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Once you’ve had Sarah’s Secret Chocolate Cake, you could be forgiven for believing there’s no other cake that compares to it. But you haven’t tried this layer cake yet. It has the perfect texture, dark-chocolatey flavor, and luscious frosting that never disappoints and keeps everything fresh.
Dark Chocolate Layer Cake & French Silk Frosting
Equipment
- KitchenAid 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa optional
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup strong black coffee
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Icing
- 2 ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ⅔ cup soft butter
- 2 oz melted unsweetened chocolate
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Cake
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa(s), baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes; the batter will be thin.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
- Frost as desired.
French Silk Chocolate Frosting
- In a small mixer bowl blend powdered sugar, butter, chocolate, and vanilla on low speed.
- Gradually add milk; beat until smooth and fluffy.
Notes
The Dutch process cocoa is optional – it simply provides a great depth of flavor and color to the chocolate cake.
This cake also pairs beautifully with a simple chocolate ganache.
The coffee really brings out the depth of the chocolate (you won’t even taste the coffee at all!), but if you really don’t want to use it, feel free to substitute water.
For an egg substitute, simply add one mashed banana or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce for each egg.
This recipe will make about 24 to 36 cupcakes. Bake at 350 degrees between 20 and 30 minutes.
You can also make a bundt cake with this recipe. The cake should bake for about 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
