This is my husband’s birthday cake y’all. I’ve been making it for almost 20 years back to the days of our early courting. The cake layers are insanely moist and soft and filled with chocolate flavor. I also add a super creamy chocolate frosting. I can’t take the credit though. This cake recipe belongs to my auntie Rose, and it’s everything a birthday cake should be. Let’s get into it!
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Chocolate Birthday Cake Ingredients
For the Cake:
- Large Eggs: Make sure these are room temp.
- Granulated Sugar: Swap in homemade brown sugar for an even more tender cake.
- Cocoa Powder: I use unsweetened cocoa powder. It has a stronger chocolate flavor versus Dutch-processed with is less acidic. But you can do whatever you want here because this recipe contains both leavenings so it will work out.
- Instant Coffee Powder: This intensifies the chocolate flavor. Swap in your fave cup of coffee and just leave out the coffee powder.
- Salt: Just a pinch is all that’s needed.
- Hot Water: Again, you can use coffee here.
- All-Purpose Flour: I don’t recommend using cake flour here since it will make our cake too soft to work with.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Make sure you check the expiration dates on these before using.
- Vegetable Oil: Any neutral oil like canola will also work here.
- Buttermilk: None around? Make some by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes until it thickens.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Don’t use artificial here.
For the Frosting:
- Unsalted Butter: It’s totally fine to use salted butter here instead. Just leave out the salt boos.
- Confectioner’s Sugar: I like to sift this so the frosting turns out smooth.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened is best here.
- Milk: Use any you prefer. It just helps smooth the consistency.
- Salt: You gotta add a pinch to balance the sweetness.
How to Make Chocolate Birthday Cake
1
Add eggs and sugar
to bowl of your stand mixer and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes.
2
In a separate bowl,
mix together cocoa, instant coffee, and a dash of salt with hot water.
3
Pour
the hot cocoa mixture into the egg and sugar party happening in your mixer.
4
Sift
flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in small bowl.
5
Decrease
the speed to low and add to stand mixer. Add in buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla and beat until just combined. Batter will be thin; this is normal.
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6
Divide
that batter evenly between the prepared pans.
7
Bake
for 22-25 minutes at 350 F. You’ll know they are ready when a toothpick comes out clean.
8
Cool
the cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Then gently remove cakes from the pans and place on a wire rack and allow to cool fully.
9
Add
butter and confectioner’s sugar to bowl of mixer and mix on high speed until smooth then add in cocoa powder.
10
Lastly
add in vanilla extract, milk and salt until frosting is fluffy and smooth.
11
Add
frosting between each layer then frost the outsides, add sprinkles if ya want and serve it up.
Chocolate Birthday Cake
Soft, moist, decadent chocolate cake covered with creamy, delicious chocolate frosting…that perfectly describes this chocolate birthday cake!
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Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 6 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
- pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 3 9 inch round pans with non-stick baking spray.
- Add eggs and sugar to bowl of your stand mixer and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes.
- While mixture beats, add cocoa powder, and instant coffee powder to hot water in a separate bowl. Slowly add this mixture to the eggs and sugar.
- Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Turn the speed down to low then add in the dry ingredients in intervals. Next, add vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the mixer and beat until just combined. Batter will be sort of thin but this is normal.
- Evenly divide cake batter to all three pans and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
- Add butter, confectioner's sugar to bowl of mixer and mix on high speed. Then add in cocoa powder and continue mixing until smooth.
- Lastly add in vanilla extract, milk and salt until frosting is fluffy and smooth.
- Add frosting to each layer and stack on each other. Finally frost the sides and top of cake and serve it up.
Notes
How to Store
Wrap your leftovers tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container or cake carrier to keep it fresh and fab for up to 3-4 days at room temp. If you need to keep it longer than that, slide the extra cake into the fridge. Just a little tip: if you’re diving back in for another slice, let it sit out for a bit to get back to room temperature – it’ll taste just like it did on day one!How long will chocolate birthday cake last in the fridge?
It’ll stay scrumptious for up to 6 days.Can I freeze ?
Absolutely boos! I like to chill the cake in the fridge first to get that frosting firmed. Then I cut individual slices and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap then add to freezer bags releasing all the air. Add the date. It should last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge then bring back to room temperature before indulging.Nutrition
Calories: 730kcal | Carbohydrates: 120g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 322mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 93g | Vitamin A: 790IU | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2.7mg
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Recipe Tips
- Don’t Skip the Coffee: That little kick really does add a richer chocolate flavor to the mix. You won’t even taste the coffee boos, trust me.
- Don’t Overbake: Make sure you watch that bake time so you don’t dry out your cakes.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting: If you don’t want a super melty cake sliding around everywhere, make sure that the cake layers have cooled completely before frosting.
Recipe Help
How do I prevent my cake layers from sticking?
I like to grease my round pans with cake release then add parchment to the bottoms so the layers come out super clean y’all.
Can I make this chocolate birthday cake ahead?
Absolutely boos. In fact, you can bake the cake layers and freeze them by wrapping them tightly with plastic wrap a few times. When you are ready to serve, pop them in the fridge to defrost. Then make the frosting fresh, ice your cake and serve it up.
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My birthday is coming I usually make myself a delicious chocolate cake and homemade frosting, but I’m going to try this one, I love a chocolate cake.
It’s my third time making this cake …this month! I made it for my husband and my mom …this morning I made it for my own birthday! I can’t begin to describe how absolutely PERFECT this recipe is …and I’ve made many cakes over the years.
I have made this and the lemon pound cake …it brings me SO MUCH joy and a few added inches that are well worth it!
Thank you for sharing your family’s traditions!
Am dying to make this! Do you think I’d be able to substitute sour cream for the butter milk? I don’t have any by me! And what kind of cocoa powder do you use? Natural or Dutch?
Thanks!!
Surely! Natural cocoa
Make buttermilk w milk and vinegar
All I have to say is AMAZING!! This cake made my dad’s birthday celebration. It’s the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. Even my boyfriend, who doesn’t like cake gobbled up his piece. It’s also easy to make for first time bakers 🙂 enjoy!
I made this 6 days ago (yes …I am counting) for my husband’s birthday. It was hectic – I made my own buttermilk, didn’t have an appropriate oil on hand and used butter and added the flour before the coffee. It was the MOST AMAZING chocolate cake I’ve ever made. Moist and so full of flavor. My husband and I finished it off and I’ll be making another today to celebrate my Mom. Then …another on the 22nd as I’ve told everyone I’ll make my own cake because nothing compares!
I should also share – Chocolate cake is my hubby’s fave. I’m a lemon or pound cake girl. Until now …
THANK YOU!! ❤️
I meant to clarify that even all of my “hectic day” blunders didn’t change the fact that this was AMAZING!!
Its an amazing and simple recipe for chocolate cake I’ve ever tried . I’m in love with it ❤️
This was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had! Made it for my son’s 3rd birthday and the moment everyone had a bite they were all amazed! So glad I found this recipe and can’t wait to go through and start cooking my way through the rest of the Grandbaby Cakes site!
Thanks Guys, Your Recipe Was Too Fantastic. Me and My Family Loved it. I Will Share your Rrecipe with my friends. Hope they will love it too.
Thanks Guys, Your Recipe Was Too Fantastic. Me and My Family Loved it. I Will Share your Rrecipe with my friends. Hope they will love it too.
My birthday cake growing up. Only difference is my Mom put a little brewed coffee in the frosting too. I never had a store bought cake for my birthday!!!