Rich Chocolate Layer Cake

This is a chocolate lover's dream cake: dark, rich, and tender. The frosting is thick and dense, almost a ganache. Smaller slices of this indulgent cake are perfectly satisfying.

Rich Chocolate Layer Cake Print Recipe

Ingredients
1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons very dark cocoa, such as King Arthur Flour's black cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk (shake well before measuring) 
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8" X 2" round cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk lightly to combine and sift into the bowl of an electric mixer. 
3. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low, slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl.
4. With mixer still on low, add the coffee slowly, and mix just until combined. Batter will be thin. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for about 35-39 minutes, or until a cake tester near the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.
5. Cool in pans on wire rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto wire rack until completely cooled.

When the cakes are cool, prepare the frosting. It sets fairly quickly, so you don't want to make it ahead of time.

1/2 cup unsalted butter,softened
1 (16 oz.) box powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tablespoons very dark cocoa, such a King Arthur Flour's black cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons milk or evaporated milk

Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, cocoas, and salt and whisk to combine. With mixer still on low, combine sugar mixture with butter until well combined. Slowly pour in the milk and continue to mix until completely combined. On medium, beat the frosting until smooth and spreading consistency, about 2 minutes. This is spread thinly and smoothly on the sides, with a little thicker layer in the middle and on top.

Rich Chocolate Layer Cake may have been taken to some of these great parties.

You may also enjoy

Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:

Subscribe to Yesterfood by email: