Chocolate Birthday Layer Cake
A rich, moist Chocolate Birthday Layer Cake with fudgy buttercream, perfect for indulgent celebrations. This easy chocolate cake recipe delivers decadent flavor for any party.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: 2 cups 240g
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: ¾ cup 65g, Dutch-processed preferred
- Baking powder: 1 ½ tsp
- Baking soda: ½ tsp
- Salt: ½ tsp
- Unsalted butter: ¾ cup 170g, softened
- Granulated sugar: 1 ¾ cups 350g
- Large eggs: 3 room temperature
- Pure vanilla extract: 1 tbsp
- Buttermilk: 1 cup 240ml, room temperature
- For Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
- Unsalted butter: 1 cup 225g, softened
- Powdered sugar: 4 cups 480g
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: ½ cup 45g
- Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
- Milk: 2-3 tbsp
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C); grease and line two 8-inch pans.
- Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
- Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing until just combined.
- Divide batter; bake 28-32 minutes until toothpick clean.
- Cool 10 minutes in pans, then on rack.
- For frosting: Beat butter, add powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, milk; frost and garnish.
Equipment
- Two 8-inch round cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Electric mixer or whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Cooling rack
- Cake leveler (optional)