Bold Black Cakes for Every Occasion

If you’re looking for dramatic, sophisticated, and show-stopping cake inspiration, black cakes are the way to go! I’ve gathered a stunning collection of black cake ideas and designs perfect for any special occasion, including weddings, birthdays, milestone celebrations, or themed events.

Bold Black Cakes

Over the years, I’ve made black wedding cakes, black birthday cakes with black woven into the details, and other themed cakes with black as a main color.

And every single time, I fall in love all over again.

My love for black is not new – I’ve been obsessed for a long time.

My wedding cake (from 1996) was a Black & Red design (see below) and the china we registered for when we got married (do people still do that?) was also black and white.

I still love a black and white checkered floor and we have black shutters on our house.

Black Cake Designs

Whether you’re drawn to sleek and modern styles, elegant black and gold combos, moody florals, or gothic-inspired elements, these black cakes make a bold statement and are sure to impress.

Get inspired to go beyond the ordinary with these unforgettable black cake designs! I

Keep reading below and have a peek at all of my best black cakes!

Vintage Black & Red Wedding Cake

This was my wedding cake from way back in 1996. I chose the vintage piping design out of a Wilton Cake Decorating magazine (although it wasn’t vintage at the time) as a teenager and saved it for a few years until I got engaged. Then I pulled it out, showed it to a local cake lady and asked her to make it for me.

It’s fun looking at it now – and seeing how this style of cake is back in style! I don’t even remember my cake lady’s name, but I can tell you it was white cake with vanilla buttercream and everything was hand-piped.

Black and Gold 50th Birthday Cake

Last year I was on a black velvet cake and black buttercream kick and that’s when I made this Black and Gold Cake. It was a 7-inch round buttercream cake decorated with edible 24 gold leaf and chocolate balls + a “50” topper made by my son Christian with his Cricut.

This black birthday cake was Black Chocolate Buttercream (made with black cocoa) on White Almond Sour Cream Cake with Raspberry and Almond Buttercream filling.

Black & Purple “Haunted Mansion” Cake

A Halloween/Birthday Haunted Mansion Cake for fun & sassy 18 year old!! This beautiful cake was 3 layers of Vanilla Bean Cake (8-inch round) with Vanilla Buttercream. It had Stenciled Demask and Piped Borders with black buttercream.

Black Geometric Cakes

As far as black cakes go, these two Geometric-themed black cakes were made for my oldest son’s 18th birthday and as a math nerd, they are some of my all-time favorites!

He wanted “geometry” inspired cakes and we couldn’t decide on a single design, so he got two cakes! I wrote a whole post about his 18th birthday here including a lot more pictures of these cakes. Go see all the details here.

Funeral Themed 40th Birthday Black & Blood Red Cake

I loved this cake so much! It was a big contrast to the cakes I usually do but just so gorgeous and rich! This Blood Red Cake with Black Drip, Black Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, hand-brushed, and a Red Sugar Rose was for a funeral themed photo shoot to celebrate my client’s 40th birthday.

It was an 8-inch round Red Velvet Cake + Vanilla Buttercream with hand-painted brushwork.

Pink & Black Glam Haunted House Halloween Birthday Cake

I had the most fun decorating this cake! I loved all the details, the pink, black and gold. The drip and the buttercream stripes and the flowers… and I got to use my favorite “goth” cake stand that doesn’t “go” with many of the cakes I do

This cake was White Cake with Vanilla Almond Buttercream. The tiers were 4-inches, 6-inches, and 8-inches. Decorations include the Haunted House (made from a decorated cookie), gum paste flowers, candy eyeballs, sugar pearls, buttercream details and splattered gold.

Vintage Hollywood Black Graduation Cake

My client graduated with his Master’s Degree and celebrated with a chic Vintage Hollywood-themed party! He loves all things black and shiny so I went all the way with this black cake!

Made with pure black cocoa (NO black food coloring in the cake or frosting!!), it was black chocolate cake with black chocolate frosting!

Per his request for a glossy, flawless finish, I used black fondant, and molded embellishments. Then I sprayed the entire cake with an edible glaze plus black food spray (for the extra black, extra glossy finish). I’m so stinkin’ in love with this cake!

Black & Gold Wedding Cake

This Black and Gold Wedding Cake was a bold choice for a Christmas wedding, finished with fresh deep red roses and greenery.

YWhile I have made a lot of black cakes (as you can see), this was my first mostly black wedding cake. You can find all the details of this wedding cake here.

Black Confetti Cake

I made this black cake several years ago, but if my memory serves me, it was for a Skating Party. The decor for the party was covered in bright party confetti so I used that as the inspo for the cake.

These were 5-inch and 7-inch tiers covered in black fondant, then decorated with multiple colors of neon fondant polka dots for the confetti.

Black Halloween Birthday Cake

Speaking of confetti, I had to include this Black Halloween Birthday Cake that I shared last year with Halloween Confetti Sprinkles!

It was black cake on the inside with black frosting on the inside and outside and I used zero food coloring! Find the black velvet cake recipe (made with black cocoa powder) and all the details here.

Black and Pink Leopard Print Sheet Cake

This lovely sheet cake was for a sassy lady celebrating her 80th birthday. She loved animal prints but also loved soft pinks so I combined the two for this bold and pretty sheet cake with black drip.

Black and Gold Sheet Cake

Along the same lines as the previous cake, this Black & Gold Cake was for an elegant celebration featuring black and gold decor.

Tiffany Blue with Black Damask Bridal Shower Cake

I made this cake many years ago (and my photography skills were “meh” back then, but every time I stumble across this cake, I stop to stare.

The contrast of the Tiffany blue and the black was so stunning. I love the fondant ribbons and bows. I love that this bridal shower cake was unique and “outside the box” as far as bridal showers go.

Black & Rhinestones Wedding Cake

This wedding cake only has a little black on it, but it was still a statement cake that stands out from the crowd. Each smooth buttercream tier has black fondant ribbon with rhinestone ribbon over it. A little bling and a little bold.

This bride did not shy away from flavors… the tiers were 5-inch, 7-inch and 9-inch. 5-inch cake.

• Top tier: two layers of chocolate cake and two layers of vanilla bean cake (alternating) and it was filled with caramel, chocolate and peanut butter frostings.
• Middle tier: chocolate cake with chocolate and peanut butter filling.
• Bottom tier: vanilla cake with vanilla and caramel filling.

More Black Birthday Cakes

I’m including a few more birthday cakes that incorporated black into the theme, although they were not specifically black-themed.

Have questions? Leave me a comment below!

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