Chocolate Layer Cake

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(from 29 reviews)
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Chocolate Layer Cake

My mother was visiting us and I was lucky enough to have her with me for her birthday after 7 years. Another reason this birthday was very special because this was the first time I was going to bake her a birthday cake. So this cake had to be something very special. She loves chocolate and I wanted to bake a decadent chocolate layer cake to celebrate this special occasion.

I already have an eggless chocolate layer cake in the blog. You may know it as the "I can't believe it's chocolate cake" recipe. It's one of the most tried recipes in the blog with top reviews too. But that chocolate cake has only 2 layers. I wanted to make something big, a multiple chocolate layered cake.

That's when I found a moist chocolate layered cake recipe in a magazine. This cake has 4 layers. Even though it looks like you have to spend a lot of time making it, this is a simple chocolate layer cake recipe. It looked pretty easy and used only 2 eggs, so substitution was not a big issue. I used homemade applesauce recipe in place of the eggs. Unlike the other cake recipe which uses oil for the fat, this chocolate layered cake calls for butter making it a very moist, rich and delicious cake. Just one caution though, this one is super duper tasty, so don't blame me if you indulge and gain some pounds.

To make a vegan chocolate layer cake, substitute the butter with vegan butter like Earth Balance and for the buttermilk use non-dairy milk and vinegar.

Chocolate Layer Cake

TOP RATED

Chocolate Layer Cake Recipe

Prep TimeCook TimeMakes
15 Mins30 Mins12 servings
AuthorCategoryMethod
CakesBaking
Chocolate Layer Cake
4.7 from 29 reviews
Special occasions call for a special treat and this chocolate layer cake should be it. I bet you would wonder why do we need eggs to bake a delicious and decadent cake once you try this recipe.
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 and 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 3/4 cup Brown Sugar, lightly packed
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 and 1/2 cups Buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Ingredients For Frosting:
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
  • 225-g Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped and melted
  • 1 tablespoon Vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 6 cups Icing Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup water/Milk/Strong Coffee
Procedure:
  1. Preheat oven to 325F/160C for 15 minutes. Line two 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease it lightly with non stick cooking spray.
  2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl. Stir until mixed.
  3. Beat butter with sugars in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium for about 3 minutes.
  4. Add the applesauce in two additions, beating well and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Mix in the vinegar too. The mixture will look curdled but don't worry.
  5. Beat in vanilla.
  6. Reduce speed and beat one third of flour mixture into butter mixture, then add half the buttermilk.
  7. Repeat additions, scraping down sides until well mixed.
  8. Divide batter evenly between pans and smooth tops. Tap the pans lightly to burst air pockets if any.
  9. Bake in center of oven until a tooth pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 min. If using two racks, move the pan from the top rack to the bottom and the vice-versa in about 15 minutes.
  10. Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes.
  11. Run a knife around inside edge of each pan and then turn cakes out onto rack.
  12. Remove parchment. Let cool completely, about 1 hour. I actually left it overnight before I could frost the cake.
For Icing:
  1. Beat butter for icing in a large bowl, using an electric mixer/hand beater on medium, until creamy, 1 min.
  2. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, salt and 1 cup icing sugar. Beat for 1 minute.
  3. With mixer on medium-low, add remaining sugar in 3 parts, alternating remaining liquids (milk and coffee) and ending with sugar.
  4. Beat on medium-high, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until fluffy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Frosting the cake:
  1. Be extremely careful while slicing each cake into half because its very delicate. One of my layers actually split in half and I somehow managed to patch it up and used it as the bottom most layer and covered it with the frosting. I think shrink wrapping the 2 cakes with plastic wrap once it has cooled completely and storing it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours will harden it up a little bit and slicing it into half won't be much of a trouble. Check this chocolate cake recipe to learn about frosting a layered cake.
My Notes:
  1. The original frosting was a mocha frosting, which uses 1/4 cup of strong coffee to prepare the icing as I have indicated above. Since I didn't want to add coffee I used plain water from the tap. You can use 1/4 cup of any liquid of your choice; water, coffee or milk.
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(Note: This recipe was updated & republished from the archives)

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211 COMMENTS

    • Madhuram

      Thanks Rupa. You can share recipes in the Forum too.

      • Rupa Lakshminarayan

        ok next time shall put in the forum…ddint realize you had one
        so put the link here
        But thanks for guiding me.
        – Rupa

        • Madhuram

          No probs Rupa.

  1. eugene

    Hello Madhu

    I just use 1/4 Stick butter it’s about 4 Tablespoon.

