Chocolate Birthday Cake

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!

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

Step 1: Make the Batter

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.

Step 2: Bake the Layers

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.

Step 3: Frost It Up

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!

4.45 from 127 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

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Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Course: Dessert

Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

• Stand mixer
• Offset Spatulas
• Piping Bags and Tips
• 9 inch round cake pans

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

US Customary – Metric

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

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @GrandbabyCakes or tag #grandbabycakes!

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

Other Chocolate Cake Recipes

• Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes
• Raspberry Chocolate Cake!
• Coca Cola Cake

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