Not every day is a chocolate cake kind of day, but when it is, oh boy do I have the most perfect Chocolate Cake Recipe for you!
For years I could not wait to order dessert when we were dining out for a special occasion. I would always go for the chocolate cake. Chocolate cake is really great! Except that it really wasn’t really great most of the time. Over and over again I found it to be overly sweet, almost too sweet to eat (if you can imagine that), or a bit dry. A dry cake is not a good thing at all. So I began to opt for other desserts to enjoy when out and about, because if you are going to enjoy something indulgent like chocolate cake, it better darn well be worth it, right?
Enter this scrumptious Chocolate Cake Recipe. Adapted ever so slightly from the Velvet Cocoa Cake Recipe from Martha Stewart, this fabulous cake recipe creates a perfect chocolate cake that is oh so rich and chocolatey without going overboard. It really is perfect! With a slightly dense, velvety texture this cake pairs perfectly with a light, fluffy Chocolate Buttercream and a big cold glass of milk! Because chocolate cake plus milk are one smart and delicious match.
The cake preparation is basic enough. One tip I wouldn’t skip if time permits is to make the cake layers ahead of time by at least a day or so, or up to a month. Let layers cool, then wrap cake layers separately in two layers of plastic wrap, insert into a large freezer ziptop plastic bag, removing extra air and store in freezer for up to two months. Freezing the layers helps to create a more moist cake with a lovely texture. It really does work nicely. I now try to plan ahead to allow for freezing time.
How To Make Chocolate cake
A perfect Chocolate Cake Recipe for any special occasion.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
- 3/4 cup good cocoa powder** (sift to remove any lumps)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks or 6 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch*** round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until totally combined and smooth, stopping to scrape down bowl at least twice; about 5 minutes.
- Add beaten eggs and vanilla. Beat together, stopping to scrape down bowl once. Continue to beat on medium-high for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk; stop to scrape down bowl twice.
- Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake at 350-degrees F until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Invert onto cooling racks; cool completely.
- Once cool, frost and serve. Or to store in freezer, wrap cake layers separately in 2 layers of plastic wrap, insert into a large freezer ziptop plastic bag, removing extra air and store in freezer for up to 2 months.
NOTES
Adapted slightly from Martha Stewart’s Velvet Cocoa Cake.
*I used White Lily as it contains a smaller percentage of protein that makes for a lighter cake and tender crumb. Flour specified as cake flour could be used too.
**I recommend using a dutch-processed cocoa.
***If using another cake pan size, adjust bake times accordingly. If time permits I recommend freezing the layers as noted above. It helps create a more moist cake. As noted above, freeze layers separately wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and inserted into a ziptop freezer bag.