The BEST Dark Chocolate Cake I’ve Ever Made
When it comes to chocolate, I don’t mess around. I’m one of those persnickety dark chocolate people. Sure, I’ll eat the occasional milk chocolate here and there (especially homemade goodies or when the chocolate has something else in it – like nuts, wafers, or pretzels) but generally, I don’t really touch the milk stuff. It’s just a bit too sweet for me.
When I was on the quest to discover the perfect chocolate cake, I knew I had to deliver something that every chocolate lover would adore. This cake is rich, moist, and has the perfect amount of chocolate flavor without coating your mouth with sticky sweetness. It’s light enough to make you want to go back for more (we’ve all had that chocolate cake experience where one bite makes you want to fall into a stupor) but still dark enough to really satisfy that deep chocolate craving.
Getting here was a bit tricky – I ended up making quite a few cakes before getting it right. My first was so dry and dense and acidic that I gave David permission to throw the entire thing off our deck and into the creek below. That man LOVES cake, that might express just how clear it was that the cake was truly awful 😂
Recipe adapted from Hershey’s Deep Dark Chocolate Cake.
The Perfect Dark Chocolate Layer Cake
DifficultyEasy
Servings12
Prep time20 minutes
Cook time35 minutes
Total time1 hour30 minutes
This recipe delivers a deliciously satisfying chocolate experience, with a decadent flavor that’s perfect for any chocolate lover.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3⁄4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 cup boiling water
Frosting
- 12 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
- 2 pounds (32 oz) powdered sugar
- 1 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 2⁄3 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9 inch round cake pans, and put a pot or kettle on to boil water.
- 2
In a stand mixer or large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt. Beat in eggs, vegetable oil or butter, and vanilla until well combined, about 2 minutes.
- 3
Gently pour in boiling water and continue to mix until well incorporated. Then, evenly distribute your batter into your cake pans.
- 4
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- 5
Allow cakes to cool completely before adding frosting.
For the Frosting
- 1
With an electric mixer, cream the butter. Pour in vanilla and slowly add powdered sugar a cup at a time, mixing until there are no lumps. Then, alternate small amounts of cocoa and milk until all ingredients are incorporated. Be sure to regularly scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing.
- 2
Once cakes are cooled, frost the cake layers generously. Any additional frosting freezes well in an airtight container.
