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homemade chocolate birthday cake
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Best Ever Homemade Chocolate Cake

Homemade Chocolate Birthday Cake is indulgent and moist, made from scratch and ready in under 45 minutes! 
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 607kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups pastry flour
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons extra dark cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup strong black coffee, cooled I used Green Mountain's Dark Magic
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For The Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened (but not melted!)
  • 3 ½ cups cups confectioners sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoon milk or heavy cream

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, combine the sugar, flour, cocoas, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  • Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes. The resulting batter will be thin.
  • Pour batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans and cooling completely on wire racks.
  • Frost as desired.

To Make The Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • In a stand mix with the paddle attachment on, cream butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes. You may need to scrape down the sides once. Turn off the mixer.
  • Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter.
  • Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Notes

If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk/cream 1 tablespoon at a time.

Nutrition

Calories: 607kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 549mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 69g | Vitamin A: 624IU | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg