Get the Recipe: My Best Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe
This chocolate birthday cake is made with three layers of the moistest, lightest chocolate cake you will ever taste. The recipe is almost one bowl, and only requires two bowls and a whisk to bring the batter together. The cake is then covered with a creamy, luscious, and fudgy chocolate cream cheese frosting that will be a hit at any birthday!
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 3 cups (12 ounces or 340 grams) cake flour
- 3 cups (21 ounces or 595 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons (3.35 ounces or 95 grams) cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
- 1 Tablespoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups (12 ounces or 340 grams) buttermilk, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (6 ounces or 170 grams) canola oil
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (12 ounces or 340 grams) freshly made and still very hot coffee
For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces or 227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (6 ounces or 170 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (3 ounces or 85 grams) cocoa powder
- 4 teaspoons light corn syrup
- 7 cups (28 ounces or 794 grams) confectioners' sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 Tablespoons (3 ounces or 85 grams) whole milk, at room temperature
Assembly
- sprinkles, for garnish
Instructions
For the Chocolate Birthday Cake
- First, make the chocolate cakes. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray three 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottom of each with a parchment paper circle. Spray the parchment, too.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Whisk the wet ingredients, then mix in the dry ingredients and coffee. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients until just combined. Slowly pour in the coffee. The batter will be fairly runny; use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Use the rubber spatula to finish mixing until smooth and well combined, 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Divide the cake batter between the pans. Divide the batter evenly between the pans; if using a digital scale to measure out layers, note that this recipe makes around 72 ounces (2041 grams) of batter—pour 24 ounces (680 grams) of batter into each cake pan.
- Bake and cool the cakes. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. When done, the top of the cake should bounce back when gently pressed and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake should come out with a few crumbs attached. Cool completely in the pans on a wire rack before frosting.
For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Beat on medium-low until soft and creamy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.With the mixer on low, add the cocoa powder and corn syrup. Beat on medium until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar and salt. Beat until combined, then add the milk and beat until just incorporated.Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl once more, then beat on medium-high until the frosting is creamy and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Use immediately.
Assembly
- Prep the cake layers for assembly. If necessary, level the top of the cakes. Place one of the cake layers on a cake board or serving platter in the center of a rotating cake stand. This will be the first layer of the cake.
- Build the layers. Use a rubber spatula or cookie dough scoop to drop a slightly heaping ½ cup of the frosting in the middle of the first cake layer. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly all over the top, just like you would spread butter on toast. Place the second cake on top of this frosting, stacking it evenly on top of the first layer. Use the rubber spatula or cookie dough scoop to drop another ½ cup of the frosting in the middle of this cake layer. Spread it evenly all over the top. Finally, place the third cake on top of this layer, stacking it evenly on top of the first two cakes.
- Next, crumb coat the cake. Use the offset spatula to cover the surface of the entire layer cake with a thin layer of frosting. Use just enough frosting to cover the entire cake completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes to stiffen and "set" the frosting.
- After the crumb coat sets, finish frosting the cake. Transfer about ¼ to ⅓ cup of the remaining frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Use the offset spatula to cover the cake with the remaining frosting. Once the cake is completely covered, hold the twines of a fork against the frosting as you rotate the cake stand to smoothen it. Alternatively, you can use the offset spatula to create swirls or patterned lines in the frosting.
- Decorate the cake. Use the piping bag to pipe a border around the top edge of the cake—doing so results in an empty circle in the middle of the frosting. Fill the circle with sprinkles.
- Serve and store. Serve immediately. The assembled chocolate birthday cake can be stored at room temperature, under a cake dome or a large bowl turned upside down, for up to 1 day. Press a sheet of plastic wrap against any cut surfaces to prevent the cake from drying out. After that, cover the entire cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Notes
Can you freeze the chocolate birthday cake?
Yes! You can freeze the cake in the following ways:Freeze the baked, unfrosted chocolate cake layers and the frosting.
Follow the recipe instructions for making and baking the chocolate cake layers. Once the layers have cooled, tightly wrap each cake layer in its own individual sheet of plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. To use in the recipe, there’s no need to thaw the cakes! Simply set the cake layers out on the counter 20 minutes before assembling the cake. Use in the recipe as directed. You can also freeze the chocolate cream cheese frosting. Follow the recipe instructions to make the frosting. Transfer to a ziptop bag and squeeze any extra air out of the bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To use in this recipe, transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight the day before assembling the cake. Then, thaw at room temperature to soften. Beat on medium-high in a stand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes to make it creamy again. Use in the recipe as directed.Freeze any leftover slices of chocolate birthday cake.
Tightly wrap any leftover slices of cake in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Rewarm for 10 to 20 second intervals in the microwave until room temperature. Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!