These black velvet cupcakes are ultra tender and soft, and are naturally colored! It has a similar texture to red velvet cupcakes, but with black cocoa powder for flavor and color. And a naturally colored chocolatey cream cheese frosting. The black cocoa powder makes the cupcakes taste exactly like an oreo cookie! I even added a vibrant cherry filling and a black chocolate drip. They’re the perfect cupcakes for Halloween, New Years, or a gothic Valentine’s Day.
These cupcakes were inspired by my black velvet cake - which also has a spooky red cherry filling.
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🧁 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- No food coloring: When using black cocoa, you will get a rich dark black without using any food coloring.
- Oreo flavor: The cupcake tastes like an oreo cookie because they both share an important ingredient, black cocoa!
- Velvety texture: There is a reason they have velvet in their name! These cupcakes have a rich, velvety texture while still being ultra soft and moist.
- Cream cheese frosting: This type of frosting is commonly paired with velvet cupcakes. It pairs well with the flavor and balances out the sweetness of the cupcake making it a perfect compliment.
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
- Black cocoa powder: This will give the deepest, darkest color without needing any food coloring. You can then make my black velvet cake with any leftover black cocoa powder that you have left.
- Cherry filling: For a vibrant and gooey red filling I used a store-bought cherry pie filling. You can substitute with homemade cherry (or raspberry) pie filling or a red colored jam but it will be sweeter than pie filling.
- Butter: For the best results use a good quality real butter.
- Cream cheese: Using a good quality brick style cream cheese gives the frosting a bit of tang to balance out the sweetness. You can substitute with more softened butter if you don't like cream cheese.
- Candy melts: I used black candy melts for the drip on top of the frosting. You can get them at bulk food stores, craft stores, and baking stores. For a colorful drip, use a colored type of candy melt. Alternatively, you can use semi sweet chocolate chips or even chopped milk or dark chocolate. But if you don’t use black candy melts, the drip won’t be black.
- All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
This pink velvet cake is the pastel pink version of these cupcakes.
👩🍳 How to make black velvet cupcakes
Black Velvet Cupcakes batter step by step
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a regular sized 12 hole muffin or cupcake pan with liners.
Whisk together cocoa powder and hot water until no more lumps are left. Set aside while you work on the rest.
Step 2: With a paddle attachment, beat oil, butter, sugar, and salt until creamy and lightened in color. Scrape down the bowl so that it blends evenly.
Step 3: Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well to combine. Add vanilla, vinegar, and buttermilk into the mixture, mix well to combine.
Step 4: Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda right into the same bowl. Fold the cupcake batter with a whisk to combine.
Step 5: Halfway through mixing - while it’s still lumpy - add the dissolved cocoa powder mixture and fold with a whisk to combine.
Step 6: Scoop the batter into the liners, filling them three quarters of the way up.
Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the pan.
Black cream cheese frosting step by step
Step 1: Using a paddle attachment, beat the butter until lightened in color and creamy. Scrape down the bowl well to blend evenly.
Add powdered sugar, half a cup at a time and beat well until creamy. Add cocoa powder and beat well.
Step 2: Add cream cheese, about one tablespoon at a time. Beat well between each addition until light and creamy. Add vanilla, salt, and mix together.
Add one or two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream into the frosting if you want a fluffier texture.
Transfer into a piping bag with a large star tip and set aside until ready to assembly.
Assembly and Optional Toppings step by step
Black chocolate drip: Heat the cream until it starts to simmer and bubble. In a medium heat safe bowl, add candy melts and pour the heavy cream on top. Cover with a lid or plate, and let sit for 5 minutes.
Whisk the drip mixture together until smooth and creamy. Set aside while you frost and fill the cupcakes.
Filling: Using a small knife, cut out the middles of the cupcakes. Only cut halfway through the middle of the cupcake and save the middle of the cupcake that you pull out.
Fill the cupcake middles with a tablespoon of cherry pie filling and add the piece you cut out back on top to close up the hole.
Frosting: With your piping bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe the frosting in a tower on top of each cupcake.
Drip and sprinkles: Drizzle about one to two tablespoons of chocolate drip on top of the cupcake. If it’s too thick you can heat it up gently or if its too hot or thin pop it in the fridge.
Top with sprinkles and enjoy!
✔️ Expert tips
- Bring your ingredients to room temperature before starting. That will ensure you have consistent results.
- Weigh ingredients if possible for the best accuracy. If not gently stir to fluff the flour and gently spoon it into a measuring cup.
- Use heavy cream to thin out frosting if needed. Alternatively, add more icing sugar if the consistency is too thin.
