You will never want to celebrate your birthday without this Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe! Imagine soft, moist chocolate cake covered with creamy, chocolate frosting.
The Heart and Soul of the Best Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe
My husband is responsible for the recipe behind this Chocolate Birthday Cake. It’s his favorite birthday cake and I’ve been making it for more than 15 years for him.
Cuisine Inspiration: A classic American treat, this Chocolate Birthday Layer Cake is pure joy in every slice.
Primary Cooking Method: Baking transforms the chocolatey batter into moist, delightful layers, complemented by creamy American frosting.
Dietary Info: This is a rich and indulgent treat, so it’s perfect for those looking to indulge.
Key Flavor: Chocolate reigns supreme, delivering a rich and satisfying taste in every bite.
Skill Level: Ideal for those with some baking experience, as creating even layers and the perfect frosting consistency will make this cake shine.
Sweet Highlights:
- Rich Layers: Dive into moist, chocolatey goodness with every slice.
- Creamy Frosting: The chocolate American frosting is smooth, velvety, and downright irresistible.
- Celebration Ready: Perfect for birthdays and special occasions, this cake knows how to party.
- Get Creative: Add your own twist with sprinkles, shavings, or a caramel drizzle.
- Prep Ahead: Bake the layers ahead of time and freeze them for party-ready perfection.
I was raised to think that food was the way to a man’s heart, and I think this cake might be the ticket. It is my auntie Rose’s chocolate cake recipe, and it is quite delicious. It is everything a chocolate layer cake should be:
- Filled with chocolate flavor
- Incredibly fudgy
- The perfect texture
- Insanely moist
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- Large Eggs: The foundation of our cake structure, they’re bringing the fluff and holding it all together.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetness central! This is what’s making our cake indulgently sweet.
- Cocoa Powder: Hello chocolatey goodness! This is where the deep, rich chocolate flavor kicks in.
- Instant Coffee Powder: A little secret weapon to enhance and intensify the chocolate flavor.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance the sweetness and elevate the flavors.
- Hot Water: This is going to mix with our cocoa to create a chocolatey oasis.
- All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of our cake, giving it structure and softness.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These guys are the lift providers, ensuring our cake rises to the occasion.
- Vegetable Oil: Bringing in the moisture, for a cake that’s tender and ready to party.
- Buttermilk: Tangy and fabulous, it’s here for moisture and a delicate crumb.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of sweet, aromatic goodness to round out the flavors.
For the Frosting:
- Unsalted Butter: Soft and creamy, it’s the base of our frosting masterpiece.
- Confectioner’s Sugar: Powdered perfection, making our frosting sweet and smooth.
- Cocoa Powder: Back at it again with more chocolate love.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Just like in the cake, we’re here for that sweet aroma and flavor.
- Milk: A dash for consistency, making our frosting spreadable and silky.
How to Make Chocolate Birthday Cake
For the Cake:
- Get Set: Preheat that oven to a cozy 350 degrees and show your 9-inch round pans some love with a good spray of non-stick magic.
- Whisk It Up: Eggs and sugar in the stand mixer? Yes, please! Let them dance together on high for a sweet 2-3 minutes.
- Choco Mix: In a separate bowl, mix cocoa, instant coffee, and a dash of salt with hot water. Pour this chocolatey dream into the egg and sugar fiesta happening in your mixer.
- Dry Ingredients, Incoming: Slowly welcome flour, baking soda, and baking powder to the party. Follow it up with the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Mix until just right – the batter will be on the thin side, and that’s totally cool.
- Bake it Beautiful: Divide that batter evenly between the pans and bake for 22-25 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when a toothpick comes out clean. Give it 10 minutes of rest before moving them out of the pans to cool off completely.
For the Frosting:
- Butter, Sugar, and Everything Nice: Into the mixer they go! Butter, confectioner’s sugar, and cocoa powder. Mix until it’s smoother than a jazz tune.
- Vanilla and Milk Magic: Add a splash of vanilla and enough milk to make it fluffy and fabulous.
- Layer and Love: Frost each layer with care, then show the whole cake some frosting love.
