Here’s Our Roundup Of the Best Black Desserts To Up The Excitement At Your Next Party

Desserts are fun but making black desserts are especially fun. From brownies to cakes and truffles, here’s a list of the best black desserts you should try your hands at.

Black is conventionally associated with mystery and darkness. It’s eerie and full of secrets and whispers. In the world of desserts, the deep black color often comes from dark chocolate, cocoa, activated charcoal and black food coloring. Pairing it with a red filling is an especially bold idea, giving it a more intriguing look. So indulge in these standout desserts and make a memorable statement.

Black Velvet Cupcakes

In theory, black velvet cupcakes are similar to red velvet cupcakes, but they come with a black twist. A mix of cocoa powder and black food coloring, they can be topped with a contrasting white cream cheese frosting, a bold red frosting, or a monochrome black food color infused frosting.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes

• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• ⅓ cup black cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp white vinegar

For the frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup black cocoa powder

Dark Chocolate Brownies

Rich and fudgy, dark chocolate brownies are made with melted dark chocolate or cocoa powder. They are dense, moist, and deeply chocolatey, offering a delightful experience in the mouth and serving as a visually exciting dish. Throw some nuts into the mix and enjoy the crunch that comes with each bite.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 150 gm unsweetened chocolate
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1¼ cup flour
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Powdered sugar, to sprinkle on top

Black Sesame Ice Cream

A popular ice cream flavor in places like Japan, the black sesame ice cream has a striking dark color. Its nutty flavor, combined with the sweetness and coldness of the ice cream creates an interesting infusion of flavors. It’s a must try ice cream flavor for people the world over.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
• 2 cup whole milk
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp black sesame paste
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 200 ml heavy cream
• ⅛ tsp salt

Activated Charcoal Desserts

Activated charcoal is essentially a black powder, a form of carbon that has several health benefits. When used in desserts, it works like food coloring, bringing about a deep black shade to any dessert you have on hand. Since it’s tasteless, it can be used worry-free for the color and look.

Here’s a recipe for cookies using activated charcoal.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp activated charcoal powder
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk

Black Forest Cake

This is a German dessert made with layers of chocolate sponge cake, whipped cream, and cherries. The contrast of the dark chocolate color against the white frosting and red cherries makes the darkness stand out more and the dessert often looks black. It’s one of those classics that’s not exactly black but can’t stay off a list like this one either.

Ingredients:

For the chocolate cake:

• 6 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup caster sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• 150 gm unsalted butter, melted

For the cherry syrup:

• 670 gm pitted cherries
• ⅓ cup cherry liqueur
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 4 tsp cornflour/cornstarch

For the garnish:

• 4 cups thickened heavy cream
• 2 tsp vanilla
• ⅓ cup soft icing sugar
• 100 gm dark chocolate
• Fresh cherries

Chocolate Truffles

Truffles are luxurious bite-sized chocolate balls made with ganache and coating them in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, or finely chopped nuts. Since we’re on the theme of black, they can also be coated in activated charcoal powder. It’s a generally dark dessert, indulgent and rich, and a decadent dessert to eat.

Ingredients:

• 2 chocolate bars, finely chopped
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

For the garnish:

• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Black sprinkles
• Crushed nuts
• Activated charcoal powder
• Melted or tempered chocolate