Chocolate Cake
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Chocolate Cake
This chocolate cake is deeply moist, rich, and easy enough for any night, with a silky chocolate buttercream. The secret is a cup of hot coffee whisked into the batter, which deepens the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee. This recipe bakes two 9-inch layers and frosts into a tall cake.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder, for frosting
- 1/4 cup milk
Directions
- Heat the oven to 350F. Grease two 9-inch round pans and line with parchment.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in the hot coffee. The batter will be thin.
- Divide between the pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.
- Beat the butter until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa, and milk and beat until smooth and fluffy.
- Frost between the layers and over the top and sides.
Tips and variations
- The hot coffee blooms the cocoa and deepens the flavor. The cake will not taste like coffee.
- The batter is meant to be thin. That is what makes the cake moist.
- Cool the layers fully before frosting so the buttercream holds.
- For cupcakes, fill liners two-thirds full and bake 18 to 20 minutes.
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Common questions
- Why add coffee to chocolate cake
- Coffee deepens and intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. Hot coffee also blooms the cocoa.
- Can I use water instead of coffee
- Yes. Hot water works in place of coffee. The chocolate flavor will be a little less deep but still rich.
- Why is my chocolate cake dry
- Dry cake usually means overbaking or too much flour. Check it at 30 minutes and measure flour by spooning it into the cup.
- Can I make it ahead
- Yes. Bake the layers a day ahead, wrap them well, and frost the next day. The frosted cake keeps 3 days covered.
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