Everyone needs a go-to cake, and this Chocolate Layer Cake is it! It's rich, moist, chocolaty, and finished with a rich chocolate ganache frosting. Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or whenever you're craving a delicious cake!
Chocolate cake made with cocoa powder
This chocolate cake gets its deep flavor from cocoa powder and brewed coffee. The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor. The cake doesn't taste like coffee. It brings out the richness of the chocolate.
Buttermilk keeps the cake moist and tender. It also adds a slight tang that balances the chocolate and complements the frosting.
The cake is finished with a thick chocolate ganache made from chocolate and heavy cream. It's smooth, glossy, and indulgent, and very rich. The ganache pairs perfectly with the cake, but it would also be delicious with a buttercream frosting.
Ingredients for chocolate cake
- Cocoa Powder - Use natural cocoa powder, not Dutch process.
- Coffee - You want to use warm, brewed coffee. I use the same coffee I brew for my morning coffee.
- Butter - I use regular, salted, sweet cream butter.
- Buttermilk - No buttermilk on hand? Check out my method for making homemade buttermilk.
- Eggs - Use room temperature eggs. They whip up to a greater volume and help incorporate more air into the batter, which makes a lighter cake!
- Sugar - Granulated sugar.
- Flour - Use regular, all-purpose flour.
- Vanilla - Adds depth and balances the chocolate.
- Leavening - A mix of baking powder and baking soda helps make the cake rise.
Making the chocolate cocoa cake
- Mix ½ cup of warm coffee with the cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Stir in cocoa powder with the coffee mixture.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the batter. Mix to combine.
- Stir in buttermilk and then add the remaining flour mixture.
- Use a spatula or large spoon to scrape the sides of the bowl to make certain all the flour has been mixed in.
- Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Then spray the sides of the pan with a nonstick spray.
- Divide the cake batter between the two pans.
- Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 22-25 minutes.
- Remove cake from oven and rest on a baking rack. Allow cakes to fully cool before removing from the cake pans.
- Remove each cake from the pans and place the first layer upside down on a cake platter or plate.
- Add frosting to the top then add the second layer.
- Finish frosting the top and the sides of the cake.
Recipe tips
- Don't skimp on creaming- Cream the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy. This will take 3-5 minutes.
- Don't overmix the batter - Mix just until everything is combined. Finish by gently folding the batter together, making certain you scrape the bottom and sides.
- Grease and line your pans - Use parchment paper on the bottom of each pan to help the cake release easily.
- Let the cakes cool completely – A warm cake will melt the ganache and make it hard to frost cleanly.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can bake in a rectangular pan. Increase baking time to 25-35 minutes.
Store at room temperature for 3-4 days.
More delicious cakes
- Lemon Poke Cake
- Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes
- Orange Pound Cake
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious cakes!
Chocolate Layer Cake
Equipment
- 2 Eight-inch round cake pans
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural cocoa powder, not Dutch processed)
- 1 cup brewed coffee (warm)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ½ cup butter (softened to room temperature)
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Mix ½ cup of warm coffee with the cocoa powder. Once the cocoa is smooth, add the rest of the coffee and stir. Set aside.½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup brewed coffee
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.½ cup butter, 1 ½ cups sugar
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, and then add the vanilla.2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Stir in cocoa powder coffee mixture.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add half of the flour mixture to the batter. Mix to combine. Stir in buttermilk and then add the remaining flour mixture.½ cup buttermilk
- Use a spatula or large spoon to scrape the sides of the bowl to make certain all the flour has been mixed in.
- Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Then spray the sides of the pan with a nonstick spray.
- Divide the cake batter between the two pans.Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 22-25 minutes.
- Remove cake from oven and rest on a baking rack. Allow cakes to fully cool before removing from the cake pans.
Notes
- Don't skimp on creaming- Cream the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy. This will take 3-5 minutes.
- Don't overmix the batter - Mix just until everything is combined. Finish by gently folding the batter together, making certain you scrape the bottom and sides.
- Grease and line your pans - Use parchment paper on the bottom of eadh pan to help the cake release easily.
- Let the cakes cool completely – A warm cake will melt the ganache and make it hard to frost cleanly.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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