Chocolate Layer Cake

Last week I wrote about my experience using my Russian piping tips while making a birthday cake. I was in a chocolate mood so I made a delicious devil’s food chocolate layer cake!

This was hands-down the most delicious chocolate cake (+ chocolate frosting) I’ve ever made. Excluding the Russian piping tips, this cake recipe is easy and fast. It’s a perfect go-to chocolate layer cake for a simple afternoon tea/coffee, or can be used as a base for something a bit more special.

Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour (sifted!)
1 ¾ cups of granulated sugar
¾ cups cocoa powder (sifted!)
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk*
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs (these must be at room temperature)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup strong hot coffee ( I used instant, but you could use filter)

*You can sour regular milk by adding one tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup and then adding enough milk to equal 1 cup. Stir and let rest 5 minutes to make the milk curdle for buttermilk.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line and grease two 8 inch cake tins. I use my reusable cake tin liners (available here) rather than parchment paper. They’re amazing!

Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.

Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the buttermilk, oil, and room temperature eggs on high in a large bowl. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet on low speed. Add the coffee and stir with a wooden spoon. The batter will be thin.

Pour the batter into the tins and bake for around 25-30 min (test with a toothpick).

Milk Chocolate Frosting

This quantity is a 1/2 batch for a naked cake (i.e. inside filling plus a thin layer on top for adhering buttercream flowers)

¾ cup. salted butter softened to room temp.
2 cups icing sugar (sifted!)
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. cocoa powder (sifted!)
2 tbsp. cream or milk (I used milk)
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat the butter on high until smooth and creamy (around 2 min). Slowly add the sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder until fully combined. Then add the vanilla and cream/milk and beat for 1 min.

Because I made a naked cake, I decided to pipe the frosting as swirls, which looks pretty and gives the cake more height. Of course, you can just apply a layer of frosting.

Everyone loved the cake and I’ll definitely be making it again! 🙂