The Best Double Chocolate Cake is the ultimate decadent dessert for any chocolate lover, offering an intensely rich and moist chocolate experience that’s surprisingly easy to whip up at home. This recipe is incredibly useful for anyone seeking a reliable, crowd-pleasing chocolate cake perfect for birthdays, holidays, or just a well-deserved treat.
Key Ingredients for Best Double Chocolate Cake
- For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed or natural)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil like canola)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water (or hot brewed coffee for intensified chocolate flavor)
- For the Double Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/3 cup milk (or heavy cream for extra richness)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (optional, for extra chocolatey goodness)
How to Make Best Double Chocolate Cake
This recipe for the Best Double Chocolate Cake is incredibly easy to make, delivering a moist, fudgy crumb and an unbelievably rich chocolate flavor in under an hour of active preparation time. The simple mixing method ensures a tender cake, perfect for any occasion, and its deep chocolate notes will leave you utterly satisfied. It’s a triumph of flavor and texture, making it your new go-to for all things chocolate!
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat Your Oven and Prepare Your Pans:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. For extra insurance against sticking, you can also line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Ensure there are no clumps of cocoa powder.
3. Add Wet Ingredients (Except Hot Water/Coffee):
Add the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer (or by hand with a whisk) until just combined. The batter will be thick.
4. Incorporate Hot Water/Coffee:
Carefully pour in the hot water or hot brewed coffee. Mix on low speed until the batter is smooth and pourable. Don’t overmix; this step helps bloom the cocoa powder and create a tender crumb. Be cautious as the hot liquid can splatter.
5. Bake the Cakes:
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. The cakes should spring back lightly when touched.
6. Cool the Cakes:
Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. It’s crucial that the cakes are entirely cool before frosting.
7. Prepare the Double Chocolate Frosting:
While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the cocoa powder and beat until combined. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, alternating with the milk (or cream), beginning and ending with powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
8. Melt Chocolate (Optional):
If you’re opting for the extra chocolatey frosting, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Let it cool slightly before folding it into the frosting.
9. Frost the Cake:
Once the cakes are completely cool, place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a generous amount of frosting over the top. Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate as desired with chocolate shavings, extra chocolate chips, or fresh berries.
Why You’ll Love This Best Double Chocolate Cake
You’ll absolutely adore this Best Double Chocolate Cake for its unparalleled richness and incredibly moist, tender crumb that melts in your mouth. Unlike a dry, crumbly cake, this recipe uses buttermilk and hot liquid to ensure a fudgy texture that’s simply divine, almost like a chocolate truffle in cake form. Plus, saving money by creating this showstopper at home means you get a restaurant-quality dessert without the hefty price tag, all while impressing your family and friends with its deep, satisfying chocolate flavor.
Imagine the sheer delight of slicing into a cake so intensely chocolatey, it feels like a special occasion every single time, making it a perfect alternative if you’re used to a simpler chocolate buttercream cake. The combination of high-quality cocoa and the optional melted chocolate in the frosting creates a complex flavor profile that’s truly unforgettable, and it’s all achievable with common pantry staples. Don’t wait for a special event; treat yourself to this magnificent dessert that’s as enjoyable to make as it is to devour – give the Best Double Chocolate Cake a try today and prepare to be amazed!
Storing and Reheating Tips
This Best Double Chocolate Cake can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- Room Temperature Storage: If the cake is frosted with a buttercream that doesn’t contain cream cheese or a significant amount of perishable ingredients, it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
- Refrigerator Storage: For longer storage, or if your frosting is more delicate (e.g., contains cream cheese), cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing Options:
- Frosted Cake: Wrap the entire frosted cake very securely in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Unfrosted Cake Layers: Wrap each cooled cake layer tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting.
- Reheating: Generally, this cake is best enjoyed at room temperature. If it has been refrigerated, let it sit out for at least 30 minutes to an hour to soften and allow the flavors to develop. If you’re reheating a single slice briefly, you can microwave it for 5-10 seconds on a very low setting to take the chill off, but be careful not to overheat it, as it can become dry.
Final Thoughts
The Best Double Chocolate Cake is a testament to how simple ingredients can create something truly extraordinary and deeply satisfying. I encourage you to bake this delicious cake for yourself and experience its incredible chocolatey goodness firsthand; it’s guaranteed to become a cherished recipe.
Best Double Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. For extra insurance against sticking, you can also line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Ensure there are no clumps of cocoa powder.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer (or by hand with a whisk) until just combined. The batter will be thick.2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Carefully pour in the hot water or hot brewed coffee. Mix on low speed until the batter is smooth and pourable. Don’t overmix; this step helps bloom the cocoa powder and create a tender crumb. Be cautious as the hot liquid can splatter.1 cup hot water
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. The cakes should spring back lightly when touched.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. It’s crucial that the cakes are entirely cool before frosting.
- While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the cocoa powder and beat until combined. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, alternating with the milk (or cream), beginning and ending with powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.1 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
- If you’re opting for the extra chocolatey frosting, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Let it cool slightly before folding it into the frosting.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Once the cakes are completely cool, place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a generous amount of frosting over the top. Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate as desired with chocolate shavings, extra chocolate chips, or fresh berries.