Skip to main content

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting


Chocolate cake is my forever favourite. It’s the dessert I turn to for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, or even just a quiet afternoon at home. Rich, simple, and comforting, it has a way of making any moment feel special. Sometimes I bake it to celebrate, and sometimes I bake it simply because I want a slice of happiness.

Until the 1830s and 1840s, chocolate was enjoyed mainly as a drink. Early versions of chocolate cake were much lighter, made with less sugar and cocoa, and more flour—closer to what we might think of today as a breakfast bread. It wasn’t until the 1940s that recipes began to evolve into the rich, decadent cakes we know now, with generous amounts of cocoa and sugar creating their signature flavour.

Did you know that chocolate cake and brownies aren’t quite the same? Both are rich, chocolaty, and delicious, but their differences go beyond size. While some might think of brownies as a smaller version of cake, the ingredients set them apart.
Cakes typically use baking powder or baking soda, along with about twice as much flour and less cocoa. Brownies, on the other hand, skip the leavening agents and rely on more cocoa for their dense, fudgy texture. These small changes in ingredients make a big difference, giving each treat its own unique flavour and feel.

Brownies were the very first treat I baked, and they’ll always hold a special place in my kitchen. You can find my Fudgy Brownie recipe right here on the blog.

Let’s set the history aside and get straight to baking a delicious chocolate cake. This recipe is quick, easy, and guaranteed to brighten any day. I like to add a touch of coffee to the batter—it enhances the chocolate flavour beautifully, since coffee and chocolate are the perfect pair. Don’t worry if you’re not a coffee fan; you won’t taste it at all. And if you prefer, you can simply leave it out.

So, here’s the recipe:


Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter 
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup hot coffee
 
Method:
  • Preheat oven to180°C. Grease and flour a 10-inch round pan.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the room temp butter and the brown and granulated sugar. Beat on medium for about two minutes.
  • In another bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, vanilla, milk and eggs. (You’ll add the coffee later.) Set aside.
  • Now you’ll add in your dry and liquid ingredients alternately. Take a third of the flour mixture and add into the butter and sugar mixture. Beat  on low/medium just until combined.
  • Add in half the liquid ingredients (not the coffee yet) and beat on medium just until combined. 
  • Add in the next third of the flour mixture, mix, then the second half of the liquid mixture and mix just until combined. Now add in the last third of the flour mixture and beat just until combined.
  • Add in the hot coffee and mix until well combined. Don’t over mix. Once it’s combined, stop mixing. You don’t want to mix for several minutes, that’s too long.
  • Pour into prepared pan and bake at 180°C for approximately 35 to 40 minutes. 
  • Set on a wire rack to cool for about ten minutes, then turn out the cake onto the racks and remove the pan to cool completely. 
And just like that, your chocolate cake is ready. This recipe is wonderfully versatile—you can even use it to make moist chocolate muffins, perfect for a quick treat or to share with friends. For an extra touch of indulgence, finish the cake with a generous layer of chocolate buttercream, and every bite will feel like a celebration.



Chocolate Buttercream frosting recipe

Ingredients
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
¾ cup heavy cream

Method:
Add the room temperature butter and the cocoa to a mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium until creamy.
Sift the confectioners’ sugar and add to the butter and cocoa mixture, then add in the vanilla, salt and half of the heavy cream.
Mix on medium until creamy and scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl.
Add the second half of the heavy cream and mix again, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Turn your mixer on high and whip for about 5 minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
Add to a cooled cake or cupcakes. Can be used as a filling for cakes or cupcakes as well.

So, there you have it—chocolate cake is more than dessert; it’s comfort, celebration, and joy in every slice. Whether for a special occasion or simply to sweeten an ordinary day, this recipe brings happiness to the table.
Give it a try—and celebrate every slice.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crunchy Veggie salad with a thousand island dressing

A salad is one such dish which consists of small pieces of food mixed with a sauce. It may contain virtually any type of ready to eat food. What I like about salads is that we can be so creative with the ingredients which is based around a wide variety of foods like vegetables, fruits, cooked meat, eggs, nuts and leafy greens. Garden salads use a base of leafy greens like lettuce, arugula, kale or spinach; they are common enough that the word salad alone often refers specifically to garden salads.  Other types include Mexican bean salad, tuna salad, Lebanese fattoush, Greek salad, Thai Raw Papaya Salad and Japanese somen salad (a noodle-based salad). The sauce used to flavor a salad is commonly called a salad dressing; well-known types include Ranch, Thousand Island, Caesar and French vinaigrette. Salads can be served at any point during a meal such as an appetiser or side dish or as a main course.  Food historians tell us salads (generally defined as mixed green...
Post a Comment
Read more

Christmas Fruit Cake—Because It’s Not Christmas Without It!

♪ It's the most wonderful time of the year ♪  When December arrives, that’s the melody that plays in my head. Christmas is perhaps the most widely celebrated holiday across the world, shaped by centuries of both religious devotion and secular customs. At its heart, Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, observed on December 25th in most nations. Yet the festivities begin weeks earlier, filling homes and streets with vibrant lights, stars, and beautifully decorated Christmas trees. Many families also create a small manger scene to honor the nativity. The season is alive with carols sung in joy, kitchens bustling with homemade treats, and hearts open to generosity. Known as the “season of giving,” Christmas inspires people to exchange gifts with loved ones and extend kindness to those in need. On Christmas Day itself, traditions often include wearing new clothes, attending church services, lighting fireworks, and gathering for a grand feast with family. It is a tim...
Post a Comment
Read more

Jaipur - Lost in the Pink City, Leaving Footprints Where Royalty Once Tread

We recently took a short vacation to Jaipur, and I still find myself mesmerized by its beauty. Often hailed as one of Rajasthan’s most enchanting destinations, Jaipur captivates with its charm and magnificence. Famously known as the Pink City , it owes its name to the striking pink sandstone buildings that line its streets, creating an atmosphere that feels both regal and welcoming. Jaipur is a city that overwhelms and enchants in equal measure. Its bustling streets pulse with energy—markets brimming with vibrant textiles and jewellery, majestic palaces and forts rising in grandeur, and a kaleidoscope of colourful people weaving through the chaos alongside cows, pigeons, and rickshaws. Every corner offers a sensory feast, with aromas of rich delicacies tempting your taste buds and leaving you utterly captivated. Jaipur means city of victory. The city is named after the king Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who left the city of Amber and founded a new capital in the 18th century. When t...
Post a Comment
Read more