Rich & Chocolatey Decadent Chocolate Layer Cake For Any Occasion
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You can’t go wrong with a slice of cake for dessert, and this decadent Chocolate Layer Cake is sure to be a winning option! Chocolate buttercream frosting fills and covers the cake that is perfect for any occasion!
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Chocolate Layer Cake
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions; to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required, and to understand the steps and timings involved.
Most people love chocolate cake, right? So it’s always a safe bet to make as dessert after dinner or to go onto a dessert table at a party.
This rich and chocolatey cake is so decadent and delicious that whomever you serve it to are going to love it!
The cake batter is simple to whip up, and once the three layers of cake is cooked and cooled, they are sandwiched, stacked and covered with a yummy chocolate buttercream frosting.
Make this cake for a special occasion and decorate it with fruit, or for a kid’s birthday and cover with sprinkles, or just keep it plain and simple as a special treat!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients (and equipment) needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Vanilla Extract
- Baking Soda – also known as Bicarbonate of Soda
- Baking Powder
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. You can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Chocolate
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is chocolate, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Ice Cream Sodas with Homemade Chocolate Syrup!
- Homemade Bailey’s Chocolate Truffles
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Recipe
More Cake Recipes
Looking for more cake inspo? Check these recipes out next:
- Awesome Chocolate Cherry Coke Layer Cake
- Totally Awesome Hippie Tie Dye Cake for 60s Parties
- A Delicious Pina Colada Layer Cake Perfect for a Tropical Luau Party!
Recipe Tips
- Make the cakes the night before serving and cover the baking pans with foil or plastic wrap once cool to the touch. Cakes will be ready to frost the next day.
How Do I Make Chocolate Layer Cake?
Just check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Chocolate Layer Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp real vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2¼ cup boiling water
For the Frosting
- 1 cup 8oz/225g unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup 4oz/100g cocoa powder
- 3½ cups 16oz/450g powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 tsp real vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and flour 3 (8-inch) round cake pans, then line bottom with round parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using an electric handheld or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, sift or whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix the cocoa powder and boiling water in a medium bowl until well combined and no lumps remain.
- Alternating between the two, slowly add the dry ingredients and chocolate mixture to the bowl with the butter and sugar. Mix on low speed to incorporate ingredients.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the three cake pans and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 22-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes before transferring the cakes from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely. (Cakes should be cool to the touch before frosting).
- To make the frosting, use an electric mixer to mix the butter and cocoa powder in a large bowl until well blended. Add the powdered sugar to the bowl and mix at low speed until all of the sugar is combined. Stir in milk and vanilla extract, if using, to reach desired consistency.
- To assemble the cake, place the first layer top-side down on a cake plate. Add one-third of the frosting to the top of the cake layer and spread it out evenly.
- Take the second layer and level off the rounded top with a knife or cake leveler. Place the second layer on top of the first layer, top-side down. Add another one-third of the frosting to this layer and spread out evenly.
- Repeat this with the 3rd layer, and spread the remaining frosting out on the top layer. Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Meal!
You’ve made the dessert, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal!
- Appetizer: How to Cook the Most Amazing Oven Roasted Artichokes
- Main Dish: Apple and Feta Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
- Side Dish: Garlic and Chive Cauliflower Mash – A Low Carb Side Dish
- Side Dish: Cranberry Pear Sauce with Rosemary & Ginger
- Beverage: Bourbon Apple Cider Maple Fizz Cocktail
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too!