Rich, moist, and intensely chocolatey, this decadent Black Magic Cake will become your go-to chocolate cake for any occasion. This foolproof recipe guarantees flavor with buttermilk, high-quality cocoa, and a bit of espresso. Perfect for the chocolate lover in your life!
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🍰 Whether for birthdays, holidays, or “just because” moments, this foolproof recipe works beautifully as layer cakes, sheet cakes, or even cupcakes.
My 2 Best Tips For Making Black Magic Cake
#1 – Combining Eggs & Hot Water: You have to be a little careful when adding boiling water and eggs in the same step, or the boiling water can cook/curdle your eggs! As you’ll see in the recipe instructions, the hot water will be mixed into the dry ingredients first, and then the egg mixture will be incorporated. Just follow the steps in that order, and you won’t have any issues.
#2 – Full Fat Buttermilk: I highly recommend using full fat buttermilk in this recipe, not low fat. The texture and taste of the cake will be affected if low fat milk is used. If you’re making a substitute version of buttermilk with vinegar or lemon juice, use whole milk and not skim.
This cake is easy to make with kitchen staple ingredients, but the result is always impressive. Dense, moist, rich, and coated in a silky smooth fudge frosting. What’s not to love?
This frosting is luxurious and soft. It is not a stiff buttercream. In fact, it doesn’t pipe all that well, so go ahead and use a simple butter knife to decorate your cake.
I highly recommend a really, really good cocoa for this recipe since it’s one of the main flavor components. I used King Arthur’s Triple Cocoa Blend, and it worked beautifully!
🩷 Melissa
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Black Magic Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1-¾ cups sugar
- 1-¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup good quality cocoa I used King Arthur Triple Cocoa Blend.
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ cup full fat buttermilk
- ¼ teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- ¾ cup butter melted
- 1 cup good quality cocoa
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. (Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper if making a layer cake so the layers will turn out easily.)
- Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, espresso powder, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 30 seconds until mixed.
- Add dry ingredient mixture to the mixer and mix on low briefly until it's starting to mix. With the mixer on low, gently add in the hot water and mix for 1-2 minutes until thoroughly combined, scraping the sides of the bowl. Batter will be thin.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
Make the Frosting:
- Place melted butter in large mixer bowl. Add cocoa, stirring until smooth.
- Gradually beat in powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, beating until smooth. If necessary add additional milk, ½ teaspoon at a time, beating until spreading consistency. Frost cake after the cake has cooled. Makes about 3 cups of frosting.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe FAQs
The name “Black Magic Cake” refers to the cake’s intensely dark color and its seemingly magical ability to remain incredibly moist for days. The rich, dark chocolate flavor combined with the cake’s velvety texture creates an enchanting dessert experience that feels almost supernatural in its perfection.
While you can skip the espresso powder if you don’t have it, I highly recommend using it. The espresso powder doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee – it enhances and deepens the chocolate flavor. It’s a secret ingredient many professional bakers use to elevate chocolate desserts.
Yes! This cake actually becomes even more flavorful a day after baking. You can bake the layers up to 2 days in advance, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and store at room temperature. The frosted cake can be refrigerated for up to 5 days – just bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
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Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram.
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles
I love coffee/espresso in my chocolate baked goods. This cake looks awesome. Could I have a piece, pretty please?!
Nutmeg Nanny
Aw, what handsome boys you have. This cake looks so divine, the photos have my mouth watering right now!
Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen
Oh yum, your cake looks so delicious!
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings
YUM- I would love a piece of this cake!!
Shelby
Time really flies doesn’t it! I remember talking to you on IM when we were first blogging and your twins were just teens! Your cake is absolutely gorgeous and I’m certain it was delicious also!
PolaM
What a great cake! Looks perfect for celebrations!
Camilla @ Culinary Adventures
You had me at the name…then I read the ingredients. Wow, wow, and wow again. I will be making this soon. Maybe for my husband’t birthday later this month. Thanks for the inspiration.
Dina
looks like it will magically disappear!
angela@spinachtiger
Chocolate cake is one of my favorite cakes and this looks like chocolate heaven.
Erin @ Making Memories
Your cake is wonderful! Happy birthday to your sons. What a great picture! (The funny face ones would have been good too) =o)
Maria
I want a big fat piece!
dena @ohyoucook
Lovely photos … of the boys AND the cake! Greetings from SRC group D.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
You have two handsome boys!!
The cake looks stunning, Barbara, perfect for the celebration.
Kirstin
Wow…yummy! love chocolate cake. I’m a fellow SRC member, group D
Sarvani (baker in disguise)
ooo.. another stunner of a cake.. I love coffee in my cake.. so this should go down well!!
Leigh
What a beautiful looking cake and family!
Kitchen Belleicious
okay first your boy are so handsome and I love the prom pics! How cute! Seems like just yesterday- can’t wait to have those pics taken with my boys someday. Love this cake too. It looks magical and beautiful and so rich and delicious
Lisa~~
What a wonderful and delicious way to celebrate your boys’ birthday.
Lisa~~
Blond Duck
I think the only magic is that I can’t jump through the screen to it.
Lesa @ Edesia's Notebook
Beautiful cake, Barbara. Looks absolutely delicious. Happy Birthday to your sons!