Triple Chocolate Cake
This gorgeous triple chocolate cake recipe packs a punch with three kinds of chocolate and an indulgent, but surprisingly, not overly sweet chocolate buttercream frosting. Delish!
Quick steps on how to make this triple chocolate cake:
Ingredients in this chocolate cake recipe:
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- special dark cocoa powder ( we like Hersey’s Special Dark)
- semi sweet baking chocolate squares
- baking soda, baking powder
- cinnamon
- kosher salt
- sea salt
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
- pasteurized fresh eggs
- unsalted butter- * see my favorite brands below
- hot brewed coffee
- buttermilk
- canola oil
Equipment needed for this triple chocolate cake recipe:
- 2- 8″ cake pans- Nordic Ware or Wilton make great pans
- off-set spatula- buy my favorite HERE
- stand mixer for the frosting
- parchment paper- buy my favorite HERE
- cake pedestal for decorating
- large mixing bowl
- silicone scraper
- measuring cups and spoons
Pro-tips for great baking success:
- Butter and flour your cake pans well.
- Room temperature butter and sifted confectioners sugar are key to a light frosting.
- Make certain your leavening ingredients are fresh.
- Give your oven plenty of time to get to the correct temperature.
- Tuck long pieces of parchment or wax paper under the cake before icing- this will help keep your cake stand clean. Just pull away after the icing is set.
- Because there is so much butter in the frosting, store leftovers in the fridge. If you have chilled the cake, before serving, let it still at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Chill frosting for just about 5 minutes- this makes it perfect for spreading.
How to make perfect chocolate buttercream frosting:
- Butter- Make certain your butter is at room temperature-about 67-70 degrees. Use unsalted butter. I prefer Tillamook unsalted extra creamy or Challenge butter.
- Sugar– I use 10X Confectioner’s sugar. It is very important you sift the sugar before incorporating it into the butter or else you might have lumps. Measure first, then sift.
- Salt– Use a fine sea salt- it a very delicate taste- not metallic like table salt, but sea salt brings out and enhances the sweetness and the coffee flavor.
- Vanilla Extract– Obviously I am a huge snob about vanilla. If you cannot buy Pine and Palm Kitchen vanilla, I highly recommend a high quality vanilla. Do not use imitation vanilla for buttercream. Vanilla paste is another fantastic option.
- Egg Yolks- egg yolks add a rich silkiness to the buttercream that is fantastic. Use pasteurized fresh eggs. the heat from the melted chocolate and coffee will “cook” the eggs. Add in the chocolate slowly so the eggs do not scramble.
- Hot Coffee– Use a dark roast and very hot coffee. Instant espresso works great as well. Sometimes I’ll just order an espresso when I know I’m going to make this recipe and add it into the frosting. Divine.
- Chocolate- You want o seek out a high quality chocolate for this . I use Ghirardelli squares, which are found at most grocery stores in the baking aisle.
How do I store my Buttercream frosting for later use?
If you want to make the frosting in advance, place frosting in an airtight container and chill the fridge for up to 7 days. To frost your cake or cupcakes, let frosting rest at room temperature for 30 minutes then -using a paddle attachment on your mixer- whip again until fluffy and light. You can add in a few spoonfuls of sifted powdered sugar if needed.
Buttercream freezes very well in a zip top bag or freeze safe container for up to three months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes and re-peat the steps above to prepare the frosting for your cake.
Commonly asked questions:
Yes- wrap unfrosted cakes in a double layer of plastic and freeze up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in your fridge, then frost as usual.
Omit the eggs, and chocolate squares and instead just add in 1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream.
Your butter is too warm. Place the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes, add in 1 TBSP of sifted powdered sugar and slowly whip the frosting. This should help it set up. Add in more sugar if needed.
Yes! Omit the chocolate and add in seedless jams, creamy peanut butter, lemon zest and lemon juice for other flavors. The list is endless.
If you love Chocolate Cake, try these recipes:
- Double Chocolate bundt cake with Chocolate glaze
- Buche de Noel- Chocolate Yule Log
- Chocolate Cream Pie
- Mocha Java Lava Cakes
- Double Chocolate and Walnut Brownies
This is a recipe for chocolate cake with three kinds of chocolate: special dark cocoa powder, regular cocoa powder and semi sweet baking chocolate. Nothing too fancy. Nothing they don’t have at Safeway or Publix. But is it one heck of a great cake. The recipe is based off of Ina Garten’s Beatty’s cake, but over the years, I’ve tweaked and tweaked it. I nearly double the amount of frosting, add coffee not espresso powder and I add a touch of cinnamon. It is decadent, but light. It is chocolatey, but not heavy.