Ingredients
Cake layers
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 350 g granulated sugar
- 75 g natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs About 100 g without shells.
- 240 ml whole milk
- 120 ml neutral vegetable oil About 110 g.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 240 ml hot water Hot, not vigorously boiling.
Chocolate buttercream
- 225 g unsalted butter Softened, not melted.
- 350 g powdered sugar Sifted.
- 45 g unsweetened cocoa powder Sifted.
- 60 ml whole milk Add gradually as needed.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
- Two 9-inch round cake pans At least 2 inches deep.
- Kitchen scale
- Mixing bowls and whisk
- Hand mixer
- Wire cooling racks
- Offset spatula
Instructions
Bake the layers
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round pans and line their bottoms with parchment. Whisk flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk just until smooth, scraping the bowl. Slowly whisk in the hot water until evenly combined. The batter will be thin; do not add extra flour.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake on the middle rack for 30–35 minutes, checking at 30 minutes. A toothpick in the center should emerge without wet batter, with a few moist crumbs acceptable. Continue a few minutes if needed.
- Cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Loosen the edges, turn the cakes onto racks, remove the parchment and cool completely, about 75 minutes more. Do not frost warm cake.
Frost and serve
- Beat the softened butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cocoa in several additions on low speed. Add vanilla and the milk gradually, then beat until smooth and spreadable. Use only enough milk to reach a soft frosting consistency.
- Place one cooled layer on a plate. Spread an even layer of buttercream on top, add the second layer, and cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Slice into 16 portions.
- Cover and refrigerate. Use within 3–4 days. Let individual slices soften briefly before serving; do not leave the cake out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).
Nutrition
Calories: 428kcal
Video
Notes
Calories are an approximate ingredient-weight calculation per one of sixteen slices, including all the frosting, using standard USDA food-composition values for flour, sugar, cocoa, eggs, milk, oil and butter. Different cocoa and dairy brands alter the estimate. Optional berries are excluded.
Planning cost basis for the amounts used: flour and leavening about $1, sugars $2, cocoa $2–3, eggs and milk $1–2, butter $2–3, oil and vanilla $1–2. This is an estimated ingredient allowance, not a store price quote.
Contains wheat, eggs and milk. Use natural unsweetened cocoa in the cake. The cake batter is intentionally thin after adding hot water.
Video companion: Preppy Kitchen demonstrates a chocolate layer cake with chocolate buttercream. His proportions and pan details differ; use the written quantities, two 9-inch pans and doneness cues here.