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It is cake time!! Specifically simple chocolate birthday cake with whipped chocolate buttercream frosting…YES.
Yay!!
So…..
My power went out while writing this post and ALL the words were lost. Ugh. I am actually re-writing this via candlelight and the hotspot on my phone!
I had written so much!
Things like how this big three-layer cake was for my mom’s birthday.
And how for all birthdays around here, two layers simply won’t do.
Nope, not two.
Three.
Because when cake is involved… three layers are always better than two.
More layers mean more frosting, which is just all around awesomeness.
This is my all time favorite chocolate cake.
I know the ingredients by heart and could probably make this cake in my sleep. It is that easy.
This cake never fails and the frosting will forever be my family’s favorite.
It is almost mousse-like. So light and fluffy. My mom could not stop saying how incredibly moist and delicious it was.
She even did the roll the eyes to the back of her head thing. I LOVE when she does that!
Well, I have to cut this one short, sorry for the very quick post. As I said before, our power is completely out and I only have limited time on my phone’s hotspot before my battery dies.
Ten percent to be exact, gotta wrap it up!
Hopefully the photos will do the talking.
Oh, and did you notice? The gotta little love from the amazing WoodenSpoons Kitchen! What do think? I will be talking about it more soon, but the battery is now at 3%.
Watch the How-To Video here:
(2 LAYER CAKE) Simple Chocolate Birthday Cake with Whipped Chocolate Buttercream.
Servings: 16 servings
Calories Per Serving: 539 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Cake For 2 Layers
- 2 eggs (at room temperature)
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup hot black coffee
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Whipped Chocolate Buttercream
- 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) salted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.
- 2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, greek yogurt, canola oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until there are no longer any clumps of flour. Add the hot coffee and mix until combined. The batter should be pourable, but not super thin. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using.
- 3. Pour the batter among the 2 cake pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are just set and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool five minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan. Invert the cakes onto a cooling rack. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
Whipped Chocolate Buttercream
- 1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until the butter is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat, scraping down the sides as needed, another 2 minutes or so, until there are no streaks of white. Add 3 tablespoons of the heavy cream and whip the frosting for 2-4 minutes or until light and fluffy. If desired add the remaining tablespoon of the heavy cream (I normally do) and whip until combined. Taste the frosting and add more powdered sugar if you like a sweeter or thicker frosting.
- 2. Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a plate or cake stand. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with sprinkles, chocolate curls, or whatever your heart desires.
Notes
*To quickly bring eggs to room temperature place them in a bowl and fill with warm water. Let them sit five minutes.
(3 LAYER CAKE) Simple Chocolate Birthday Cake with Whipped Chocolate Buttercream.
Servings: 30 servings
Calories Per Serving: 385 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Cake For 3 Layers
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons hot black coffee
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Whipped Chocolate Buttercream
- 4 sticks (2 cups) salted butter softened to room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4-5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease 3 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, greek yogurt, canola oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until there are no longer any clumps of flour. Add the hot coffee and mix until combined. The batter should be pourable, but not super thin. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using.3. Pour the batter among the cake pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are just set and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool five minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan. Invert the cakes onto a cooling rack. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
Whipped Chocolate Buttercream
- 1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until the butter is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat, scraping down the sides as needed, another 2 minutes or so, until there are no streaks of white. Add 3 tablespoons of the heavy cream and whip the frosting for 2-4 minutes or until light and fluffy. If desired add the remaining tablespoon of the heavy cream (I normally do) and whip until combined. Taste the frosting and add more powdered sugar if you like a sweeter or thicker frosting.2. Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a plate or cake stand. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting. Add the 3rd layer and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with sprinkles, chocolate curls, or whatever your heart desires.
Notes
*To quickly bring eggs to room temperature place them in a bowl and fill with warm water. Let them sit five minutes.
Hey, I had a thought, there could be a good side to this power outage. Kinda the perfect time for cake!
Lastly, if you make this Simple Chocolate Birthday Cake with Whipped Chocolate Buttercream be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
This post was originally published on January 17, 2014
OMG I was craving cake, how did you know?! I need to make this STAT! I actially have to get cake pans, I don’t have any! LOL!
