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Dark Chocolate Cake Recipe
5 from 8 votes

Dark Chocolate Cake Recipe

Looking for a tried and true chocolate cake recipe? This dark chocolate cake is rich and moist and the perfect, from scratch recipe you want! Topped with a smooth and creamy vanilla frosting and your sweet tooth will be satisfied!

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 523 kcal
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Cake:
  • ½ cup butter softened, unsalted
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 egg large
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder dark chocolate
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup coffee cooled, strong brewed
  • ½ cup milk
For the frosting:
  • 1 cup butter softened, unsalted
  • 4 ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels mini

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a bowl, mix flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
  2. In a measuring cup, mix together cooled coffee and milk. Set aside.
  3. In an electric mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar for 5 minutes, until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Slowly add in dry ingredients alternating with the coffee/milk mixture (about 3 additions of each).
  4. Pour cake batter into two prepared pans (2-9inch round cake pans, lined with parchment paper and greased and floured). Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Remove and allow to cool about 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
  5. For the frosting, beat butter for 3-4 minutes until pale in color. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Beat an additional 3-4 minutes until fluffy and smooth!
  6. To assemble cake, lay one layer of cake on a cake plate. Spoon 1/4 of frosting onto top of cake, spreading evenly. Top with about 1/2 cup of mini morsels. Add second layer of cake. Spread a layer of frosting around the sides of the cake and the top, very thin. This is your crumb coat. Allow to set about 15 minutes (or refrigerate). Apply final layer of frosting, spreading evenly and using a straight edge spatula to smooth. Using your hands in a cupped fashion, press mini chips around sides. Continue until all sides are done.
  7. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

  • The coffee in this cake just deepens the chocolate flavor. It does not make this cake taste like coffee in any way! If you absolutely must remove the coffee, just replace the 1/2 cup coffee with water.
  • To keep frosting off cake plate, lay strips of parchment paper under the first layer of cake, all the way around. Once frosting is applied, carefully remove strips of paper!
  • 13x9- Grease and flour 13x9 baking dish. Add batter. Bake for 40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely then frost. Top with about 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.
  • Store frosted cake in a cake server (for freshness) for up to one week. 
  • Freeze- use my guide on how to freeze cake for best results.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice Calories 523kcal (26%) Carbohydrates 74g (25%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 25g (38%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat 9g (53%) Cholesterol 70mg (23%) Sodium 188mg (8%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 61g (122%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 523

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice
Calories 523kcal 26%
Carbohydrates 74g 25%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 25g 38%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Polyunsaturated Fat 9g 53%
Cholesterol 70mg 23%
Sodium 188mg 8%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 61g 122%

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