The secret to making an outstanding homemade chocolate frosting is to make it fluffy. The key to fluffy frosting is to continue to mix the ingredients (butter, confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder, milk and vanilla extract) on a high speed. This will ensure your chocolate frosting is fluffy.
How to Decorate Your Birthday Cake
Now that you have your chocolate cake and chocolate frosting done, your chocolate birthday cake is not complete without sprinkles, candles and other birthday cake toppers.
If you don’t know what a topper is, a birthday cake topper is any decoration to go on top of a cake. Some other examples of cake toppers are:
- Sparklers
- Edible prints with cartoon and comic book characters
- Flowers
Whatever topper you decide, your cake is complete. Get ready to surprise the birthday boy or girl!
How to Store
Wrap your chocolate birthday masterpiece tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to keep it fresh and fabulous for up to 3-4 days at room temperature. If you’ve got leftovers after the big bash (lucky you!), slide it into the fridge, and it’ll stay scrumptious for up to a week. 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!
Amazing Chocolate Cake Recipes
- Want chocolate cake in cupcake form? These Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes are amazing!
- Want the best chocolate cake recipe that ever existed? This Chocolate Cake with a blackberry buttercream is decadent and insanely delicious.
- Love berries and chocolate like this recipe? Try my Raspberry Chocolate Cake!
- This Coca Cola Cake is necessary as well!
Chocolate Birthday Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter 3 sticks
- 6 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
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, instant coffee powder and salt to hot water. Add to eggs and sugar.
- Next slow down mixer and add flour, baking soda, and baking powder then 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 add 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 and cocoa powder to bowl of mixer and mix on high speed until smooth.
- Lastly add in vanilla extract and milk until frosting is fluffy and smooth.
- Frost each layer of cake with frosting then frost the entire cake and serve.
Linda Greer says
Jocelyn, I have made some of your cake recipes and I have never been disappointed. I’ve never made a chocolate cake from scratch but I’m definitely going to try this one. Sounds delicious. Thank you.
Olivia says
I love your recipes and site, I was wondering can you use cake flour instead of all purpose flour?
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Yes you can but the batter may be a little too flimsy. The all purpose flour gives it more structure.
Lisa Dantzler says
Jocelyn hello congratulations on your beautiful family and success. The recipe that you enclosed Aunt Rose’s chocolate cake, is the same recipe as “Beatty’s” chocolate cake and has been published in a few cookbooks Ina Garten’s and Martha Stewart.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Hi Lisa, thanks so much for the beautiful compliment however this cake isn’t that cake. I just looked at the ratios in those cakes and they are not the same at all. This is my family’s chocolate cake recipe. I’m sure those are awesome but this just isn’t that one. Thanks again.
Natalie says
This cake is stunning! Those layers ♥♥♥
Dorothy Reinhold says
Chocolate cake is the best! Nothing beats homemade cake AND frosting!
Robin Daumit says
I love coffee in chocolate cake and with buttermilk in this recipe it will definitely be a moist yummy cake!
Tina R says
Hello Grandbaby cakes (Jocelyn) I was wanting to know what kind of instant coffee to use? THANK YOU
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Honestly any brand you find will be totally fine since it isn’t about the brand but just adding a small kick to the chocolate.
Pam says
I’d like to know your thoughts on a substitution for the 1/2 cup of oil. I’m on WW and always leave the oil out and use a substitute, i.e. 100% natural applesauce. Suggestions please for other options.
LOVE your recipes and site♥️!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Thanks so much Pam. You can definitely use the applesauce as a sub. The texture won’t be the same and neither will the moistness but Let me know how it turns out.
Raushan says
Hi there,
My name is Raushan and I run an online cake website (https://www.doorstepcake.com/) where I sell all types of cakes for all occasions like birthday, anniversary and so on. I like exploring websites like yours for latest and cool recipes and make delicious cakes. Thanks for sharing your ideas with us.
Regards
Marina says
Dear Jocelyn, thank you so much for sharing your receips! Could you tell the approx. weight of this cake, please?