Dark Cocoa Cake

This dark cocoa cake is rich, ultra-moist, and deeply chocolaty with an great dark cocoa flavor. It’s easy to make, perfectly tender, and ideal for birthdays, layer cakes, or anytime you’re craving a bold chocolate dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword avocado frosting, chocolate cake, cocoa powder, dairy-free, dairy-free cakes, gluten-free cake, gluten-free desserts, healthy cakes, healthy chocolate cake, vegan cakes, vegan desserts, whole wheat desserts, whole wheat flour, whole wheat recipes

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 26

Total Time 2

Servings slices

Calories 440kcal

Author Erin Dooner

Ingredients

Cake

2 cups granulated sugar or coconut sugar
1 3/4 cups flour see notes
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temp 50 grams each, out of shell, or 2 chia eggs for vegan (see notes)
1 cup milk of choice room temp
1/2 cup neutral oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup boiling water not a typo!

Buttercream

3 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk of choice plus an additional 1-2 tbsp, if needed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the cake layers

Preheat to 350 °F (175 °C). Line 2 round 8" cake pans with parchment paper on the bottom and then grease the sides of the pans.
In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2 cups granulated sugar, 1 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.
2 large eggs, room temp, 1 cup milk of choice, 1/2 cup neutral oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix for 2 minutes on medium and then stir in the boiling water. The batter will be almost as thin as water.
3/4 cup boiling water
Divide the batter between the two pans. That’s 680 grams per pan (or 692 grams when using Bob’s GF flour).
Bake for 26-29 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with some moist crumbs, but no uncooked liquid.
Let cool completely before frosting, about 1 hour. The unfrosted cake layers can remain at room temperature for up to 2 days, or they can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

Make the buttercream

Whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl until the mixture is well combined. Set this aside for later.
3 cups powdered sugar, 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
In a separate large bowl, or using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until it's completely smooth.
1 cup unsalted butter
Lower the mixer speed and add the vanilla extract along with 1/3 cup of milk.
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1/3 cup milk of choice
With the mixer still on low, slowly incorporate the powdered sugar and cocoa mix. Continue mixing until a cohesive frosting begins to form.
Increase the mixer speed to medium-high. If the texture is too stiff, add more milk a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency (I used an extra tablespoon). The frosting is ready to use immediately. This recipe yields 3 cups + 3 tablespoons (767 grams), which is plenty for the cake.

Assemble the cake

If your cakes are very domed on top and you think they'll look bad (I've never had to do this), use a long serrated knife to carefully shave off the domes so each layer is perfectly flat.
Set your first layer onto a stand or plate and spread an even, smooth layer of buttercream across the top - about 1 cup. Stack the second layer on top, then use an icing spatula or a bench scraper to coat the entire cake.
Top with mini chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles.

How to store

Cover and refrigerate the finished cake for up to 2 days (if you use a non-avocado based frosting, it'll last another 3 days). It also freezes great for up to 3 months.

Notes

Flour - you can use all-purpose, white whole wheat, whole wheat flour. For a gluten-free version, use 1 3/4 cups (242 grams) Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour or 1 3/4 cups (219 grams) King Arthur Flour Gluten-free Measure for Measure Flour.
To make this cake vegan - use chia eggs in place of regular eggs, plant-based milk, and vegan butter in the buttercream. For the chia eggs, mix together 2 tablespoons of ground chia seed with 6 tablespoons of water until well combined. Let sit for about 1-2 minutes or until goopy like regular eggs.
To make this cake dairy-free - use dairy-free milk and butter.
If you want to pipe some frosting on top like in the photos, use Wilton Tip 1M and use these amounts for the buttercream (it's 1.25x the recipe): 3 3/4 cups (450 grams) powdered sugar, 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon (108 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, a generous 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 1/4 cups (281 grams) unsalted butter, softened, 1 tablespoon + 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/3 cup + 4 teaspoons milk, plus an additional 1–2 tablespoons if needed.
The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.

Adapted from Hershey's One Bowl Chocolate Cake.

Nutrition