Classic Chocolate Cake
This Classic Chocolate Cake is the gold standard of home baking. The use of Dutch-processed cocoa and hot water blooms the chocolate flavor, resulting in a deep, dark crumb that is incredibly moist. Paired with a silky Swiss Meringue Buttercream, this cake moves away from the gritty sweetness of American frosting toward a sophisticated, buttery finish that melts on the tongue.
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Classic Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
| FOR THE CAKE | AMOUNT |
| All-purpose flour | 2 cups |
| Granulated sugar | 2 cups |
| Dutch-processed cocoa powder (sifted) | 3/4 cup |
| Baking soda | 2 teaspoons |
| Baking powder | 1 teaspoon |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon |
| Buttermilk (room temp) | 1 cup |
| Hot water | 1 cup |
| Vegetable oil | 1/2 cup |
| Eggs (room temp) | 2 large |
| Vanilla extract | 2 teaspoons |
| FOR THE BUTTERCREAM | AMOUNT |
| Unsalted butter (room temp) | 1 1/2 cups |
| Granulated sugar | 1 1/2 cups |
| Dark chocolate (melted and cooled) | 8 oz |
| Egg whites | 5 large |
How To Make Classic Chocolate Cake:
Step 1: Prep and Mix the Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round pans, dust with cocoa powder, and line the bottoms with parchment. In a stand mixer, whisk all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients, adding the hot water slowly. Combine the wet and dry mixtures and beat on medium for 2/3 minutes.
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Note: The batter will be very thin; this is normal for a moist chocolate cake!
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Step 2: Bake and Cool: Pour the batter evenly into the pans. Bake for 45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3: Cook the Meringue Base: Whisk egg whites and sugar in your mixer bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler). Whisk constantly for about 3 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 160°F.
Step 4: Whip the Buttercream: Move the bowl to the stand mixer and whisk on medium-high for 5/10 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form and the bowl feels cool. Switch to the paddle attachment, add the cubed butter slowly until smooth, then fold in the cooled, melted chocolate.
Step 5: Assemble and Decorate: Place the first layer on a plate, top with 1 cup of frosting, and add the second layer. Apply a thin “crumb coat” of frosting over the whole cake and chill for 20 minutes. Finish with a final layer of frosting, using a piping bag with a 1M tip to create decorative rows or swirls. Garnish with chocolate curls or sprinkles.
