Death by Chocolate Cake
User Reviews
4.9
Death by Chocolate Cake
Description
The Death by Chocolate Cake combines dry ingredients including granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. The wet ingredients—eggs, yolks, milk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla—are blended separately and mixed into the dry mixture. Hot water is then added to develop a moist, tender crumb and deepen the chocolate flavor. Chocolate chips added to the batter contribute melted pockets of chocolate within the cake.
Baked in three 9-inch rounds lined with parchment and greased, the cake layers are frosted using a chocolate buttercream made from very soft unsalted butter, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, heavy cream, and hot fudge sauce. The frosting is rich and creamy, with the hot fudge adding extra depth and a glossy texture. Additional garnishes like shaved chocolate and extra chocolate chips can be added on top.
This cake is suited for celebrating chocolate lovers' occasions, offering a deeply chocolatey experience through moist layers and luscious frosting. Its combination of cocoa powder and hot water in the batter yields a tender crumb, while the use of both granulated and brown sugars adds complexity to sweetness and moisture.
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake:
- 1 granulated sugar 1/2 cups
- 1 light brown sugar 1/2 cups, packed
- 2 all-purpose flour 1/2 cups, not packed
- 1 cocoa powder 3/4 cups, unsweetened, sifted
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 baking powder 1/2 teaspoons
- 1 salt 1/4 teaspoon
- 3 egg large eggs plus 2 large yolks, at room temperature
- 1 whole milk 1/2 cup
- 1/3 cup sour cream full-fat
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil may substitute melted coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 water hot, 1/2 cups
- 1 cup chocolate chips
For the chocolate frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter 4 sticks (16 ounces), very soft
- 4 confectioners' sugar 1/2 cups, sifted
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream more if needed
- 2 tablespoons hot fudge sauce
Garnish:
- 1 cup hot fudge sauce please see post for more on this
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate, shaved
- 1 chocolate chips 1/2 cup
Instructions
For the chocolate cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°(F). Cut out three 9-inch round segments of parchment paper to line your cake pans with. Spray each pan generously - sides and bottom - with nonstick cooking spray, then place the parchment paper cut out in the bottom of the pans and spray again. It's important to make sure every bit of pan and paper are sprayed so your cakes don't get stuck. Set pans aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, combine both sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Use your hands to break up any large clumps, if needed.
- In a separate bowl combine the eggs, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract; mix until completely combined.
- Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and beat on low until just incorporated. Pour in hot water and continue mixing until completely combined; about 1 minute. The batter will quite thin. Quickly fold in mini chocolate chips.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 28 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pan before removing from pans and transferring to a cooling rack. Cool cakes completely before frosting.
For the chocolate frosting:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric beater, cream the softened butter on medium-speed until completely smooth; about 3 minutes.
- Turn the mixer off and sift the powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on the lowest speed and mix until the sugar/cocoa have been absorbed by the butter; about 2 minutes. Increase mixer speed to medium; add in vanilla extract, salt, heavy cream and hot fudge; beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting appears a little too thin, add a little more confectioners' sugar; If your frosting needs to be thinner, add additional heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Assembly:
- Using a serrated knife, carefully trim the raised top of each cake, making each one an even, level surface. Transfer 1 layer to a large plate or cake stand.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting on top, then add a 1/2 cup of hot fudge sauce; top with another cake layer, and repeat, thinly spread it with a layer of frosting, then adding a 1/2 cup of hot fudge sauce. Top with the final cake layer and place cake in the fridge to set for 1 hour.
- Once set, finishing frosting the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the sides and top with chocolate shavings, then gently press the mini chocolate chips around the sides and on the top.
- Slice and serve, or keep refrigerated for about a week.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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