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Triple Chocolate Cake (Fan-Favorite Recipe!)

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With a super moist crumb and a fudgy, yet light texture, this chocolate cake recipe will soon become your favorite. Top it with creamy chocolate buttercream and chocolate chips for three times the chocolate flavor. You can also make this cake as a sheet cake. See the recipe note for details.

Originally published in 2013, this recipe now includes more in-depth descriptions, a helpful video tutorial, clearer instructions, and various ways to use this classic chocolate cake recipe. I hope you enjoy all the new features in this post!

Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake… But Better

This cake combines chocolate buttercream with a mock-devil’s food cake. You know the Devil’s Food chocolate cake from restaurants or box mixes? This is that exact cake, but completely homemade. Notice the reddish tint? That’s due to the reaction between the baking soda and the natural cocoa powder. If you’re interested in the science behind using Dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder, you can read more about it here.

This is, without a doubt, the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. And judging by the feedback in the reviews, I’m confident you’ll agree!

This Chocolate Cake Is:

  • Extra moist
  • Made with two layers, but can be adapted to three layers or as a sheet cake
  • Soft with a velvety crumb
  • Deeply flavorful
  • Unapologetically rich, similar to my flourless chocolate cake
  • Covered with creamy chocolate buttercream

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Key Chocolate Cake Ingredients & Why

Each ingredient serves an important role. For best results, do not make substitutions.

  1. All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the cake. Do not use cake flour as it is too fine for this cake.
  2. Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder: Do not use Dutch-process cocoa powder.
  3. Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Both are used for lift.
  4. Salt: Balances the flavor.
  5. Espresso Powder: Optional, but enhances the chocolate flavor. The cake will not taste like coffee.
  6. Oil: Provides moisture. Do not use butter as cocoa powder is a drying ingredient.
  7. Eggs: Use two room temperature eggs.
  8. Buttermilk: Provides moisture and acidity.
  9. Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor.
  10. Hot Coffee or Hot Water: Enhances the cocoa powder’s flavor and helps it dissolve. Use hot water if you don’t drink coffee.

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What an Easy Cake!

No mixer is required for the batter. Simply whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, add the hot coffee, and whisk everything together. The batter will be thin. Divide it between two 9-inch cake pans. You can also make a quarter sheet cake using a 9×13-inch pan. See the recipe notes for details.

Need a 1-layer cake? Use the mint chocolate cake recipe for a 9-inch round cake.

Need cupcakes? Use the super moist chocolate cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting, or cream-filled chocolate cupcakes recipes.

Lately I’ve Been Using Sour Cream

There are two ways to prepare this cake batter, with a slight difference in the wet ingredients. You can follow the recipe as written using buttermilk and hot coffee/water or you can add sour cream. The process is the same; just reduce the liquids and add sour cream.

  1. Original Version: Produces a very thin batter. The cake is extra soft with a spongey texture.
  2. Sour Cream Version: Produces a slightly denser cake with more structure.

Both versions are equally moist and chocolatey with the same flavor and ease of preparation.

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Silky Chocolate Buttercream

For this cake, I use my favorite chocolate buttercream. I slightly increase the amount of each ingredient to produce extra frosting. You need six ingredients total:

  1. Unsalted Butter
  2. Confectioners’ Sugar
  3. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  4. Heavy Cream or Milk
  5. Vanilla Extract
  6. Salt

You can use either Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder in the buttercream. Heavy cream provides an extra creamy frosting, but milk can be substituted if needed.

While chocolate frosting is my favorite for this cake, it also pairs well with vanilla or strawberry buttercream frosting.

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So, why do I call it triple chocolate layer cake when it only has two layers? Because chocolate is used three times: in the cake, in the frosting, and in the chocolate chips on top. Enjoy this indulgent treat!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

The above recipe draws inspiration from the renowned culinary experts, Sally and Lindsay.

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Triple Chocolate Cake (Fan-Favorite Recipe!)

Serves: 6 pax / serves 12-16 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

This is my favorite homemade chocolate cake recipe. With a super moist crumb and fudgy, yet light texture, this chocolate cake recipe will be your favorite too. Top with chocolate buttercream and chocolate chips for 3x the chocolate flavor. You can also prepare this chocolate layer cake as a sheet cake. See recipe Note.

