Servings
Font
Back
Black and White Cake
5 from 82 votes

Black and White Cake

The Black and White Cake features two batters: vanilla and chocolate, layered in small cake pans. The recipe combines all-purpose flour, sugar, butter, sour cream, milk, and eggs to produce moist cake layers. Cocoa powder is added to half the batter, while the rest remains vanilla. The cakes are topped with two distinct buttercream frostings—a rich chocolate and a sweet vanilla—that can be piped together for a dual-color effect, creating a visually appealing and rich dessert.

Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 10
Calories: 240 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS:
For the Cake:
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda heaping
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder heaping
  • 3/4 cup butter unsalted, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 3 egg room temperature, white
  • 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
  • 1/2 cup milk room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
  • 1 cup butter unsalted
  • 5 cups confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream You'll probably use less
For the Chocolate Buttercream
  • 1 cup butter unsalted, room temperature
  • 5 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream You'll probably use less
  • 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate melted
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder

Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS:
For the Cake:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 4 six inch cake pans. I always use cake strips on my pans for an even bake but they're optional.
  2. Sift the dry ingredients (not the cocoa powder), including the sugar, together in a large bowl. 
  3. Mix the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl. There will be little butter lumps but don't worry about it! 
  4. Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined.
  5. Divide the mixture into 2 bowls. 1/2 for the vanilla and 1/2 for the chocolate.
  6. Add the cocoa powder to smaller batch and mix.
  7. Transfer the two batters into four 6″ cake pans, which have been buttered and floured.
  8. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch. Test centers with a toothpick. 
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
  1. In a standing mixer, beat the butter on low for a few minutes using a paddle attachment.
  2. Beat in the confectioner’s sugar slowly.
  3. Add the vanilla and drizzle in the cream slowly until you have a desirable consistency.
  4. Transfer to 2 piping bags and snip off the tips.
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
  1. Melt semi sweet chocolate and add 1 tablespoon of cream. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a standing mixer, beat the butter on low for a few minutes using a paddle attachment.
  3. Beat in the confectioner’s sugar slowly.
  4. Add the melted chocolate and cocoa to the mixture. Mix and drizzle in the cream a tablespoon at a time until a desirable consistency is reached.
  5. Beat until you have an even, fluffy consistency.
  6. Transfer to 2 piping bags and snip off the tips.
  7. Add a cocoa and vanilla to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip or snip off the end.
For the Assembly:
  1. Start with the first layer with vanilla cake.
  2. Pipe cocoa-vanilla combination bag between each layer.
  3. Alternate layering vanilla and chocolate cake rounds.
  4. Pipe with a vanilla piping bag and smooth out the outside of the cake with an uneven spatula.
  5. Alternate by piping vanilla and chocolate rings.
  6. Carefully smooth out.
  7. Transfer remaining vanilla and chocolate buttercreams to piping bags fitted with an 868 star tip.
  8. Alternate by piping chocolate and vanilla dollops.

Notes

  • Scale the recipe for larger pans: double for 8-inch, triple for 9-inch pans to maintain layer thickness.
  • Butter lumps after mixing wet ingredients are normal and will incorporate during batter mixing with dry ingredients.
  • Substitute whole milk yogurt for sour cream for a comparable result if needed.
  • Use cake strips around pans to produce flat, even cake layers.
  • To achieve the two-tone frosting effect, fill two piping bags separately with white and colored frosting, then place both into a third bag without a tip and snip ends for piping.
  • This cake has a lot of buttercream; reduce decoration if less frosting is desired.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1piece Calories 240kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 39g (13%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Cholesterol 40mg (13%) Sodium 240mg (10%) Potassium 120mg (3%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 32g (64%) Vitamin A 150IU (3%) Vitamin C 0.8mg (1%) Calcium 40mg (4%) Iron 1.1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 240

% Daily Value*

Serving 1piece
Calories 240kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 39g 13%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 40mg 13%
Sodium 240mg 10%
Potassium 120mg 3%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 32g 64%
Vitamin A 150IU 3%
Vitamin C 0.8mg 1%
Calcium 40mg 4%
Iron 1.1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.