• Cake
  • Frosting
  • YouTube
  • My Favorite Tools
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Recipes
    • Cake
    • Cupcakes
    • Frosting
    • Ice Cream
    • Vegan
  • Cake Basics
  • Tutorials
  • Blog
  • About
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

Sugar & Sparrow logo in script font

Sugar & Sparrow

Lifestyle and Cake from Portland Oregon

  • Cake Basics
  • Recipes
    • Cake
    • Cupcakes
    • Sheet Cakes
    • Cookies & Bars
    • Filling
    • Frosting
    • Ice Cream
    • No-Bake
    • Small Batch
    • Vegan
  • Tutorials
  • Book
  • Blog
  • About

chocolate cake

hot cocoa cake recipe with homemade marshmallow filling

January 7, 2026 · In: Cake, Featured, Holiday, Recipes, Seasonal, Winter

Hot Cocoa Cake with Homemade Marshmallow Filling

I know I’m not alone in saying that a mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows on top is downright nostalgic. This cake captures that warm feeling and will satisfy any…

Read More

peppermint mocha cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

December 18, 2025 · In: Cake, Featured, Holiday, Recipes, Seasonal, Winter

Peppermint Mocha Cake Recipe

This peppermint mocha cake is based on one of my favorite festive coffee drinks! The layers of moist and decadent peppermint chocolate cake filled and frosted with coffee buttercream make…

Read More

small chocolate cake recipe serves 2

January 23, 2024 · In: Cake, Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Small Batch, Valentines

Small Batch Chocolate Cake

I was recently looking through my collection of Valentine’s Day cakes and I noticed something pretty significant. Nearly all of the cakes and desserts in that category serve enough for…

Read More

chocolate cupcakes recipe by sugar and sparrow

June 15, 2022 · In: Cupcakes, Featured, Recipes

One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

These chocolate cupcakes are so moist and decadent, perfectly fudgy, and so divine topped with a swirl of chocolate frosting (or any buttercream flavor)! The recipe is based on my…

Read More

chocolate caramel pecan pie cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

November 17, 2021 · In: Cake, Fall, Featured, Holiday, Recipes, Seasonal, Winter

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake with Salted Caramel

One of my very favorite pies to make for Thanksgiving is a chocolate pecan pie topped with salted caramel. The crunch of the pecans, richness of the chocolate, and sweetness…

Read More

ruby chocolate cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

February 14, 2020 · In: Cake, Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Spring, Valentines

Ruby Chocolate Cake Recipe

Right after I made this Ruby Chocolate Buttercream recipe, I instantly thought to try it with my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I figured since ruby chocolate has predominant notes of…

Read More

ruby chocolate buttercream recipe

February 6, 2020 · In: Featured, Frosting, Recipes, Seasonal, Spring, Valentines

Ruby Chocolate Buttercream Recipe

I’ve been curious about ruby chocolate for awhile now, mostly because of its gorgeous, all-natural mauve coloring. So when I saw these Chocolove Ruby Cacao bars at my local New…

Read More

thin mint chocolate cake

January 27, 2020 · In: Cake, Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Spring

Thin Mint Chocolate Cake Recipe

I never got the chance to be a Girl Scout, but I have been loving their cookies for a lifetime and don’t plan on stopping any time soon. They’ve got…

Read More

chocolate cake recipe with chocolate frosting

January 11, 2019 · In: Cake, Featured, Recipes

The Perfect One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe

After testing so many chocolate cake recipes over the years, I’ve come really close to perfection only to miss the mark on the essentials of a good chocolate cake: moistness,…

Read More

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Next →

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

Helping you whip up pretty desserts with confidence and creativity. And hopefully sharing a few laughs with you along the way!

Learn More

Connect

let’s bake!

Get my very best recipes, baking tips, and decorating tutorials sent to your inbox

Featured Posts

pumpkin spice syrup recipe

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup

coffee buttercream recipe by sugar and sparrow

Coffee Buttercream Frosting Recipe

diy sprinkled cupcake toppers

Sprinkled White Chocolate Cupcake Toppers

Search

Archives

Follow Along

@sugarandsparrowco

DYE-FREE BLACK VELVET CUPCAKES 🖤 These all black c DYE-FREE BLACK VELVET CUPCAKES 🖤 These all black cupcakes use black cocoa powder (and NO food coloring!) to achieve that rich black color for the cupcakes + black buttercream. That means they won’t turn anyone’s mouth black AND they taste like Oreo cookies in deliciously moist cupcake form 👻

✨Full recipe (with dye-free black buttercream) is linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/black-velvet-cupcakes/ 

BLACK VELVET CUPCAKES
Yield: 14 cupcakes

1 Cup (132g) all purpose flour
3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar
1/3 Cup (38g) black cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 Cup (60ml) vegetable oil
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 Cup (120ml) full-fat buttermilk*
1/2 Cup (120ml) hot coffee or hot water

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. Place all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together to combine. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and whisk until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the hot coffee (or hot water) and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin. 
3. Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake liners (no more than ⅔ full) and bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool completely before frosting with dye-free black buttercream (full recipe linked in my bio).

