Kittencal's Best Deep Dark Chocolate Layer Cake

"This will probably be the only layer cake you will ever use, it's a rich, moist chocolate cake that tastes more like chocolate fudge than a cake, you will be making again and again! --- I have also made this using room temperature Crisco butter-flavor shortening in place of butter --- to take this to yet another level add in 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur in place of the vanilla, I like Kahlua! --- also see my recipe#89207"
 
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photo by Fiddler photo by Fiddler
photo by Fiddler
photo by starkrazi photo by starkrazi
photo by starkrazi photo by starkrazi
photo by metajane photo by metajane
photo by Fiddler photo by Fiddler
Ready In:
40mins
Ingredients:
15
Serves:
12
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ingredients

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directions

  • Set oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Line bottoms of two buttered 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
  • Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Beat in vanilla and coffee granules.
  • Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
  • Add the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, in three additions, scraping down the sides of bowl each time.
  • Divide batter between prepared pans.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake tests done.
  • Turn onto a rack and remove paper.
  • Cool and frost.
  • FOR FROSTING: Beat butter until creamy.
  • Blend in cream and vanilla; beat until very smooth.
  • Add the cocoa and icing sugar.
  • Beat on high for 45 seconds.

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Reviews

  1. :( I was so excited to make this cake...Kittencal has some fantastic recipes...but this cake came out dry, dry, dry. It's very lightweight, dense, very firm and very crumbly. Something akin to an angel food cake. The batter LOOKED fantastic so I was really optimistic. I only cooked until a toothpick came out clean. I made the recipe as directed except for making homemade buttermilk and making two round 9" cakes instead of layering them. The icing is this cake's saving grace. It's a lot of cocoa powder and I had to add more cream to make it spreadable. I also only used 2 cups powdered sugar instead of 4 and it was plenty sweet (and stiff).<br/><br/>My children, on the other hand, loved it and wanted more. For this reason I'm giving it 3 stars...though I don't think I'll be making it again. Flavor-wise, it was good, but I just couldn't get past the dry aftertaste.
     
  2. Perhaps I did something wrong, but mine was dry. It tasted good, but just not the moist cake I was looking for. My dad didn't seem to mind at all - it was his birthday cake and he was a happy man! :-) Thanks.
     
  3. I can't seem to get a 5 star review to work on this site right now......but that is what it is. For the life of me I can't understand how this cake could possibly turn out dry. I would suggest that you definitely use buttermilk (not regular full fat milk soured). I rarely give a 5 star review, especially for a chocolate cake and I think this is the first time. Good luck everyone that tries it........
     
  4. Goodness! So caught up in lauding the cake I forgot to give it the five stars it deserves- sheesh, newbie.
     
  5. wow. very nice! I made it using three 8 in pans, and it fit perfectly in them. I have not put it together yet, but am looking forward to the ooos and ahhhhs when I serve a 3 layer cake! I did the reg amount of icing, hope it is enough...
     
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Tweaks

  1. You've done it again!!! :) Fabulous recipe!! I used a small amount of espresso in place of instant coffee and took out a bit of buttermilk, and I ran out of light brown sugar, so I used dark, but this recipe gets 2 thumbs up! My 18 month old helped me make this as her first birthday cake for daddy. I'll always love this cake as such a sweet memory (no pun intended)!
     
  2. Yummy cake! I made this for a birthday celebration for a group of friends and it was a big hit. I baked the cake the night before then finished it the next day. I subbed soured milk for the buttermilk and baked it in a in 9"x13" pan. I split the cake and sprinkled Chambord on the bottom half and then brushed the cake with warmed raspberry jam that had a couple of TBLS of Chambord added to it. Over this I added the filling from my Chocolate Cream Puff Ring #112573, which was also lightly spike with Chambord. After putting the top layer on I glazed it with more of the jam, then frosted the whole thing with the posted frosting (I really liked the frosting) I used only 3 cups of the powdered sugar and still had to add more cream. I found the cake to be a bit fragile when frosting but it looked lovely when done.
     

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