Legendary Chocolate Cake Recipe (with THE BEST Chocolate Buttercream Frosting)
User Reviews
4.6
60 reviews
Excellent
Legendary Chocolate Cake Recipe (with THE BEST Chocolate Buttercream Frosting)
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This Legendary Chocolate Cake features a moist chocolate batter using a mix of cocoa powder, sugars, eggs, sour cream, and coffee to deepen the chocolate flavor. The accompanying chocolate fudge frosting balances rich semi-sweet chocolate with creamy butter and confectioners sugar for a smooth, indulgent finish. The combination results in a tender crumb cake paired with a luscious frosting ideal for celebrations.
Description
The chocolate cake batter is created by combining granulated and light brown sugar with cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Eggs and sour cream add moisture and richness, while coffee intensifies the cocoa flavor without adding bitterness. The batter is thin, ensuring a fine crumb when baked in prepared round pans.
The cake bakes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with minimal crumbs, then cools before frosting. The chocolate fudge frosting is made by melting coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate with room temperature butter, then beating in sifted confectioners sugar, vanilla, and salt. This produces a rich, creamy spread with a balanced sweetness that complements the cake.
This classic pairing is suitable for birthdays or special occasions, served sliced to highlight the cake’s tender crumb and the fudge frosting’s velvety texture. Chilled and thawed cakes maintain well and frosting spreads smoothly after resting.
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Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1 cup (199g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (213g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 and 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (84g) cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature, yolk
- 1 cup (227g) sour cream
- 1/4 cup (57ml) milk whole
- 1/2 cup (113ml) neutral cooking oil canola, vegetable, or refined coconut (melted, generic cooking oil
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (227ml) coffee freshly brewed or freshly boiled water
For the Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate or bittersweet, coarsely chopped
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) butter room temperature, unsalted
- 2 and 3/4 cups (426g) confectioners sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°(F). Generously spray two 9-inch round baking pans with non-stick baking spray and set them aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, combine both sugars, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt on low until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolk, sour cream, milk, oil and vanilla, beating until well combined. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Carefully add in hot coffee (or water) and continue beating until completely combined; about 1 minute. The batter will quite thin.
- Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 32 minutes, or until a 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 (placed on top of a cooling rack) before removing from pans and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and place it over a pot of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove the pan from heat, then carefully remove the bowl from the pot. Set chocolate aside to cool for a few minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the confectioner's sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Once all of the sugar has been added increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla and melted chocolate and continue beating until well combined and creamy.
Assembly:
- Using a long serrated knife, level the top of each cake.
- Transfer one layer to a large plate or cake stand. Using a long offset spatula, spread a thick layer of frosting on top, then top with the second layer. Continue frosting the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with chocolate chips, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or leave as is!
- Store in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Ensure eggs are at room temperature to help the batter blend evenly for best texture.
- Use freshly brewed coffee for enhancing the chocolate flavor without bitterness.
- Cool cake layers fully before frosting to prevent melting and sliding.
- The recipe was updated and republished on 4/12/2017 to refine the method.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
60 reviews
Excellent
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