Fluffy red velvet cake layers with smooth black buttercream piped in between. Perfect for Halloween!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword easy red velvet cake, halloween cake, layer cake, red velvet cake
Prep Time 1 hourhour
Cook Time 40 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour40 minutesminutes
Servings 10servings
Ingredients
Cake
1boxRed Velvet Cake mix
3eggs
1/3cupvegetable oil
1boxvanilla instant pudding
1 1/4cupbuttermilk
2tbspwhole mix
Buttercream
1 1/2sticks butter
4cupspowdered sugar
3tbspactivated charcoal or black Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/3cupheavy cream
1-2tbspmilk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour three 6 inch baking pans. Add eggs and oil to a bowl of a stand mixer. Blend. Add cake mix and pudding. Mix on a low-medium speed. Pour in buttermilk as it is mixing. If it seems too stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk. Divide batter between the 3 pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes until done. Cool on a wire rack.Invert and remove cakes from pans. Cut off the domes so that each layer is even.In a standing mixer bowl, add butter and beat. Add powdered sugar and charcoal or black cocoa powder. Mix. Pour in cream as it’s mixing. If the frosting seems to thick add a little milk. And if it’s not dark enough, add more charcoal 1 teaspoon at a time.Place one layer down on a cake plate and add a layer of frosting. Place down a second layer and add more frosting. Place down the third layer and cover the entire cake with the buttercream. Smooth the top and sides. Use a spiderweb themed stencil for the sides. Place the stencil against the cake. Use a off set spatula to add a light layer of frosting on top of the stencil and smooth it. Gently remove the stencil and repeat until the cake is covered with spiderwebs. Pipe dollops of buttercream all around the top of the cake with a piping bag with a star tip attached. Add a few sprinkles on top of the cake in the middle of the piped frosting.