Classic Chocolate Layer Cake
Celebrate birthdays and special occasions with this decadent and fudgy chocolate cake. The cake is moist and rich, and the frosting has a deep chocolate flavour.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ¾ cups all‐purpose flour, sifted
- ¾ cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
Frosting
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 cups icing sugar, sifted
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line two 9‐inch (23 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined; set aside.
- Using electric mixer, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before the next addition. Beat in vanilla.
- With mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture in 3 parts and buttermilk in 2 parts, starting and ending with flour mixture; scrape down the bowl as needed between additions.
- Pour batter into prepared pans; smooth top. Bake until tester comes out clean when inserted into centre, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool completely.
Frosting
- Using electric mixer, beat butter on high speed until light and creamy; beat in melted and cooled chocolate, cocoa powder and salt until smooth. Beat in icing sugar. Stir in milk and vanilla; beat until creamy.
- If frosting is too soft to spread, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes. Smear a little frosting on a serving plate to prevent the cake from sliding. Place the first cake in the centre of the plate and spread 1 cup (250 mL) of frosting on top. Top with second cake layer; frost the top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Tips
- For a sweeter frosting, use semi‐sweet chocolate instead of bittersweet.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup; fill with milk to measure 1 cup (250 mL) to make 1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk.
- Calories 610
- Fat 30 g
- Saturated Fat 19 g
- Trans Fat 1 g
- Sodium 380 mg
- Carbohydrate 78 g
- Fibre 3 g
- Sugars 60 g
- Protein 6 g