Double Chocolate Cake

This Double Chocolate Cake is a moist, rich chocolate cake that is topped with a fudge chocolate frosting. It is the perfect cake for any chocoholic!

If you love chocolate desserts, also try this Chocolate Mousse or Chocolate Pound Cake.

Any day is a good day for this Double Chocolate Cake! I feel like everyone needs a good chocolate cake in their baking arsenal, and this Double Chocolate Cake is just that.

This cake is perfect for a birthday celebration, but also a perfect family night dessert as well. Moist and full of chocolate flavor, the cake is perfection. And the frosting is fudgy and sweet and oh, so good. This cake is perfect for any chocoholic!

I have been checking out cookbooks from the library lately. They have a very large selection, but most of the books are a bit dated. Not to say that the books aren’t good, but it’s hard for me to preview some of the books that are people are raving about when the library doesn’t carry the newer books. So when I saw The Cake Book by Trish Boyle, I new I had to check it out. I have heard it’s praises sung on many different blogs, and have been wanting to take a look inside for quite some time.

I went back and forth between several chocolate layer cakes, but settled on this sour cream chocolate cake. I also decided to go with her fudgy chocolate frosting.

I set out to make the cake the night before. The cake came together effortlessly. After the layers had cooled and after I had cut them to make them even, I threw the scraps into a bowl off to the side. I then started to make dinner. My husband came into the kitchen and picked up a scrap of the cake, throwing it into his mouth. And then he took another piece, and then another! He claimed that is was the best chocolate cake that he had ever had, and wanted to just eat chocolate cake for dinner!! I have to agree, this cake is amazing. It is so moist with just the right amount of chocolate.

I will also say, that although the frosting was a good frosting as well, you could probably get away without frosting it at all. I may try it with just a sprinkle of powdered sugar, because the cake itself is just that good!

Here are more birthday worthy desserts:

Funfetti Frosting
Sour Cream Cheesecake
Pistachio Pudding Cake
Almond Joy Candy Bar Filled Chocolate Bundt Cake
Dark Chocolate Cake with Nutella Buttercream
Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake Recipe

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Double Chocolate Cake

5 from 1 vote

Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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This Double Chocolate Cake is a moist, rich chocolate cake that is topped with a fudge chocolate frosting. It is the perfect cake for any chocoholic!

1x2x3x

Ingredients

Cake:

• ▢ 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 large eggs at room temperature
• ▢ 2/3 cup sour cream at room temperature
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 10 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and then cooled
• ▢ 2/3 cup vegetable oil or other neutral oil
• ▢ 1 1/4 cups ice-cold water

Frosting:

• ▢ 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• ▢ 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 3 cups powdered sugar*
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream*

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease the bottom and the side of two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Dust the sides and bottom with flour and tap out any excess.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
  2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
• In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs lightly.  Add the sour cream and vanilla and whisk until blended.
  3 large eggs, 2/3 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Place the cooled butter and vegetable oil in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix together on low speed. Add the cold water and mix to blend. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on medium-low for 1 minute. Add the egg mixture, and mix for an additional minute or until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  10 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 1/4 cups ice-cold water
• Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared baking pans.
• Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool the pans on wire racks for 15 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the wire racks, peel off the paper, and then allow the cakes to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, place both the unsweetened and bittersweet chocolate in a stainless steel bowl and place that bowl over a pan of simmering water, making a double boiler.  Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until tepid.
  3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter at medium speed for about 30 seconds. Gradually start adding the powdered sugar, then beat on high until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, add the cooled chocolate, beating until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the cream as needed to make the frosting a spreadable consistency. Increase the speed on the mixer and mix until the frosting is slightly aerated, about 1 minute.
  1 cup unsalted butter, 3 cups powdered sugar*, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream*
• To assemble the cake, level the cooled cake layers, if needed. Place one layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread a layer of the frosting on the cake, then place the second layer on top. Frost the outside and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

Recipe Notes:

Slightly adapted from The Cake Book

*when I originally posted this recipe, there were only 2 cups of powdered sugar, and no heavy cream.

Cake layers can be wrapped in foil and stored at room temperature 2-3 days in advance.  Frosting can be stored up to 3 hours at room temperature, or refrigerated up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

For high altitude: I removed 2 tablespoons of sugar from the cake and added 2 tablespoons of ice water. I also baked the cake at 365ºF.

I made extra buttercream to add to the top. That buttercream is not included in the recipe.

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 622kcal (31%), Carbohydrates: 71g (24%), Protein: 5g (10%), Fat: 37g (57%), Saturated Fat: 18g (113%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 90mg (30%), Sodium: 1382mg (60%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 52g (58%)

Keywords: chocolate cake, chocolate layer cake, layer cake