ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CAKE!!! This recipe is my most requested recipe. It’s requested for birthday parties, for grad parties, and even just for plain ol’ family get-togethers.
I know my cousins are waiting for quarantine to lift so I can drop off some slices of cake for them all. I love eating this cake with coffee, tea, or even warmed with a scoop of ice cream on top.
Cake Tips!
I’m the kind of person that will sneak a bite of the cake every time I walk by it. It’s a dangerous game, to be honest. Whether you like sneaking bites like me or you like heaping, generous servings you’ll love this cake all the same.
As with many baking and pastry recipes, a lot of chocolate cake recipes are rather similar. But the technique matters are this recipe will have some tips that will ensure a moist cake.
These tricks apply for those of you that are using a hand mixer or a stand mixer. If you don’t have either of those you can use a hand whisk but it’s definitely helpful to have either one of the electrical equipment.
Prep your cake tins with parchment paper lining the bottom and grease the sides with oil or a spray. Mix all the dry ingredients first and stir them until they’re fully incorporated. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract before the milk and water.
You definitely want to use simmering water. Here’s why: it’ll bloom your cocoa powder. For those of you that make drip coffee, it’s a similar concept. The hot water will hydrate the cocoa powder better than room temperature and cause it to bloom before you bake it, which basically means it activates and enhances the chocolate flavor.
You also definitely want to use warm milk that has had the Tablespoon of instant coffee mixed in. The instant coffee flavor will not be noticeable at all, it just lends a hand in further enhancing the flavor of chocolate in the cake.
Using oil rather than butter, simmering water, and milk coffee all contribute to what makes this an Ultimate Chocolate Cake!
If you don’t have a round cake pan, that is okay! I wouldn’t use a spring form pan as this cake batter is really liquidy and it tends to leak (I have experienced this disaster before). But you can opt into using two 8 inch square pans. Or if you have only one round or one square pan you can decrease the recipe by half or bake the cake layers one at a time! I also wouldn’t use a rectangle pan as the cake will rise to much in the center and not enough on the size, thus overcooking it.
The cake will dome as it rises, but that’s okay. If you want you can level the cake with a serrated knife so it’s easier to stack and ice with the buttercream. But you can also leave it unleveled and ice each layer separately. If you trip the tops off, save the extra bits to eat as a snack with your tea or coffee!
Buttercream Tips!
Make sure your butter is truly softened, the best way is to take the butter out either the night before or right before you start making the cake. It just all depends on the temperate of your house and where you live.
Cream the butter thoroughly! This means to just beat it with the whisk for a minute or more. It should look like the photo above!
For the next few steps, it’s best to alternate pouring small amount of the milk, small amounts of the powdered sugar, and small amounts of the cocoa powder and mix thoroughly before you add more. This will ensure a smooth buttercream and that the whole process is less messy!
Decorating Tips!
If you’re stacking the cake, I would recommend using between 3/4 Cup and 1 Cup of the buttercream inbetween the two layers. That should leave you with enough buttercream to ice the outside of the cake. I would also recommend placing the cakes cut side down (if you level the cake) this will help the cake crumbs not fall apart while you’re spreading the icing.
This next step is totally optional, but you can choose to do a crumb coat once the layers are stacked. This means that you want to use a tiny amount of the buttercream to add a thin layer on the top and the sides of the cake and pop it in the fridge for ten to fifteen minutes. This will lock any crumbs into the cake so your buttercream doesn’t become crumbly. It’s not always necessary but it’s a simple step if you choose to do so.
Finally, evenly spread the rest of the buttercream on the top and sides of the cake and serve!
This Ultimate Chocolate Cake is best served the day after it is assembled, it allows for the cake layers to suck up some of the flavor and moisture from the buttercream and stay really hydrated!
Ultimate Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- Two 8 or 9 inch Round Cake Pans
- Parchment Paper
- Stand Mixer (optional)
- Hand Mixer (if not using a stand mixer)
Ingredients
Ultimate Chocolate Cake
- 1 ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 ¾ Cup White Granulated Sugar
- 1½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 3 Large Eggs
- ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Warm to Hot Milk (2 % or Whole Milk)
- 1 Tbsp Instant Coffee
- ¾ Cup Simmering Water
Chocolate Buttercream
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- ¾ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 2-3 Tbsp Milk (2% or Whole)
- 2½ Cups Powdered Sugar
- ¼ tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom of cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray or oil.
Ultimate Chocolate Cake
- Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. If you're using a stand mixer use the whisk attachment and stir for 30 seconds on the lowest setting.
- Bring ¾ cup of water to a simmer and warm 1 cup of milk to be hot enough for the instant coffee to dissolve.
- Mix the eggs, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil into the dry mixture and stir lightly until combined.
- Pour in the instant coffee – milk mixture into the batter and mix lightly until combined.
- While mixing the batter, slowly stream the hot water into the batter.At this stage the batter will be incredibly liquidy but it should be like that!
- Evenly divide the batter among the two cake pans and bake for 27 – 30 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean from the center of the cake when ready.
- Allow cakes to cool in the pans for at least 10 – 15 minutes before taking out. While the cakes are cooling completely, prepare the buttercream.
Chocolate Buttercream
- On either a standmixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer. Place cream the ½ cup of butter thoroughly until light and fluffy. (refer to photo above) ( creaming means to whip the butter to incorporate air)
- Add ¾ cup of cocoa powder and whisk thoroughly. You should mix for about a minute.
- Add the vanilla extract, salt, 1 Tbsp of milk, and ½ cup of powdered sugar and cream thoroughly for about a minute.
- Add 1 Tbsp of milk and another ½ Cup of powdered sugar and continue to cream thoroughly.
- Add 1 more cup of powdered sugar and cream for close to two minutes.
- At this stage, you can taste the buttercream to see if it's as soft and sweet as you like. If it isn't soft or smooth enough add more milk at ½ Tbsp increments. If it isn't sweet enough you can add more powdered sugar at ¼ cup increments.
Assembly
- Please refer to the assembly portion of blog writeup for detailed instructions on assembling and decorating the cake. Enjoy!
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looks amazing ❤️❤️
thank you!