Black Velvet Halloween Cake

#### For the Black Velvet Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease three 6-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy using an electric mixer.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until pale in color.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture, alternating between the two until combined.
6. Mix in the hot coffee and black food coloring (if using).
7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 38-44 minutes.
8. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

#### For the Black Cocoa Buttercream

1. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and salt until pale and fluffy using an electric mixer.
2. Gradually sift in the black cocoa powder and powdered sugar, mixing until combined.
3. Add the heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
4. Mix in the black food coloring (if using).

#### Assembling the Cake

1. Once the cakes are cooled, fill and frost each layer with the black cocoa buttercream.
2. Decorate the top and sides of the cake with Halloween sprinkles.
3. For detailed instructions and photos, refer to the blog post.