Best Hocus Pocus Cake

Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Properly measure the flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Mix the cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cake layers are tender and fluffy.
Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. Make sure each pan has the same amount of batter so that cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
Bang the cake pans on the counter before putting them in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
Level the room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
Chill the cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!

Making this Hocus Pocus Cake in Advance and Storage Tips

Make the cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
Make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. It can also sit out at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
This frosting can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months! Just be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to make it nice and smooth again.
A frosted cake can last in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for a month. The buttercream locks in the moisture and keeps the cake fresh and delicious!

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