Best Classic Chocolate Cake
Dive into a slice of heaven with our Ultimate Classic Chocolate Cake, where every bite is a delightful blend of velvety cocoa and luscious sweetness. This cake achieves its irresistible moistness thanks to a touch of buttermilk and the magic of folding in whipped egg whites. Get ready to impress your taste buds with this rich, chocolatey masterpiece!
Prep
15
min
Cook
35
min
Serves
12
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 12🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- Salted Butter (227 g)
- Buttermilk (227 g)
- Heavy Cream (240 ml)
- Cream Cheese (227 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(8)
- Baking Powder (5 ml)
- Baking Soda (5 ml)
- Unsweetened Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder (720 ml)
- All-Purpose Flour (250 g)
- Avocado Oil (240 ml)
- Granulated Sugar (400 g)
- Powdered Sugar (600 g)
- Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract (10 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Salt (5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- Hot Brewed Coffee (240 ml)can substitute with hot water
- Eggs
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- 3
In another bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
- 4
Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- 5
Stir in the hot coffee until the batter is smooth.
- 6
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- 7
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 8
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- 9
For the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- 10
Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until fluffy.
- 11
Add the heavy cream and beat until the frosting is light and spreadable.
- 12
Once the cakes are completely cool, frost the top of one layer, place the second layer on top, and frost the top and sides of the cake.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use hot coffee at around 200°F rather than room temperature liquid because heat blooms the cocoa powder's flavor compounds and dissolves it more completely, intensifying chocolate flavor without adding bitterness.ingredient200°F
- ✓Mix the wet and dry ingredients only until just combined, roughly 15-20 strokes by hand, since overmixing develops gluten strands in the flour that make the cake tough and dense rather than tender.technique15-20 strokes
- ✓Use buttermilk instead of regular milk because its acidity (pH ~4.5) reacts with baking soda to produce extra CO2 lift while also tenderizing gluten, giving a softer crumb.ingredientpH 4.5
- ✓Weigh your cake pans' batter portions on a scale to split it evenly within 5-10 grams per pan, ensuring both layers bake at the same rate and reach doneness simultaneously.equipment±5-10g
- ✓Let the cakes cool in the pans for exactly 10 minutes before unmolding because this allows the structure to set enough to hold shape, but not so long that residual steam condenses and makes the bottom soggy.timing10 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
35
min
Serves
12
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Best Classic Chocolate Cake
Dive into a slice of heaven with our Ultimate Classic Chocolate Cake, where every bite is a delightful blend of velvety cocoa and luscious sweetness. This cake achieves its irresistible moistness thanks to a touch of buttermilk and the magic of folding in whipped egg whites. Get ready to impress your taste buds with this rich, chocolatey masterpiece!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 12🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- Salted Butter (227 g)
- Buttermilk (227 g)
- Heavy Cream (240 ml)
- Cream Cheese (227 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(8)
- Baking Powder (5 ml)
- Baking Soda (5 ml)
- Unsweetened Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder (720 ml)
- All-Purpose Flour (250 g)
- Avocado Oil (240 ml)
- Granulated Sugar (400 g)
- Powdered Sugar (600 g)
- Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract (10 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Salt (5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- Hot Brewed Coffee (240 ml)can substitute with hot water
- Eggs
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- 3
In another bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
- 4
Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- 5
Stir in the hot coffee until the batter is smooth.
- 6
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- 7
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 8
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- 9
For the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- 10
Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until fluffy.
- 11
Add the heavy cream and beat until the frosting is light and spreadable.
- 12
Once the cakes are completely cool, frost the top of one layer, place the second layer on top, and frost the top and sides of the cake.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use hot coffee at around 200°F rather than room temperature liquid because heat blooms the cocoa powder's flavor compounds and dissolves it more completely, intensifying chocolate flavor without adding bitterness.ingredient200°F
- ✓Mix the wet and dry ingredients only until just combined, roughly 15-20 strokes by hand, since overmixing develops gluten strands in the flour that make the cake tough and dense rather than tender.technique15-20 strokes
- ✓Use buttermilk instead of regular milk because its acidity (pH ~4.5) reacts with baking soda to produce extra CO2 lift while also tenderizing gluten, giving a softer crumb.ingredientpH 4.5
- ✓Weigh your cake pans' batter portions on a scale to split it evenly within 5-10 grams per pan, ensuring both layers bake at the same rate and reach doneness simultaneously.equipment±5-10g
- ✓Let the cakes cool in the pans for exactly 10 minutes before unmolding because this allows the structure to set enough to hold shape, but not so long that residual steam condenses and makes the bottom soggy.timing10 minutes