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Chocolate Cake
Published: April 29, 2020 · Modified: May 3, 2020 by John Kanell
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This Chocolate Cake is beyond moist. You could LITERALLY leave out it on the
counter for several days and it would still be luscious. For me, the surprising
favorite element on this cake were the crunchy, pure chocolate cacao nibs.

Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell,

a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and
George, Los Angeles native, and an avid
baker and cooker of all things delicious
thanks to a life long education from my
mother. This blog is where I share all of
my kitchen creations!

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AS SEEN ON

I’ve been making a lot of cakes and desserts using fresh fruit. There has been quite
a bounty at the market, and I love a seasonal treat. That being said, I heard the
siren’s song of chocolate calling my name. At first, it was a whisper, then it became
more of a drum beat; urging me to make the most decadent dessert possible!

I don’t use the term ultimate lightly so if you are a chocolate lover I HIGHLY
encourage you to make this cake!!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THIS RECIPE

TO P 1 0 R E C I P E S T H I S
MONTH

MACARON RECIPE PEANUT BUTTER

COOKIES RECIPE

SHORTBREAD MOIST VANILLA

COOKIES RECIPE CUPCAKE RECIPE

RED VELVET BUTTERCREAM

CUPCAKES FROSTING

RED VELVET CAKE SUGAR COOKIE

RECIPE

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BROWNIE RECIPE OATMEAL
CHOCOLATE CHIP
COOKIES
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S AV O RY FAV O R I T E S

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Coffee: I like to use a very strong coffee from a Moka pot but you can really use any
coffee on hand. It amplifies the chocolate flavor, but if you’re not a fan just use
water or milk instead.
PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE ORANGE CHICKEN

Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips: You can use bittersweet, or any other dark chocolate
to make chocolate buttercream for this recipe.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CAKE

BAKED MAC AND MUSHROOM RISOTTO
CHEESE

CHICKEN ALFREDO CHICKEN MARSALA

BUTTER CHICKEN TATER TOT

CASSEROLE

1. Butter and flour three 8-inch cake pans. I highly recommend using cake strips for
a more even bake. Sift together the dry ingredients (including the sugar) into the
bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.

MY OTHER RECIPES
German Chocolate Cake

2 Add the wet ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.

3. Add the wet ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.

4. Add the wet ingredients the dry ingredients. Whisk to combine then mix on level
2 for two minutes. Distribute batter evenly to the three pans and bake for about 35-
40 minutes at 350F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I
recommend rotating the pans halfway through the bake. Allow time to cool for 10
minutes then invert onto wire racks to cool fully.

5. In a small bowl combine the semi-sweet chocolate with 2 tbs of cream then
microwave for 40 secs on half power. Stir to combine then set aside. Whip the
butter for about 5 minutes using a paddle attachment (in a stand-up mixer). Beat in
the confectioner’s sugar slowly. Add the cream. Slowly mix in the ¼ cup of cocoa
powder. Add the salt, as well. You may add the optional vanilla and espresso at this
step. Mix until you have a fluffy, even consistency. Beat in the melted and cooled
chocolate ganache.

6. Pipe chocolate buttercream between each layer.

7. Pipe the buttercream on the outside of the cake. Smooth with a bench scraper
and offset spatula. Press cocoa nibs or chopped chocolate onto the bottom of the
cake (or the entire side, if desired).

8. Use an 869 tip to pipe dollops on top.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW DO YOU MAKE A SIMPLE VERSION?

1. Sift and whisk dry ingredients together.

2. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

3. Add wet to dry mixture and mix until combined.

4. Bake in prepared pans until centers are springy to the touch.

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WHAT MAKES IT MOIST AND FLUFFY?

Adding the right amount of fat gives chocolate cake a moist crumb. Using oil,
as I did in this recipe lets you chill the cake without having to worry about it
hardening. Fluffiness comes from using the right amount of leavening agent;
too much and the cake will collapse, too little and it will be dense.

If you head over to my German Chocolate Cake post you will see another way
to get a moist and fluffy crumb; creaming the butter and sugar coupled with
whipping egg whites until they reach the soft peak stage then folding them into
the batter.

HOW DO YOU MAKE IT MOIST FROM SCRATCH?

Use a nice quality cocoa powder, fresh ingredients and remember to balance the
sweetness with a bit of salt. Follow the recipe below for the most moist and fluffy
chocolate cake imaginable.

Don’t over bake your layers! Watch the batter and remove from oven when the
centers spring back when pressed lightly and the edge starts pulling away from the
pan.

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WHY DO PEOPLE PUT COFFEE IN?

Coffee brings out and amplifies the chocolate flavor in baked goods like cake and
cupcakes. Add ing a little bit will make things taste more “chocolatey” without
giving a coffee flavor. Adding a LOT of coffee will create a mocha flavor. If you
would like to omit the coffee from this recipe just substitute for warm water or milk.
I’ve done this and the cake still tastes great! Just a little toned down in my opinion.

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WHAT’S THE BEST FROSTING TO USE?

I love an chocolate American buttercream. The cocoa powder and bittersweet

chocolate along with a nice dose of salt really balances out the sugar and
creates a decadent flavor explosion!

If you like things less sweet and maybe a bit more subtle then you should try a
meringue-based frosting like Swiss or Italian buttercream. The consistency is
VERY light and creamy with not too much sugar. If you haven’t made Swiss
meringue buttercream before check out my FULL tutorial with a how to video
that walks you through all the steps and shows you what to do when things go
wrong!

WHAT KIND OF COCOA POWDER SHOULD YOU USE?

I love using a high-quality Dutch processed cocoa powder. Dutch processed cocoa
powder is darker, less acidic and fudgier in baked goods. You’ll usually get less rise
out of it though. My go to company is Valrhona but there are lots of great brands
out there, including Guittard, Callebaut, Ghirardelli and lots of organic and fair trade
options too!

PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE

If you find cake decorating to be a bit intimidating then check out my How to
Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.

To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can
buy a set on the shop page or make your own from foil and paper towels at
home. I made a whole blog post on it so check it out if you’re interested!

The batter is very liquidy so while it will be AMAZINGLY MOIST the cook time
will be longer than your average chocolate cake.

Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most
common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a
scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into
your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.

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