Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe - The New York Times

Updated June 24, 2024

Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

This classic chocolate layer cake is big enough for a celebration but can be easily made with pantry staples and a hand mixer. The cake layers are deeply chocolatey, fluffy and even tastier if you make them the day before you plan to eat the cake. They also bake up nice and flat so you don’t have to bother with trimming. The sour cream makes the cake layers nice and plush, and adds a bit of tanginess to the American-style buttercream made with confectioners’ sugar, a hefty dose of cocoa powder, vanilla and plenty of salt to balance the flavor. Cover the cake with swoops and swirls of buttercream, and top with sprinkles, if you like. 

Learn: How to Frost a Cake

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Ingredients

Yield:12 to 16 servings

For The  Cake

• ¾cup/180 milliliters neutral oil (like canola or grapeseed), plus more for greasing the pans
• 2¼cups/450 grams granulated sugar
• 2cups/256 grams all-purpose flour
• 1¼cups/110 grams cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
• 1½teaspoons baking powder
• 1½teaspoons baking soda
• 1½teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1cup/240 grams sour cream
• 3large eggs
• 1tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1cup/240 milliliters prepared hot coffee

For the Chocolate Buttercream

• 1½cups/340 grams unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3¾cups/450 grams confectioners’ sugar, sifted if lumpy
• 1½cups/140 grams cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
• ¼cup/60 grams sour cream
• ¼cup/60 milliliters lukewarm milk, plus more as needed
• 1tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¾teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond crystal)
• Sprinkles (optional), for decorating

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (14 servings)

711 calories; 39 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 92 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 67 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 455 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

1. Make the cake: Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease two 9-inch baking pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until well combined and no lumps remain.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the ¾ cup/150 grams oil with the sour cream, eggs and vanilla.

4. Add the sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer, mix on low until the dry ingredients are moistened, then turn the mixer to medium-high and mix for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl halfway through. Carefully fold the coffee into the batter using a flexible spatula.

5. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans and tap them on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Set the pans on a wire rack and let the cakes cool for about 20 minutes. Next, run a thin knife around the edges of the pan and carefully turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely. (You may have to tap the pans gently on the rack to release each cake.)

6. While the cakes bake, clean the mixing bowl and make the buttercream: Add the butter to the bowl and mix on medium-high until smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract and salt. Mix on low until the sugar and cocoa are moistened, then turn the speed up to medium-high and whip until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes, adding a bit more milk (1 teaspoon at a time) if necessary to make a smooth and light buttercream. Scrape the bowl occasionally to ensure that the buttercream is evenly mixed. Taste and add a bit more salt if desired. (The buttercream can be kept at room temperature while the cake finishes baking and cooling.)

7. Assemble the cake: Just before frosting the cake, stir the buttercream vigorously with a flexible spatula to knock out any large air bubbles. (This will help to make the final buttercream smooth.) Add a small spoonful of buttercream to a serving plate or cardboard cake round and place one layer of cake on top, puffed-side down. Spread about 1 heaping cup of buttercream evenly over the top of the cake. Place the second layer on top of the buttercream, puffed-side down, and press gently. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the top and sides of the cake (be careful not to transfer crumbs back into the bowl of frosting), then refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, about 30 minutes.

8. Spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake and top with sprinkles, if using.

9. Store the cake at room temperature for up to 4 days. Use a hot, clean and dry knife for the tidiest slices.

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