This recipe yields a deeply chocolatey, moist layer cake. For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 ¾ cups (250g) all-purpose flour
⅔ cup (56g) Dutch-process cocoa powder (see note for natural cocoa options)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
¾ tsp salt
2 large eggs
½ cup (120ml) vegetable or sunflower oil
¾ cup (180ml) full-fat sour cream
1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) hot coffee (or 1 tbsp instant coffee in 1 cup boiling water)
For Assembly:
1 batch of The BEST Chocolate Frosting
Instructions
1. Prepare the Pans & Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, then dust with flour and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds.
2. Make the Hot Coffee
Prepare 1 cup of hot coffee. If using instant, mix 1 tablespoon of granules (or 2 tsp espresso powder) with 1 cup of just-boiled water. Set it aside.
3. Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add both sugars and the salt. Whisk everything together thoroughly, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar.
4. Combine the Wet Ingredients & Make the Batter
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until well blended.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed (or a wire whisk by hand), mix until just combined. The batter will be very thick.
Gradually pour in the hot coffee in two parts, mixing until the batter is completely smooth and thin.
5. Bake the Cakes
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Tap the pans firmly on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when gently pressed and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, run a knife around the edges and invert them onto the rack to cool completely.
6. Frost and Assemble
While the cakes cool, prepare the chocolate frosting.
Once the cakes are completely cool, place one layer on your serving plate. Spread about ¾ cup of frosting evenly over the top.
Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Use the remaining frosting to cover the entire cake, smoothing the sides and creating swirls on top as desired. Slice and enjoy!
Chef’s Notes:
On Cocoa: For a classic chocolate flavor, you can use natural cocoa powder (like Ghirardelli or Hershey’s) instead of Dutch-process.
Looking for more? For a single-layer version, try the “Ultimate Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake” recipe. For a fudgy treat, check out the “BEST Thick Homemade Brownies.”
