Description
This Ultimate Chocolate Layer Cake is the rich, decadent dessert of your dreams—moist chocolate cake layers stacked with fluffy chocolate frosting, finished with a luscious ganache drip. Perfect for birthdays, parties, or just satisfying a serious chocolate craving!
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers:
-
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
-
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
-
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-
2 tsp baking soda
-
1 tsp baking powder
-
1 tsp salt
-
2 large eggs
-
1 cup buttermilk
-
1/2 cup vegetable oil
-
2 tsp vanilla extract
-
1 cup hot coffee (or hot water for milder flavor)
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans.
-
Make the cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until combined, then stir in hot coffee until smooth.
-
Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 30–35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 min, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
-
Make frosting: Beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and cocoa, mixing gradually. Add vanilla, salt, and cream until smooth and spreadable.
-
Stack and frost: Level cakes if needed. Place first layer on a stand, frost top, add second layer, and coat the entire cake.
-
Prepare ganache: Heat cream until simmering, pour over chocolate, let sit 2 min, then stir until glossy. Cool slightly.
-
Drip ganache over chilled frosted cake edges using a spoon or piping bottle, then smooth some on top.
-
Decorate with extra frosting swirls or chocolate shavings if desired.
Notes
-
Chill the cake before dripping ganache for a perfect drip effect.
-
Use Dutch-processed cocoa for a deeper flavor.
-
Cake layers can be made a day ahead and stored wrapped at room temp.