Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

This Best Chocolate Cake Recipe features three rich, moist layers topped with creamy homemade chocolate sour cream frosting.

Course Cakes, Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword chocolate-cake-recipes, chocolate-layer-cake-recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Cooling time 1

Total Time 1 50

Servings pieces

Calories 559kcal

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake:
1 cup salted butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (not fat free)
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting:
1 cup salted butter or unsalted butter (If using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt)
1 1/3 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1 8 oz full fat sour cream
1/8 tsp almond extract optional
heavy cream or milk to thin frosting, as needed
Chocolate nonpareils for decorating optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 3 (8) inch round cake pans or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
Cake: In a medium size mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Cream for 2-3 minutes until combined. Add the eggs 1 at a time beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, use a whisk to sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk beginning and ending with flour.
After all of the dry ingredients have been added, stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat the batter for 30 seconds on medium-high just until creamy. Divide evenly between the pans.
Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. (A few moist crumbs is fine!)
Cool in the pans on a cooling rack just until warm to the touch. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting: In a medium size saucepan over low to medium-low heat, melt butter and cocoa. Once smooth, remove from heat and scrape into a mixing bowl.
Use an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, to gradually add powdered sugar alternately with sour cream. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Test spreading consistency then add milk or cream 1 Tbsp at time to thin further, if needed.
Place cooled layers on a cake stand or platter covered with strips of wax paper. Frost between layers, top and sides of cake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
Store chilled in an airtight container.

Notes

Cocoa Powder - I used Dutch process cocoa for this dark chocolate cake batter and chocolate frosting, which gives it a more intense chocolate flavor. You can use classic unsweetened cocoa powder in place of dutch-process cocoa powder with no other adjustments needed.
Buttermilk - Buttermilk results in a moist cake. You can make your own adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to every 1 cup of whole milk. Let stand for 5-10 minutes then stir and proceed with the recipe.
Adjust the Frosting - For the chocolate frosting, begin with 5 cups of powdered sugar and all of the sour cream. Only after all of the sour cream has been added, test the consistency. For a thinner frosting add milk or heavy cream 1 tablespoon at time. For a thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar mixing until combined.
Wax Paper for Easy Clean-Up- Cut strips of wax paper and arrange overlapping to keep the cake stand clean while frosting the cake. Gently tug and remove when finished. You can also use parchment paper.
Frosting Options - Once you master making a chocolate layer cake recipe from scratch, the sky's the limit with frosting choices. You may enjoy a strawberry icing, classic cream cheese frosting, brown sugar frosting or dulce de leche cream cheese frosting or a vintage fluffy seven minute frosting. You just can't go wrong.
Garnishes - Chocolate nonpareils, or jimmies, make a pretty trim to the edge of this cake. Use a spoon to gently press into place, while the frosting is still wet. This is optional, of course.

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