Chocolate Layer Cake

A slice of triple chocolate cake with three layers and chocolate buttercream.

4.58 from 152 votes

Rich chocolate layer cake with three soft, moist layers and plenty of chocolate buttercream between each one. This cake stacks beautifully, slices cleanly, and can be finished with an optional ganache drip for an extra chocolate finish.

Prep Time8

Cook Time30

Total Time38

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baking, chocolate layer cake, triple chocolate cake

Servings: servings

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

1 ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (100 grams)
1 ¼ cup water very hot, or use hot coffee; (300 grams)
2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
1 cup brown sugar (200 grams)
¾ cup vegetable oil (150 grams)
1 ½ cups sour cream (337 grams)
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (300 grams)
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
2 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon salt

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

2 cups butter softened (452 grams)
6 to 7 cups powdered sugar see notes (673 grams)
1¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder (100 grams)
4 to 6 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache (optional)

⅓ cup heavy cream (76 grams)
3 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped (87 grams) (45% to 52% See Notes)

Instructions

Easy Chocolate Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cocoa powder and boiling water or coffee. Whisk the chocolate mixture until smooth.
Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and sour cream and whisk until well blended.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until completely incorporated.
Sift the flour baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the batter. Whisk until there are no flour streaks.
Divide the batter among the baking pans and bake for 28 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.
Let the cakes cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pans then run a knife around the edge of the pans to loosen the cake. Invert the cakes onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely before frosting them.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for a couple of minutes until it is smooth and creamy.
Add 6 cups of the powdered sugar a cup at a time. Add the cocoa powder slowly and blend on medium speed until incorporated.
Add 4 tablespoons of the milk (or cream), salt, and vanilla extract. Increase the speed and beat for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stop the beater and check the consistency of the buttercream. Add additional powdered sugar if it is too thin or add extra milk if it is too thick.

Frost the Cake

Spread 1-¼ cups of buttercream between each of the cake layers and cover the cake with the rest of the buttercream (save a small amount of frosting if you want to pipe swirls on the top).
Chill the cake for 15 minutes before adding the chocolate ganache drip.

For the Chocolate Ganache

Place the cream in a microwavable bowl and zap it in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds or until it almost boils. Don't let it boil over.
Add the chopped chocolate to the hot cream. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. If the chocolate isn't completely melted, zap the mixture in the microwave in 15 second intervals until melted. Set aside to cool slightly. If it sits too long, it will thicken and won't drip down the cake so keep an eye on it.
Add the ganache to a plastic bag and cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Pipe the ganache around the top edge of the cake and let it drizzle down the sides.
Spread the rest of the ganache over the top. Let the ganache firm up completely before piping rosettes on top.

Video

Notes

Use hot liquid: Make sure the coffee or water is very hot when you mix it with the cocoa powder. This blooms the chocolate and gives it a deeper flavor.

Measure flour carefully: Too much flour will make the cake dense. For best results, use a kitchen scale or lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off.

Divide the batter evenly: Try to portion the batter evenly between the pans so the layers bake at the same rate and stack evenly.

Check for doneness early: Ovens vary, so start checking a few minutes before the minimum bake time. Look for a toothpick with a few soft crumbs.

Cool completely before frosting: If the layers are even slightly warm, the buttercream will soften and won’t hold its shape.

Adjust the frosting consistency: Add more powdered sugar if the buttercream is too soft, or a bit more milk if it feels too thick.

Let ganache cool slightly: If it’s too warm, it will run off the cake. If it cools too much, it won’t drip. Aim for a slightly thickened but still pourable consistency.

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