Hands down this is the BEST Chocolate Layer Cake. Decadent, incredibly moist, and ultra-chocolatey, this cake is simple to make and never disappoints!
This recipe for the BEST Chocolate Layer Cake is one that I make over and over (and over) again. It never fails, never disappoints, and always gets rave reviews. I’ve actually had several friends say this cake makes them really nostalgic for their grandmothers’ homemade chocolate cake, and I love that! Plain and simple, this is chocolate cake at it’s very best. There’s nothing fancy about this chocolate cake, which is exactly why I love it so much. No frills, just REALLY GOOD, old-fashioned chocolate cake. Classic, no-fuss, incredibly decadent chocolate cake that will make anyone (even Grandma) swoon.
Why I love this chocolate layer cake: It’s incredibly moist, rich, and ultra-chocolatey. None of that nonsense where a chocolate cake doesn’t taste like chocolate. This cake has decadent chocolate flavor in every bite- from the cake to the chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s all drool-worthy. I mean, this is the kind of cake where your fork just falls through it effortlessly, then when you take a bite the cake just melts in your mouth. It’s chocolate cake heaven, I’m telling you.
And guess what? This chocolate layer cake is super-duper easy to make. From the cake to the frosting to the assembly, there’s nothing complicated about this cake. Aside from how delicious it is, that’s probably why I make it ALL the time. Birthdays, holidays, parties, when we have friends over for dinner…literally I make this cake all the time.
So now it’s your turn! I hope you love this chocolate layer cake as much as I do. Be sure to read through my notes for helpful hints and delicious details!
What you’ll need to bake this chocolate cake:
All-purpose flour: For structure.
Natural unsweetened cocoa powder: Using a good amount of cocoa powder is what makes this chocolate cake ultra-rich and loaded with chocolate flavor.
Sugar: Granulated sugar of course adds sweetness and flavor, but it also makes this cake extra tender.
Baking powder + baking soda: For leavening power.
Kosher salt: For balance.
Espresso powder: Adding espresso powder deepens and enhances the chocolate flavor. If you don’t like coffee, don’t worry! This cake does not taste a bit like coffee. If you don’t have espresso powder, instant espresso granules will work, too.
Buttermilk: The high fat content in buttermilk adds moisture to the cake, and the acidity of the buttermilk makes the cake extra soft and tender. It also adds the slightest tangy taste that helps balance out all that rich chocolate and sugar. Be sure to use whole buttermilk in this recipe!
Sour cream: Similar to buttermilk, sour cream adds moisture and richness due to its high fat content, making for a really moist cake, and the acidity of the sour cream helps tenderize the cake. It also helps thicken the batter, which provides structure without drying out the cake. Be sure to use full-fat sour cream!
Vegetable oil: Using vegetable oil makes this cake extra decadent and moist. I especially love using vegetable oil in cakes because it remains in a liquid state at room temperature- this means that the cake stays nice and moist long after it has cooled!
Eggs: For structure and binding.
Vanilla extract: For added flavor.
Hot coffee: Like the espresso powder, using hot coffee enhances and deepens the flavor of the cocoa powder, making for an even more chocolatey taste. Also, adding hot liquid to the batter allows the cocoa powder to “bloom,” thereby releasing a more pronounced chocolate flavor. Again, if you’re not a coffee drinker, I promise this cake doesn’t taste like coffee.
Butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, kosher salt, vanilla, and heavy cream for the chocolate buttercream.
FAQs:
Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!
Do my eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk have to be room temperature? Yes! Baking is a science, so there is a reason for this. When the ingredients are at room temperature, this allows the batter to come together seamlessly into a smooth, homogenous mixture. This ultimately results in a lighter, more tender cake. Cold ingredients will make your batter lumpy and irregular, resulting in a dense, potentially tough cake.
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes! Cake layers can be made one day in advance before frosting and serving or frozen for up to 3 months. See my recipe notes for full make ahead instructions.
A few notes before you bake:
A quick tip on getting perfectly even cake layers: Weigh the empty mixing bowl before mixing up your batter and write it down. Once you’ve made the batter, weigh the mixing bowl again. Now do a little math: (Weight of the bowl with the batter) – (weight of the empty bowl) = weight of the batter. Now you can take the weight of your batter and divide it by your number of cake pans, which gives you the exact weight of batter to pour into each cake pan. Voila! Even layers.
