Death by chocolate cake
This cake is for serious chocolate lovers! There are layers of chocolate cake, a chocolate caramel fudge sauce, a decadent chocolate frosting, and more chocolate on top.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 and ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 and ½ cups brown sugar packed
- 2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour NOT packed
- 1 and ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 and ¼ teaspoons salt
- 3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 and ½ cups milk
- ⅓ cup full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ¾ cup vegetable oil can substitute with melted coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 and ½ cups hot water
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Chocolate frosting
- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter very soft
- 4 and ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream more if needed
- 2 Tablespoons hot fudge sauce store-bought or homemade (see note below)
Toppings
- 1 cup hot fudge sauce see note below
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate shaved
- 1 and ½ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
Make the cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Generously grease and line three 9" round baking pans and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer set over low speed, mix together the sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate medium sized bowl, mix together the eggs, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract. Mix well until uniform.
- With the mixer still on low speed, slowly pour in the egg mixture until everything just comes together. Slowly stream in the water. Your batter will be very thin. Add in the chocolate chips and mix until combined.
- Evenly divide the batter into your prepared baking pans. Bake in your preheated oven for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (do not over bake your cake).
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting
- In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, cream the butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Be careful or else you will get powdered sugar and cocoa powder EVERYWHERE (yes, I am speaking from experience).
- Turn the mixer to medium speed and add in the vanilla, salt and cream until smooth. If your frosting appears too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it appears too thick, add more cream.
Assemble your cake
- If your cakes are domed, trim off the bumpy portion with a serrated (bread) knife. Eat the leftover bits! Place one of the cakes, flat side down, on a cake plate or cake stand.
- Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting on top. Then add about ½ cup of the hot fudge sauce on top. Repeat with the remaining cake layers. Make sure that the top layer of cake has the flat side facing UP so you get a nice even top layer.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator for an hour to chill.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with the frosting. Add chocolate shavings on the top of the cake and garnish with additional chocolate chips. You can also press some chocolate chips into the side of the cake if desired.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
For the hot fudge sauce, I used this recipe. You can always use store-bought if you like.
Leftover cake should be covered and stored in the refrigerator and will last several days.
Source: Baker By Nature