😎   Total Time: 4 hours

Cake

  • 1 and 3/4 cups (219gall-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
  • 3/4 cup (62g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1 and 3/4 cups (350ggranulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil (or canola oil or melted coconut oil)
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (240ml) freshly brewed strong hot coffee (regular or decaf)

Chocolate Buttercream

  • 1 and 1/4 cups (282gunsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3 and 1/2 cups (420gconfectioners’ sugar
  • 3/4 cup (65gunsweetened cocoa powder (natural or dutch process)
  • 35 Tablespoons (45-75ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk), at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • optional for decoration: semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
    2. Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you can use a whisk) mix the oil, eggs, and vanilla together on medium-high speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water/coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.
    3. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Note: Even if they’re completely done, the cooled cakes may *slightly* sink in the center. Cocoa powder is simply not as structurally strong as all-purpose flour and can’t hold up to all the moisture necessary to make a moist tasting chocolate cake. It’s normal!)
    4. Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
    5. Make the buttercream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy—about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Do not over-whip. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or 1-2 more Tablespoons of cream if frosting is too thick. (I usually add 1 more.) Taste. Add another pinch of salt if desired.
    6. Assemble and frost: If cooled cakes are domed on top, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops to create a flat surface. This is called “leveling” the cakes. Discard or crumble over finished cake. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I always use an icing spatula and bench scraper for the frosting. Garnish with chocolate chips, if desired.
    7. Refrigerate uncovered cake for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing to help set the shape. After that, you can serve the cake or continue refrigerating for up to 4–6 hours before serving. Cake can be served at room temperature or chilled.
    8. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days. I like using a cake carrier for storing and transporting.

Notes

  1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare cake through step 4. Wrap the individual baked and cooled cake layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature then continue with step 5. You can prepare the chocolate buttercream 2-3 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before spreading onto/assembling the cake. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or serve cold.
  2. Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Cake Stand, Serving Plate, or Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Cake Carrier (for storing)
  3. 3 Layer Cake: You can also prepare this cake as a 3 layer cake. Divide batter between three 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans in step 1 and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This frosting will be enough for 3 layers. If desired, use the frosting recipe from my Piñata Cake if you want extra frosting.
  4. Cocoa Powder: Use natural cocoa powder in the cake, not dutch-process. (See dutch-process vs natural cocoa powder for more information.) Since there is no leavening occurring in frosting, you can use either natural or dutch-process in the chocolate buttercream.
  5. Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY version of buttermilk if needed. Add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough room temperature whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 cup. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
  6. Sour Cream Version: Lately I’ve been using a mix of sour cream and buttermilk, as well as reducing the hot coffee. Reduce the buttermilk and hot coffee to 1/2 cup (120ml) each. Add 3/4 cup (180g) of room temperature full-fat sour cream with the wet ingredients. You can see this described above, in the video tutorial, and in my dark chocolate mousse cake. That cake and this cake are both fantastically moist, but the sour cream version has a slightly sturdier crumb.
  7. FAQ: The sour cream version (note above) makes a sturdy enough cake that will hold under fondant.
  8. Amount of Cake Batter: This recipe (and the sour cream version) yields about 6 cups of batter, which is helpful if you need it for different Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions.
  9. Room Temperature Ingredients: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about why room temperature ingredients are important.
  10. Espresso Powder/Coffee: Espresso powder and coffee will not make the cake taste like coffee. Instead, they deepen the chocolate flavor. I highly recommend them both. You can use the same amount of instant coffee (the powder) instead of espresso powder if desired. If coffee isn’t your thing, you can leave out the espresso powder and use extra hot water or hot chai tea.
  11. Bundt Pan: I recommend my chocolate cream cheese Bundt cake but without the cream cheese filling. Reduce buttermilk in that recipe to 1/4 cup and increase sour cream to 1 cup.
  12. 9×13 Inch Pan: You can bake this cake in a 9×13-inch baking pan. Same oven temperature, about 35-40 minutes bake time.
  13. Chocolate Cupcakes: Here is my favorite chocolate cupcakes recipe. Same unbelievable texture as this cake! (You’ll notice I don’t use hot liquid in that recipe. That’s because there isn’t the same volume of dry ingredients to break up. If you need more than 1 dozen chocolate cupcakes, use this chocolate cake recipe for 2-3 dozen. Same baking instructions as my chocolate cupcakes.
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Hi, I’m Amanda! I’m here to bring you sweet, simple, from-scratch dessert recipes. My life is ruled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate)!

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