*If you don’t have buttermilk on hand (I rarely do!), use 1/2 Cup whole milk mixed with 1 1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice. 

#blackcupcakes #blackbuttercream #blackcocoapowder #halloweencupcakes #halloweenbaking
EASY MUMMY CUPCAKES 👀 this classic Halloween cupca EASY MUMMY CUPCAKES 👀 this classic Halloween cupcake design is so easy to make with chocolate cupcakes, googly eye sprinkles, vanilla buttercream, and one piping tip! Here’s how:

Full tutorial (with recipes for the cupcakes and buttercream!) is linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/mummy-cupcakes/

MUMMY CUPCAKES SUPPLIES: 
-Baked chocolate cupcakes
-Vanilla buttercream
-Googly eye sprinkles
-Piping bag
-Small flat piping tip or basket weave tip

INSTRUCTIONS: 
1. Press two googly eye sprinkles on top of the chocolate cupcake.
2. Starting on the edge of the cupcake, pipe a straight line to the opposite edge, avoiding the googly eye sprinkles. If you’re using a basket weave tip, make sure the grooved edge is face down.
3. Continue piping lines that connect the edges, overlapping the lines until the surface of the cupcake is covered (aside from the googly eyes) and the piping looks like mummy cloths.

#halloweencupcakes #halloweenbaking #chocolatecupcakes #cupcakedecorating #cupcakes
HALLOWEEN CANDY BUCKET CAKE 🎃🍫🍬 this jack-o-lanter HALLOWEEN CANDY BUCKET CAKE 🎃🍫🍬 this jack-o-lantern cake is SO fun to make with two bundt cakes frosted with buttercream to look like a pumpkin candy bucket + lots of Halloween candy to fill it with. The perfect Halloween party cake!! 
 
A condensed tutorial is below but you can find the full tutorial link (with recipes I used!) in my bio + on my blog at  https://sugarandsparrow.com/halloween-candy-bucket-cake-tutorial/
 
🎃 Candy Bucket Cake Tutorial: 
 
1.  Bake two bundt cakes. I doubled my one-bowl chocolate cake recipe and divided it between two 9.5-inch bundt cake pans, then baked at 350F for 35 minutes.  
2. Fill and crumb coat the cakes in the shape of a pumpkin. I used my dye-free black buttercream recipe for this, but any flavor will do.  
3. Frost the cake. I used my vanilla buttercream recipe tinted with @americolor Electric Orange for the frosting. A flexible plastic smoother is KEY to shaping the roundness of the pumpkin (I got mine on Amazon) + I made my own little tool for the grooves from a leftover yogurt container. After I chilled the cake I hand-smoothed the finish with a little parchment paper to iron out the imperfections.  
4. Carve the jack-o-lantern. I chilled the frosting until it was firm to the touch, then used an X-acto knife to cut out the eyes and mouth. 
5. Add the handle. I inserted some crafting wire into hollow black licorice to create the candy bucket handle before sticking it into the cake.  
6. Fill with your favorite Halloween candy!  
 
#halloweencake #pumpkincake #partycake #cakedecorating #bundtcake
These are 10 of the Halloween cake and cupcake rec These are 10 of the Halloween cake and cupcake recipes I’d make for a spooky party! 👻

Comment “HALLOWEEN” and I’ll send all of these recipes and cake decorating tutorials + even more from my Halloween baking archives – spooky classics like my dye-free black velvet cake and pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, plus Halloween party cake tutorials and easy Halloween cupcake designs. 

https://sugarandsparrow.com/halloween-cakes-cupcakes-treats/

#halloweencake #halloweencupcakes #cakedecorating #halloweenbaking #halloweenpartyideas
DYE-FREE BLACK VELVET SHEET CAKE 🖤👀 if you’re look DYE-FREE BLACK VELVET SHEET CAKE 🖤👀 if you’re looking for a black cake that won’t stain your teeth, look no further! This sheet cake version of my favorite black velvet cake recipe uses black cocoa powder to create the dark black color for this whole cake without ANY food coloring, and it tastes just like Oreo cookies (but in deliciously moist cake form). Top that black buttercream with googly eyes for the perfect easy Halloween cake 👻

Comment RECIPE and I’ll send it to you or find it linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/black-velvet-sheet-cake/

You can also use the same ingredients and amounts for my black velvet layer cake recipe from a few Reels back! Just lower the oven temp to 325F and bake in a 9x13 pan for 30-35 min 🖤

#blackbuttercream #blackcake #blackvelvetcake #halloweencake #sheetcake

Footer

On the Blog

  • Cake Basics
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials

Info

  • About
  • Privacy Policy & Disclosure

stay in the know

Copyright © 2026 · Theme by Sugar & Sparrow