This batter can be divided into 3, 6-inch cake pans. Keep in mind that your layers will be thicker and your bake time will need to be slightly longer. I recommend beginning to check for doneness between 30-35 minutes.
When it comes to decorating this cake, I like to keep things pretty and simple with just a layer of buttercream. Trust me, this cake is so delicious it doesn’t need a bunch of frills. However, feel free to decorate as you please! Sprinkles, glazed fresh fruit, or crushed up cookies would all be delicious toppings. If you want a smoother finish to the frosting, I do recommend applying a crumb coat to the cake before finishing with the final layer of buttercream. For instructions on how to apply a crumb coat, see my recipe for The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake.
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The BEST Chocolate Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Decorating Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: 1, 2-layer 9″ cake 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
Description
Hands down this is the BEST Chocolate Layer Cake. Decadent, incredibly moist, and ultra-chocolatey, this cake is simple to make and never disappoints!
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake:
- 250 gm (2 cups, spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour
- 63 gm (3/4 cup, spoon and leveled) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 400 gm (2 cups) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder or instant espresso granules
- 180 mL (3/4 cup) whole buttermilk, at room temperature
- 120 gm (1/2 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
- 112 gm (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 180 mL (3/4 cup) freshly brewed hot coffee
For the chocolate buttercream
- 282 gm (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, softened
- 360 gm (3 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 84 gm (1 cup, spoon and leveled) cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 to 8 tablespoons heavy cream, at room temperature
Instructions
To make the chocolate cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper; set aside. OPTION for getting even cake layers: to evenly divide the batter between the cake pans later in the recipe, weigh the empty bowl from your stand mixer and make a note of it.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and espresso powder, and mix to combine (TIP: I like to remove the whisk attachment and use it to mix the dry ingredients by hand to ensure that it all gets combined).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and sour cream until smooth. Add the buttermilk mixture, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Gradually increase the mixer to medium speed and mix for 30 seconds, until combined.
- Pour the hot coffee into the batter. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel to prevent splashing when you turn on the mixer, then gradually increase the mixer to medium speed and mix for 30 seconds. The batter will be thin.
- OPTION for getting even cake layers: Weigh the bowl containing the cake batter. Now subtract the weight of the empty bowl that you noted at the beginning of the recipe from the weight of the bowl containing batter. Divide this number by 2– this is how much batter to pour into each cake pan! Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the tops of the cakes spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make chocolate buttercream frosting:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, kosher salt, vanilla, and 6 tablespoons heavy cream. Cover the bowl with a tea towel to prevent sifted ingredients from flying everywhere. Turn the mixer on low speed at first, then gradually increase to high speed and beat for 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and check the consistency of the buttercream. If it’s too stiff, add more heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you’ve reached the desired consistency (I typically end up adding 8 tablespoons of heavy cream for a softer buttercream).
- Reduce the mixer to low speed and beat for 1 minute to remove any excess air. Use immediately on cooled cake layers.
Assembly:
- Place a small dollop of buttercream on the center of a cake turntable or cake stand. Place the bottom cake layer over the dollop of buttercream and gently press to secure to the surface.
- Next, spoon about 1/2 cup of buttercream onto the bottom layer and smooth into an even layer using an offset spatula. Carefully place the next cake layer on top and very gently press to adhere the two layers together.
- Use the remaining buttercream to apply a layer of frosting over the entire surface of the cake (An offset spatula and icing smoother come in handy for me, but feel free to finish the cake as you please!). Enjoy!
Notes
- Make ahead instructions (2 options). First, prepare the cake layers as directed and allow to cool. Wrap the cake layers in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and then place in a large zip-top bag. From here you have two options:
- Cakes can be stored at room temperature for 1 day before frosting and serving.
- Cakes can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting and serving at room temperature.
- This batter can be divided into 3, 6-inch cake pans. Keep in mind that your layers will be thicker and your bake time will need to be slightly longer. I recommend beginning to check for doneness between 30-35 minutes.
- Storage: Store leftover frosted cake in an airtight container at room temperature for several hours or longer in the refrigerator.