- Keep refrigerated as the frosting is made with cream cheese. Remove from the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving to soften the cake and frosting.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
The filled and frosted black velvet cupcakes can keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Because there’s cream cheese in the frosting - it’s best to keep them refrigerated. It's best served at room temperature so that you get the perfect soft and velvety texture.
To store leftovers for even longer, store in an airtight container or bag for up to 2 months in the freezer.
You can make the cupcakes a day or two ahead of assembling. Keep them at room temperature in a bag or cake carrier until ready to frost and serve.
❔ Can I use dutch processed cocoa powder instead of black cocoa powder?
Yes you can. It won't have the same flavor and color - it will be a more traditional chocolate brown and chocolate flavor. Don't substitute black cocoa powder with natural cocoa powder, it won’t turn out the same and the cake texture will be completely different.
If you don't have black cocoa powder and can't find it - you should make my black forest cupcakes! They use regular cocoa powder and have a fluffy whipped frosting.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Yes you can - just frost them like usual.
Yes you can, just leave it out!
Yes you can - use chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate instead of the candy melts.
If you substitute the cream cheese with the equivalent amount of butter, it will be a regular buttercream instead of a cream cheese frosting.
🖤 More related recipes
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📖 Recipe
Black Velvet Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12 hole muffin tin
- electric mixer optional
- piping bag and tips optional
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
- ½ cup black cocoa powder
- ½ cup water boiling hot
- ¼ cup oil any neutral flavored oil
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vinegar white or apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour 150g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup black cocoa powder
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream optional
Toppings and Filling (optional)
- 6 oz black candy melts
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup canned cherry pie filling
- 2 tablespoons Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a regular sized 12 hole muffin or cupcake pan with liners.
- In a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder and hot water. Whisk until no more lumps are left. Set aside while you work on the rest.½ cup black cocoa powder, ½ cup water boiling hot
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine oil, butter, sugar, and salt. Beat with a paddle attachment until creamy and lightened in color. Scrape down the bowl so that it blends evenly.¼ cup oil, ¼ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well to combine. Add vanilla, vinegar, and buttermilk into the mixture, mix well to combine.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon vinegar, ½ cup buttermilk
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda right into the same bowl. Fold the cupcake batter with a whisk to combine. Halfway through mixing - while it’s still lumpy - add the dissolved cocoa powder mixture and fold with a whisk to combine.1 ¼ cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Scoop the batter into the liners, filling them three quarters of the way up.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the pan.
Frosting
- In a large bowl or standmixer, beat the butter until lightened in color and creamy. Scrape down the bowl well to blend evenly and use a paddle attachment.1 cup unsalted butter
- Add powdered sugar, half a cup at a time and beat well until creamy. Add cocoa powder and beat well.3 cups powdered sugar, ½ cup black cocoa powder
- Add cream cheese, about one tablespoon at a time. Beat well between each addition until light and creamy. Add vanilla, salt, and mix together.4 oz cream cheese, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- If you want it even fluffier, add one or two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream into the frosting. Beat well until light and fluffy.1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Transfer into a piping bag with a large star tip and set aside until ready to assembly.
Black Chocolate Drip and Assembly
- Heat the cream until it starts to simmer and bubble. Place the candy melts into a medium heat safe bowl and pour the heavy cream on top. Cover with a lid or plate, and let sit for 5 minutes.¼ cup heavy whipping cream, 6 oz black candy melts
- Whisk the drip mixture together until smooth and creamy. Set aside while you frost and fill the cupcakes.
- Using a small knife, cut out the middles of the cupcakes. Only cut halfway through the middle of the cupcake and save the middle of the cupcake that you pull out.
- Fill the cupcake middles with a tablespoon of cherry pie filling and add the piece you cut out back on top to close up the hole.1 cup canned cherry pie filling
- Pipe the frosting in a tower on top of each cupcake. Add about one to two tablespoons of chocolate drip on top of the cupcake. Heat it up gently if it’s too thick or pop it in the fridge if it’s too hot or thin. Sprinkle with sprinkles and serve!2 tablespoons Sprinkles
Maria
Made these on Sunday - testing them for Halloween party I am going to. The cupcakes are delicious, followed the recipe to the "T". The icing is also delicious but I did not get that Black, Black frosting look that I was looking for. Should I use black gel to enhance the color? Mine looks more gray...
Mary
Yes, I think it depends on the lighting and the brand of cocoa powder. You might need to add a bit of black food coloring to get it super black. Sorry about that!
Kimberly Hansen
Perfect timing! I was wondering how to make the cake recipe cupcake friendly! Making these this weekend for my daughters spooky first birthday!