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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.
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
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
(3 LAYER CAKE) Simple Chocolate Birthday Cake with Whipped Chocolate Buttercream.
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
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
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 is the best Chocolate Cake ever!
My Daughter ask for it every year for her birthday. One question: Can I make the frosting the night before and keep it in the fridge?
Hey Stephanie,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for choosing to make this recipe, love to hear it was enjoyed!
Yes, you can definitely make the frosting and keep in the fridge:)
Baked up perfectly! It is so rich and chocolatey, moist and delicious! A chocolate cake was requested from a family member for a birthday, and I am looking forward to sharing this!
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback after trying this recipe—happy to hear it was a win.
Delicious! Turned out great. As with all the recipes that call for coffee I subbed in pero a barley drink that has a similar smell to coffee, turned out great.
Hey Rebecca,
Happy Sunday! I’m thrilled this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and taking the time to comment!
This cake was delightful. It is now a go-to Birthday cake at our house!
Thank you Teagan!
Hey Verena,
Thanks for giving this recipe a whirl, I’m so glad it turned out nicely. Have a great Thursday!
AWESOME! I rarely post reviews but this was great! I also loved the vanilla Birthday Cake too!!
Hi Jenny! Thank you so much for trying out this cake! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Have a great week! xT
Hi! Can I use vegetable oil instead of canola oil? Thanks!
Hi Jess! Yes, that’s no problem at all! xT
The absolute best chocolate cake, just wow!! And super easy to make. Thanks for sharing this recipe Tieghan ❤️
Hey Cristina,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a bunch for giving it a try!
Holy DECADENCE!! This cake is both easy and delicious! Truly chocolatey, moist and so rich. Another home run recipe from Half Baked Harvest; my go to recipe source for all things sweet!
Hey Amy,
Thanks so much! So glad to hear this recipe was a hit, I appreciate you making it! Have a great Friday! xxT
Planning to make this to celebrate a birthday! Is there a substitute for the buttermilk that can be used, and can I use 8X8 square pans instead without altering bake time? Thanks!
Hi Nicole,
You could use another milk that you enjoy, but I highly recommend the buttermilk. Yes, the 8 inch square pans will work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe! xT
Rich and delicious!! This was a hit at the birthday celebration!
This is like a giant cylinder brownie and I am obsessed. I do wish I had left the chocolate chips out, but it’s soooooooo good. The coffee really gave it that rich taste, I was surprised!
Hey Rebekah,
Thank you so much! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, I appreciate you making it! Happy Thanksgiving! xx
If I used cake flour instead of ap would that work okay in this?
Hi Jo,
Sure, that should work nicely for you. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Hi! I’m making this for my son’s birthday – is there anything I can substitute for the black coffee? Can’t wait to try the recipe!
Hi Lexie,
You bet, you can use water in place of the coffee. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Birthday to your son! xT
Making this for my nephew!
Curious about storage?!
Should it go in the fridge once it’s frosted??
Hey Rebecc,
You can keep in an airtight container on the counter:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Would it be possible to do in 9 x 13 pan? Approx cook time?
Hey Julie,
Sure, that would work well for you! I would bake 30-35 minutes. I hope you love this recipe! xT
This is THE BEST chocolate cake with frosting ever. I made the first time as a cupcake form and send them with my husband to his work. Now I have to make it every couple of months That’s just because I don’t want to make it every month. Thank you for wonderful recipes.
Hey Phae,
Wonderful! So glad to hear this recipe always turns out well for you, thanks for making it so often! Xx