Chocolate Cake
User Reviews
4.9
Chocolate Cake
Description
This Chocolate Cake recipe blends dry ingredients including flour, cocoa powder, and leavening agents to build a balanced structure and chocolate flavor. Wet ingredients such as milk, eggs, and oil add moisture and richness. Adding boiling water last thins the batter, promoting a tender crumb and intensified chocolate notes. Baking at 350°F for 35 minutes develops a soft, evenly cooked cake with a clean toothpick test for doneness.
The chocolate buttercream frosting uses room temperature unsalted butter whipped with cocoa and powdered sugar, balanced by milk for texture and vanilla for aroma. This frosting provides a creamy, lightly dense coating that complements the moist cake layers.
The cake layers are baked in 9-inch pans with parchment and optionally cake strips for even rising and flat surfaces, ideal for stacking. This layered cake is suitable for frosting and presentations requiring smooth, uniform layers.
Room temperature ingredients are emphasized to improve cake fluffiness and buttercream smoothness. Measuring flour by spooning and leveling prevents a floury texture. Substituting part of the milk with sour cream can increase moistness. Using hot coffee instead of water or adding espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor without adding coffee taste. Cake strips help achieve flat layers for a professional look.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
- ½ cup cocoa powder 50g, unsweetened
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup milk (240mL)
- 2 large egg
- ½ cup vegetable oil (180mL)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup water 240ml, boiling
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1½ cups butter room temperature (338g, unsalted
- ¼ cup cocoa powder 25g, unsweetened
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 cups powdered sugar (680g)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk (45-60mL)
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with butter or baking spray and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. (I highly recommend using cake strips for a more even bake.)
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture and whisk together until well combined. Pour in the boiling water and whisk until well combined. (The batter will be runny.)
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the cake layers onto the wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and let cool completely.
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the bowl down.
- While mixing on low speed, gradually add in the powdered sugar alternating with a little bit of milk on occasion up to 4 tablespoons. Once the sugar is added, beat in the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and beat on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
For the Assembly:
- Place a cooled cake layer on a cake stand. Top with 1 cup of frosting and spread it out the edges in an even layer. Place the remaining cake layer on top and spread the rest of the frosting all over the outside of the cake. You can reserve some of the frosting to pipe decorations if desired.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs and butter to improve cake fluffiness and frosting texture.
- Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling to avoid dense or floury cake results.
- Substitute one-third of the milk with sour cream to keep the cake moist longer.
- Use hot coffee or add espresso powder instead of water to intensify chocolate flavor without coffee taste.
- Employ cake strips on pans to achieve flat, evenly baked layers for stacking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 764 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 764kcal | 38% |
| Carbohydrates | 114g | 38% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 35g | 54% |
| Saturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 95mg | 32% |
| Sodium | 362mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 163mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 93g | 186% |
| Vitamin A | 793IU | 16% |
| Calcium | 82mg | 8% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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