Introduction

This rich and moist chocolate cake is truly the most amazing chocolate cake you’ll ever make at home. With layers of deep cocoa flavor and a luscious cream cheese buttercream frosting, it’s perfect for any celebration or simply indulging your chocolate cravings.

A close-up image of a thick slice of chocolate cake on a white plate, showing three moist, dark brown cake layers with a rich, glossy dark chocolate frosting covering the top and sides. The texture of the cake layers looks soft and crumbly, while the frosting is smooth and shiny. Some crumbs and frosting smear can be seen on the plate near a silver fork, which rests in front of the slice. The background is a white marbled texture. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups warm water (or brewed coffee)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups butter (softened)
8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (for frosting)
3 teaspoons vanilla extract (for frosting)
7 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk (as needed)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Lightly grease three 9-inch cake pans and dust with flour or cocoa powder, or line them with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt using a hand mixer on low speed until mixed.
Step 3: Add the eggs, buttermilk, warm water (or coffee), vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until smooth, scraping the bowl sides and bottom to ensure even mixing.
Step 4: Divide the batter evenly among the three pans, roughly 3 cups each. Tap the pans gently on the counter to remove air bubbles.
Step 5: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake centers comes out clean.
Step 6: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks and cool completely.
Step 7: For the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Step 8: Add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract to the frosting mixture and beat until combined.
Step 9: Gradually add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, beating well between additions. Add milk as needed to achieve a spreadable consistency.
Step 10: Frost and assemble the cooled cakes. Chill the cake after frosting, but it can sit at room temperature for up to 4 hours before serving.

Tips & Variations

Using brewed coffee instead of water intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
For extra moistness, make sure not to overbake the cakes; check for doneness starting at 30 minutes.
If you prefer a lighter frosting, reduce the cocoa powder and increase the powdered sugar slightly to balance texture.
Try adding a pinch of instant espresso powder to the frosting to deepen the chocolate taste even more.

Storage

Store the frosted cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days. To serve, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. The unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.

How to Serve

A thick slice of three-layer dark chocolate cake sits on a white plate, showing moist, crumbly dark brown cake layers separated and coated by glossy, rich dark chocolate frosting. The frosting smoothly covers the bottom and sides of the slice with dense texture. In the background, a white cake stand holds the rest of the whole layered cake against a black backdrop. The surface beneath the plate is a white marbled texture. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?

Yes, you can substitute buttermilk with regular milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar per 1 1/2 cups. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using to mimic buttermilk’s acidity.

Can I make this cake in two layers instead of three?

Absolutely. Just divide the batter evenly between two 9-inch pans and adjust the baking time slightly, checking for doneness starting at 25 minutes.