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Dark Chocolate Black Magic Halloween Cake Recipe
Bake a moist Black Magic chocolate cake with dark cocoa for your Halloween party. Step-by-step recipe, frosting tips, and storage advice.
The Dark Chocolate Delight: Black Magic Halloween Cake is a decadent, ultra-moist layer cake distinguished by its deep black crumb and intense cocoa flavor. Built on a batter of black or Dutch-process cocoa, brewed coffee, buttermilk, and vegetable oil, it delivers a rich chocolate profile while remaining tender and light. The layers are traditionally finished with a smooth dark-chocolate or ganache frosting and often accented with seasonal decorations—such as candy eyes, orange sprinkles, or a glossy mirror glaze—to underscore its Halloween theme. Popular at October parties, fall bake sales, and spooky-themed gatherings, this dessert offers both dramatic presentation and crowd-pleasing taste.
Dark Chocolate Black Magic Halloween Cake Recipe
Born from a classic Hershey’s test-kitchen formula, this streamlined update nails bakery-level results with nothing more than one mixing bowl and basic pans. The batter scales effortlessly for cupcakes, sheet cakes, or make-ahead freezer layers, giving you a flexible canvas for whatever creepy-cute decorations you dream up.
Prep Time
45 minutes
45 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
35 minutes
Total Time
200 minutes
200 minutes
Ingredients
Granulated sugar 2 cups
- All-purpose flour 1 ¾ cups
- Dark unsweetened cocoa powder ¾ cup
- Baking soda 2 teaspoons
- Baking powder 1 teaspoon
- Fine sea salt 1 teaspoon
- Large eggs 2
- Full-fat buttermilk 1 cup
- Freshly brewed hot black coffee (or boiling water) 1 cup
- Neutral vegetable oil (canola or sunflower) ½ cup
- Pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
- Unsalted butter, softened 1 ½ cups
- Powdered (confectioners’) sugar, sifted 4 ½ cups
- Dark cocoa powder (for frosting) 1 cup
- Heavy whipping cream ⅓ cup
- Extra heavy cream (for ganache) ¾ cup
- Vanilla extract (for frosting) 2 teaspoons
- Kosher salt ¼ teaspoon
- Black gel food colouring (optional, deepens colour) 1–2 teaspoons
- Bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped 6 ounces
- Light corn syrup (optional, adds ganache shine) 1 tablespoon
- Assorted Halloween sprinkles or black sugar pearls (optional) 1 cup
- Chocolate shards or spooky candy toppers (optional) about 8–10 pieces
- Edible glitter or black luster dust (optional) 1 tablespoon
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F 175°C
- Grease two 9-inch round cake pans
- Line the greased pans with parchment circles
- Dust the lined pans with cocoa powder
- Combine granulated sugar all-purpose flour dark cocoa powder baking soda baking powder and salt in a large bowl
- Whisk eggs buttermilk hot brewed coffee vegetable oil and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until smooth
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients
- Beat the mixture on medium speed until the batter is thin and glossy
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans
- Tap the pans gently on the counter to release air bubbles
- Place the pans on the center rack of the preheated oven
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean about 30 to 35 minutes
- Transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes
- Run a thin knife around the edges of each cake to loosen
- Invert the cakes onto the rack and peel off the parchment
- Let the cakes cool completely to room temperature
- Melt chopped dark chocolate in a microwave or double boiler and let it cool slightly
- Beat softened butter in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy
- Add powdered sugar cocoa powder and a pinch of salt to the butter and beat until combined
- Pour in the cooled melted chocolate and vanilla extract and beat until glossy
- Drizzle in milk or heavy cream a tablespoon at a time to reach spreadable frosting consistency
- Trim the domed tops of the cooled cakes with a serrated knife to level
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate cut side up
- Spread a generous layer of frosting over the first cake layer
- Set the second cake layer on top cut side down
- Coat the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting to create a crumb coat
- Chill the crumb-coated cake for 15 minutes to set
- Spread the remaining frosting evenly over the chilled cake
- Decorate the frosted cake with black sanding sugar chocolate shards or Halloween sprinkles
- Refrigerate the finished cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing
- Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving
- Slice and enjoy the dark chocolate black magic Halloween cake
Nutrition (whole recipe)
Calories
11200 kcal Protein
91 g Fat
603 g Carbs
1447 g Fiber
80 g Sugar
1152 g
11200 kcal Protein
91 g Fat
603 g Carbs
1447 g Fiber
80 g Sugar
1152 g
Notes
For a jet-black crumb without overdrying the cake, stir ½ teaspoon black gel food coloring into the liquid ingredients before mixing. Substitute an equal amount of stout or porter for the coffee if you want a subtle malty backbone. Chill baked layers 30 minutes in the freezer; they’ll frost cleaner and shed fewer crumbs.
why this recipe
The allure of this black magic chocolate cake recipe lies in its sinfully rich flavor and hauntingly tender crumb, achieved by marrying deep, dark cocoa with a subtle kiss of coffee that intensifies every bite. Moist beyond belief and crowned with a silky frosting that melts like midnight on the tongue, it’s the kind of dessert that turns an ordinary gathering into a spellbinding celebration. Even novice bakers can conjure it with ease, yet the results rival any professional patisserie’s showpiece—the perfect balance of elegance and indulgence. One slice will convince you that its name isn’t just clever wordplay; it truly works a little kitchen sorcery each time it emerges from the oven.
FAQs
FAQ acf
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute regular unsweetened cocoa powder for black or Dutch-process cocoa without noticeably affecting the cake’s deep color and flavor?
You can swap in natural (regular) cocoa, but expect a lighter reddish-brown crumb and a slightly sharper, less “dark-chocolate” flavor because natural cocoa is more acidic and lower in fat than black or Dutch-process. The cake will still rise (the recipe contains both baking soda and baking powder), yet you’ll lose most of the signature inky hue—add ½ tsp black gel coloring or a tablespoon of espresso powder if you want to reclaim some of that depth.
How can I adapt this recipe for cupcakes (yield and baking time adjustments)?
Scoop the batter into paper-lined muffin tins, filling each well about two-thirds full; the full recipe yields 22–24 standard cupcakes (or about 48 minis). Bake at the same 350 °F/175 °C for 18–20 minutes (12–14 minutes for minis), just until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a rack, then frost as desired—you’ll need roughly two-thirds of the listed frosting and ganache.
How should I store and keep the cake fresh if baking it a few days ahead?
Bake the cooled, unfrosted layers up to a week ahead, wrap each tightly in two layers of plastic wrap (and a layer of foil if freezing), then refrigerate for 2 days or freeze for longer; thaw overnight in the fridge before assembling. Once the cake is filled and frosted, keep it under an inverted bowl or cake dome in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, pressing a piece of plastic wrap against any cut surfaces to prevent drying. Always let the chilled cake stand at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving so the crumb softens and the frosting regains its silky texture.