Chocolate Layer Cake

5 from 5 votes

This homemade chocolate layer cake has moist, flavorful layers and a light and smooth chocolate buttercream. You'll never need another chocolate cake recipe!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Cool TIme1

Total Time2

Course: Dessert

Keyword: chocolate cake, layer cake

Servings:

Calories: 532kcal

Author: Kelsey Byrnes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake Layers

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup hot coffee

Chocolate Buttercream

1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup salted butter
6 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Cake Layers

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease two 8" (or three 6") round cake pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda to your mixing bowl (I use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment). Stir until combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Once combined, add in the coffee slowly so you don't cook the eggs.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir slowly until combined. Then mix on high for two minutes, scraping the sides halfway through.
Distribute the batter between the two prepared pans.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. (A few moist crumbs sticking to the toothpick is fine, but you don't want it gooey).
Cool for a few minutes. Run a butter knife around the outside of each pan, and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.
Wrap in plastic wrap and then put in a freezer bag and freeze, if desired.

Chocolate Buttercream

In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and hot water. This will enhance the chocolate flavor.
In a large bowl (again, I use my stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment), whip the butter until smooth.
Add half of the powdered sugar; stir. Add all of the chocolate mixture and finally the remaining powdered sugar.
Whip the frosting for a few minutes, scraping down the sides on occasion. The frosting will be light, fluffy and sooo delicious!

Building the Cake

Get the cake layers out of the freezer; don't let them thaw. (Frosting frozen cake is much easier than a soft crumby cake - it'll thaw out and be so moist and delicious!)
If your cakes are domed, use a serrated knife to carefully cut the tops off to level the cakes.
Place one cake on a serving dish. Spread some frosting on top.
Place the second cake over the frosting (I like to put the cake on cut-side down).
Frost the outside and top of the cake with a butter knife or whatever other utensils you have for decorating. (These photos show the look of just a butter knife - see, you don't need anything fancy to make a cake!!)
Add sprinkles, mini chocolate chips and/or chocolate shavings for decor.
Let the cake come to room temperature before serving.

Nutrition