Always on the lookout for the best chocolate cake recipes, we were delighted to find this one! It's been called "delicious" by non-chocolate cake eaters, and requested for many a birthday and more non-occasions. The cake itself is made from scratch with buttermilk and plenty of eggs to keep it moist and firm, and the whipped cream cheese frosting is decadent and rich. For a summery spin, layer strawberries in between the layers of cake for a sweet surprise!
With a little planning ahead, making this cake is incredibly easy. We'd recommend making the base for the frosting a day ahead, so it has plenty of time to chill.
The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Recipe
Cake:
- 2 cups cake flour
- ¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups golden brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Optional: 10-12 strawberries, sliced (for inside the cake and a garnish)
Frosting:
- 1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 16 ounces of cream cheese
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325° F. Generously butter two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
Sift cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions, beating just until blended after each addition.
Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on cooling rack for 15 minutes. Run small knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Invert cakes onto racks; lift pans off cakes. Cool completely.
Advertisem*nt
For frosting:
Sift cocoa powder into large bowl. Bring 1 cup cream to boil in small saucepan. Slowly pour cream over cocoa, whisking until cocoa is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup cream and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.
Add cream cheese to cocoa mixture. Using electric mixer, beat on low speed until blended and smooth. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is thick and medium-firm peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 minutes.
Using pastry brush, brush off crumbs from cakes. Place 1 cake layer, top side up, on platter. Frost first layer, add a layer of sliced strawberries if desired, then cover with more frosting. Add second layer of cake and finish frosting. Garnish with sliced strawberries.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circ*mstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPost
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
