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Chocolate Cake
This moist chocolate cake recipe is rich, fudgy & made from scratch. With perfect chocolate frosting every time. The only recipe you'll ever need!
Servings: 12 people
people
Equipment
- 3 9-inch round cake pans
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup freshly brewed coffee
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1½ cups unsalted butter , soft
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese , soft
- ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon milk
To Decorate
- chocolate curls from 2 squares dark chocolate, (shaved with a vegetable peeler)
Instructions
Prep Work
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and line three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Mix Wet Ingredients
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla, and coffee until smooth.
Combine Both
- With the mixer running on its lowest speed gradually add the flour mixture. Mix until combined and lump-free. The batter will be thin, which is fine.
Divide Batter and Bake
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or the internal temperature reaches 205–210°F.
- Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Make Chocolate Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese and beat until fully incorporated and smooth then add the dark cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt and mix until uniform in color.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the milk and beat again until smooth and spreadable. The frosting should be creamy and silky but thick enough to hold soft peaks.
Assemble the Cake
- Place one cake layer onto a serving plate. Spread approximately ¾ cup frosting evenly over the top then repeat with the second layer.
- Place final layer on top then pile the rest of the frosting on to the top layer and use an offset spatula to spread the frosting in an even layer across the top of the cake. Use the spatula to make swirls in the top of the cake.
- The remaining frosting will fall down the sides of the cake - smooth it out as evenly as you can using an offset spatula. It doesn’t need to be neat; an abundant, rustic-style frosting works beautifully on this cake.
Top with Chocolate Shavings
- Top the cake with chocolate curls made with a vegetable peeler.
Chill Before Slicing
- Chill for 30-45 minutes before slicing.
- For neat slices run a sharp knife under hot water, repeating and wiping clean after each cut.
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Cake
Amount per Serving
Calories
806
% Daily Value*
Fat
37
g
57
%
Saturated Fat
22
g
138
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
10
g
Cholesterol
146
mg
49
%
Sodium
563
mg
24
%
Potassium
370
mg
11
%
Carbohydrates
118
g
39
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
86
g
96
%
Protein
10
g
20
%
Vitamin A
1168
IU
23
%
Vitamin C
0.2
mg
0
%
Calcium
101
mg
10
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. This information comes from online calculators. Although whatsinthepan.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Notes
- Batter is thin — that’s normal.
- Bake in three 9-inch pans at 325°F.
- For best stacking, chill layers before frosting.
- Frosted cake must be refrigerated.
- 9x13 sheet cake version: bake 40–45 minutes.
- Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor; it won’t make the cake taste like coffee.
