Double Chocolate Layer Cake

Layers of made-from-scratch chocolate cake meet the easiest ever 5-minute chocolate frosting in this decadent double layer cake. Both parts are easy, can be made-ahead, travel well, and are a total crowd-pleaser!

I'm starting with a series of basic cake and cupcake recipes and this is the first one. Who doesn't need a great recipe for chocolate cake and chocolate frosting? We all do, right?

This is a simple recipe with a great flavor, good moistness that also keeps well. A well rounded type of chocolate cake that comes together easily since it uses oil instead of the classic butter, so it's easier to make.

Main ingredients

• Cocoa powder: use unsweetened, the best you can afford. Good quality does make a difference
• Chocolate: semisweet is my first choice, between 60 and 72% (cocoa solids). Chocolate chips that melt can also be used, or a higher % if you like a less sweet cake.
• Coffee or water: I strongly encourage you to use coffee. The cake will be richer, with a deeper chocolate flavor. But water works too. Just make sure it's very, very hot so it can melt the chocolate pieces.
• Oil: I like sunflower, but coconut, canola, or even olive oil work.
• Sugar: brown sugar is wonderful in chocolate cakes because it adds moistness and a caramel undertone. But you can use white sugar if that's all you have.
• Flavorings: I use vanilla (and there's also the coffee). But you can add other flavorings such as ground cinnamon, or almond extract or even coffee extract if you use water.

The links to my favorite ingredients are in the Notes in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Simple steps

Chocolate mix: this is similar to a devil's food cake, so we start with a mixture resembling hot chocolate. This will be the liquid part of the cake. It's important to add the coffee very hot and let stand a little bit to give the chocolate time to melt (images below).

Cake batter: this is a simple cake that require beating one ingredient after the other. Since it uses oil (instead of butter) you don't to pay much attention to the creaming in the beginning, simply mix the oil, sugar (image below, left) and then the eggs followed by the chocolate mixture, dry ingredients and sour cream.

After adding the flour always beat cake batters only until well mixed. Be careful not to overbeat them as this will make them tougher and drier after baked.

Vintage Kitchen Tip

Filling and frosting

I love using our super easy chocolate frosting both as a filling and frosting for this cake. It's easy to make, can be made ahead, and it makes this a double chocolate decadent cake, the type we all love!

Here is the recipe for the 5-minute Easy Chocolate Frosting that I know you'll love!

This frosting recipe makes enough for filling and frosting a 9-inch two layer cake. And you can use it as soon as it's mixed, no need to wait until it thickens.

Spread the filling as evenly as possible leaving half an inch or so of unfilled cake. So when you cover it with the top round and press slightly, the filling will fill the edges and level out.

Other fillings

• Dulce de leche: if you never tried a simple chocolate cake filled with this amazing sweet milk jam, you're missing out, big time!
• White chocolate ganache: this filling can be used by itself or with some peppermint extract for a more festive cake. The recipe can be found in the Triple Brownie Cake post.
• Whipped cream: another simple filling that can be whipped in a few minutes. Find the recipe in the Black Forest Tart post.

I frost it with a metal spatula and do a swirl with it. Nothing fancy.

But you can use a piping bag and make any pattern or drawing you want. Depending on where you're serving it.

Storing

As with most cakes, this one can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for a month or more. Always make sure the layers are well wrapped and they're situated in a flat surface in the freezer; otherwise they will not keep their shape.

You can find more info in the post about Freezer Baking & Desserts.

For eating it, I like it at room t° because the flavors are mellower and have more depth at the same time.

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Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it, and also if you had issues, so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here, it's much appreciated.
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