Girl! get some cake pans!! 🙂
I got my cakepans just to make this recipe! It was amazing!!! I made some small substitutions to reduce the fat a bit, but it did not mater, it was soooooo goood! I loved the frosting. I actually used half butter and half lowfat cream cheese, just as delish and some half and half instead of cream. Thanks for the amazing recipe and now my craving for chocolate cake has been cured!
OMG!! YEAH! So happy you loved it! Thanks Sophia!
OMG!! YAY! So happy you loved this!
Thanks Sophia!
When I opened your blog, I thought it was someone else’s. I have to look for your picture to make sure I am in your site. I love the new look too. It looks quirky.
I love the cake. But, I am note sure if I am going to make this. I will just enjoy looking at the pretty pictures.
Hah! So happy you like the new look!!
Thanks Shobelyn!
LOVELY new site! Just looks so professional and I think it really makes your photos stand out more. As for the choccy cake, wow your mum is a lucky lady!
Thank you so much, Helen!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the new look! What better way to bring in a site makeover than with cake? It must be incredibly moist with the combination of buttermilk, greek yogurt, AND oil.
Thank you so much, Faith!! It is our favorite cake!
So many things to say right now! Okay, first of all, love this cake. That frosting looks craaaaazy luscious and I am all about the three layers! Secondly, I love that you included recipes for both two layers and three layers…look at you, being all helpful and one step ahead of the game. Third of all, LOOVE this layout! It’s so you! Clean and sophisticated and all around lovely!
Three layers all the way!!
Thanks so much for all the sweet words, Mimi!!
Firstly love the new site.
Secondly, chocolate cake. Yes please. I love the fluffyness of your buttercream, looks like chocolate clouds.
Thanks so much, Rochelle!!
Hope you have a great weekend!
need to make (and eat!) this today!!! looks so delicious =)
Thanks so much! 🙂
Today happens to be my birthday, so thank you for a new recipe (to me) that sounds like a keeper!
Love the newsite – well done.
Thank you so much, Vicki!
Oh, damn, I am just gonna call this the butt buster cake. I am going to explode after eating every bit of this cake. Simple chocolate cake is my favorite! And I am always looking for a new frosting recipe and this looks perfect. Thanks!
Haha! It is worth it. 120% !!
Chocolate cake is also our favorite over here! Thanks Amber and have a great weekend!
Exactly! Doesn’t she know some of us are on diets? And now I am going to have to make this tomorrow! It looks fabulous!
I will make the two-layer since I am on a diet – then it will be alright 🙂
First of all, I love the new design! It’s fantastic!
Happy birthday to your mom. I have no doubt that she loved this cake. You can never go wrong with a classic chocolate cake, especially one with 3 delicious layers of cake.
Thanks Kelli!
This is her favorite cake. I make it every single year!
Oh my wooooord. You keep making me drool, it’s not fair.
Love the new blog design! Though I have suddenly completely forgotten what the old one looked like.
Thank you so much, Becca!
I am LOVING the new look! It is fantastic!
Thank you so much, Hannah! Have a great weekend!
This cake looks sooo delicious! So you mentioned you made your cake 3 layers, but the recipe is for 2 layers – did you increase it by half, or make a double batch? Just wondering how it would turn out increased by half to make 3 layers.
Thanks! 🙂
Hey Niki!
I actually included the recipe for the 3 layers below the the 2 layer recipe, so it is all there for you! Hope you love this cake as much as my family does!
“Writing by candlelight’ – yes, we’ve all been there! The cake and the site both look incredible, love! 🙂
Haha! Yeah, that was hard and it was at like midnight, so I was just done by then.
Thanks so much, Laura!!Have a great weekend!
Ummm sooo could I possibly just like that paddle attachment?? 😀 haha and I love the look of your new layout! Be sure to stop by my link party today, #OmNomNomFriday, to share some of your fantastic creations. Have a great weekend!
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Haha! Thank you so much!! Glad you like the site!