We love the Triple Layer Chocolate Cake. Moisty, with a light texture and exceptionally rich with the chocolate buttercream frosting on top, this cake is the perfect dessert for celebrations like birthdays, anniversaries and family get togethers. A decadent cake to impress your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day. Versatile, as you can also make it with two layers or as a simple sheet cake. What else do you need?
Let’s make it!
🎂🍰 What is a Cake?
Cake is a sweet food, most often baked, that contains flour, sugar, eggs, and butter or another fat. Cakes come in various flavors, shapes, and sizes and are often leavened with baking powder or baking soda. Derived from the Old Norse word Kaka and entered the Middle English spelled Cake as it is today.
A cheesecake? Try this one
Why we love 💕 the Triple Layer Chocolate Cake
- We love rich chocolate and the softness of the buttercream on top
- This cake is both light and rich, fluffy, and buttery – the best of both cake worlds!
- It is so versatile: you can make it as a two-layer cake or just a sheet cake
- The cake to impress everybody!
What you need to make the Triple Layer Chocolate Cake
- 3 8-inch round cake pans
- parchment paper
- 3 large mixing bowls
- a hand mixer
- all the ingredients, from your favorite brands. For the unsweetened cocoa, we used the Valrhona Pure Cocoa Powder
🕐How to make the Triple Layer Chocolate Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350F degrees and prepare 3 8-inch round cake pans
- Frist in a large bowl, cream butter and sugar; then add eggs. They need to be nicely blended so the batter to be fluffy
- Mix dry ingredients together -flour, baking powder, and baking soda-in a separate bowl
- Finally, prepare the chocolate mixture: in another bowl, pour boiling water into the unsweetened cocoa powder. Whisk well and here you are, the chocolate mixture is ready!
- Now combine all three – the creamed batter, the dry ingredients, and the chocolate mixture. Don’t overmix the batter
- Divide the cake batter between the three 8-inch round cake pans and bake for 22 – 28 minutes
- Once done, remove from oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes before transferring the cakes from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely, 10-15 more minutes
🧈How to make the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
You can’t have a Triple Chocolate Layer Cake without Chocolate Buttercream. Here is how to make it:
- First you mix unsalted butter and unsweetened cocoa powder until they get well blended
- Add the powdered sugar and continue beating at low speed until the sugar is combined with the butter and cocoa mix
- If you want, you can add milk and vanilla and mix well until you get the perfect consistency
Did you make this? Capture a snapshot of your dessert and share it with us on Instagram by tagging @theistravels or using the hashtag #wedesserts. We can’t wait to admire your creation!
❓FAQs about the Triple Layer Chocolate Cake
We answer all your questions here
What is a Layer Cake?
We have the scoop in our Classic White Layer Cake recipe, and you can get it here
How can I store the Triple Layer Chocolate Cake?
A frosted cake can be kept at room temperature for 4-5 days. You can cover it with a cake keeper to protect it from dust or dirt.
You can also store your cakes (unfrosted) in the fridge. Cover cakes with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge. They will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. Once in the fridge, cake layers are cold and sturdier so easier to frost.
Can I make this cake flourless?
Yes, you can but you will need a different recipe with different amounts and possibly some added ingredients. We plan to make it soon so watch this space!
Can I replace the regular butter with oil or a plant-based butter?
Each time you decided to replace ingredients in a recipe and use substitutions, you may succeed but the consistency and texture will not be the same. That applies for plant-based butters.
Many recipes use oil instead of butter for this triple layer cake. However, as oil does not have the creaminess of the butter, they add buttermilk in the recipe.
What is a naked cake?
A naked cake has completely bare sides with no frosting. It’s a simple cake that is also pretty. It is known as bare cake.
Enjoy the recipe below. Tell us what you think in the comments and rate it too! Follow us on 📌Pinterest here
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Triple Layer Chocolate Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake
- 2½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2¼ cups boiling water
For the chocolate buttercream frosting
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 16 ounces powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
Instructions
TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 3 8” round cake pans, then line bottom with round parchment paper. Set aside
- Cream the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt
- Mix the cocoa powder and boiling water in a bowl until well combined and no lumps remain
- Alternating between the two, slowly add dry ingredients and chocolate mixture to the bowl with the butter and sugar. Mix on low speed to include all ingredients
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the three cake pans and place in the pre-heated oven. Bake 22-28 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean
- Remove from oven and set aside to cool for approximately 10 minutes before transferring the cakes from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely, approximately 10-15 more minutes.
- To assemble the cake, place the first layer top-side down on a cake plate. Add 1/3 of the frosting to the top of the cake layer and spread it out evenly
- Take the second layer and level off the rounded top with a knife or cake leveler. Place the second layer on top of the first layer, top-side down. Add frosting to this layer and spread out evenly
- Repeat this with the 3rd layer and spread the remaining frosting out on the top layer. Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!
TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- Mix the butter and cocoa powder in a large bowl until well blended
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low-speed until all of the sugar is combined
- If you wish, stir in milk and vanilla extract to reach desired consistency.
Notes
- Cakes should no longer be warm to the touch before frosting
- If you want, you can add powdered espresso coffee to the cocoa mixture or half cup of made coffee for a grown-up added flavor
- We would like to use both salted and unsalted butter – 1 part salted and 2 parts unsalted for a different flavor. In this case, we wouldn’t have used salt at all in the recipe
- For the buttercream frosting, you can easily skip the milk if you wish
- Many recipes use oil instead of butter claiming that the cocoa powder is dry enough to absorb the oil. We disagree as the entire cake is exceptionally rich with the frosting. The oil will make it oily and unnecessarily richer
- You can use the same recipe to make a Two Layer Chocolate Cake, but you will have to scale down on the ingredient amounts used (by 1/3).
Nutrition
