Decadent Chocolate Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

For the Cake:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup oil (vegetable or canola)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup hot water

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven:
- Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and allow it to fully preheat.

2. Prepare the Cake Batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the oil and eggs until well combined.
- Slowly add the buttermilk and hot water to the oil and egg mixture, mixing continuously.
- Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until the batter is smooth and lump-free.

3. Bake the Cake Layers:
- Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until creamy and smooth.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and whole milk, continuing to beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

5. Assemble the Cake:
- Level the tops of the cooled cake layers if necessary to ensure even stacking.
- Place one cake layer on a serving platter and spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting on top.
- Place the second cake layer on top of the first, pressing gently to adhere.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake as a crumb coat, chill for 15 minutes, then apply a final, thicker layer of frosting to finish.

Preparation & Cooking Times

Preparation Time:
PT25M
25 minutes

Cooking Time:
PT35M
35 minutes

Total Time

PT60M
1 hour

Type of Dish

Dessert

Keywords

Chocolate layer cake, cream cheese frosting, dessert recipe, easy chocolate cake, homemade cake, baking, cocoa powder dessert, buttermilk cake, oven-baked, layered dessert

Recipe Yield

Feeds 4 adults

Calories

Total: 2,560 calories

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