  2. eugene

    Hello Madhu

    I made birthday chocolate cake yestreday and it’s very light and moist because I subtituted
    1 1/2 cup buttermilk with 1 1/2 cup coca cola also I cut the butter 1/4 stick.

    Thank you

    • Madhuram

      Wow! That’s great Eugene. Did you use just 1/4 cup of butter or reduced 1/4 cup and used 1/2 cup butter instead?

  3. eugene

    Hello Madhu

    I s it 2 x 9 inch round cake pan or Just One 9 inch round cake pan? If just ONE 9 round cake pan it’s no
    problem because I just have ONE 9 inch springform pan.

    Thank you

    • Madhuram

      It’s two 9 inch pans.

  4. eugene

    Hello MADHU

    Can i subtitute 1 1/2 cup buttermilk with 1 1/2 cup coca cola?

    Thank you

    • Madhuram

      I’m not sure about it Eugene. I have heard a lot about using cola as an egg substitute but haven’t tried it myself, especially replacing it for the buttermilk. So I wouldn’t know unless I give it a try.

  5. eugene

    Hello Madhu

    Can I substitute 2 9inch round cake pans with 9×13 inch pan?

    Thank you

    • Madhuram

      I think it should be fine Eugene.

  6. Radhika

    6 cups of icing sugar? I usually follow your recipes exactly as they are and I get the exact sweetness i need. but isn’t 6 cups way too much?

    • Madhuram

      Hi Radhika, I agree that it looks like a lot but it is necessary because there are 4 layers in this cake. If you make it just a 2 layer cake, you won’t need so much sugar/icing.

  7. B_N

    Hi Madhuram:
    You have a lovely blog. The chocolate cake looks great. I had couple of questions…if possible please answer them. Can you tell me which stores in US carry edible silver beads and tutti frutti.

    • Madhuram

      You have to check some cake decorating shop (Michaels may be for the silver beads). The tutti fruiti you should be able to find it in the baking section of the regular grocery store next to cherries. It will be named as candied peel and not tutti fruiti.

      • B_N

        Thank you 🙂

  8. Lovliebutterfly

    Oh my! That’s one seriously gorgeous looking cake! Looks really delicious too!

  9. Geetha

    Mam!
    Chocolate Layer Cake is really looking yummy! Recently I became crazy to prepare eggless cake and becoming popular among my friends for my cakes. Thank u so much for this website as well as yummy recipes. Keep posting many many such recipes. Sure to try this yummy cake soon.

    • Madhuram

      You’re most welcome. Just call me Madhu, Geetha.

  10. Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum

    This looks deeeelicious! I have a birthday party to go to tomorrow, maybe I will ask if they need a cake! 🙂

  11. Vidya

    Cake looks stunning, Madhuram. Your mom must have been so happy to see this birthday gift.

  12. Rupa

    Hi Madhu
    You have improved on the layout and look of your site.
    Looks really good.

    luv
    – Rupa

    • Madhuram

      Thanks Rupa. The credit goes to my husband. Will pass it on to him.

  13. Jayshree

    Looks really good and yummy.
    Just wanted to let you folks know that I have baked many a
    chocolate cake with minimal butter (Like 50 gms)and Coco-cola
    Coke)instead of buttermilk or water. The coke reacts with the
    baking soda and produces a wonderfully light and moist cake.
    About the layers the recipe does say bake in two pan so there
    will obviosuly be 4 layers.

    • Madhuram

      Yes Jayshree, I too have heard about it but haven’t tried it myself.

      • Rupa

        Hi Jayashree
        Could you share the Coca Cola eggless recipes with us
        Thanks

        – Rupa

  14. Latha

    Looks super yummy!

  15. Rupa

    Hey Madhu
    The cake looks awesome.
    One question though….i see that your cake has 4 layers.
    Did you cut one 9-inch layer cake into 4 layers????
    or did you double the batch and made into 4 layers ??
    Thanks as always for sharing your recipes with us.

    – Rupa

    • Madhuram

      Rupa the ingredients listed will yield two 9 inch cakes and you will have to cut each into half.

      • Rupa

        Hey Madhu
        In your above reply you said this recipe would yield two 9-inch layer cakes.
        But on your website under the yield tab it says “one” 9-inch layer cake
        Confused.

        – Rupa

        • Vera

          I share the same worry with Rupa…

          • Madhuram

            It is 1 cake with 4 layers, which is actually one (layered) cake. The “layered” I have mentioned in the yield does not refer to the number of layers but its the type of the cake. I don’t know if I have made it clear or confused even more.

          • Rupa

            Thanks Madhu !

  16. Jaaee

    hello….

    I have tried this cake today and it came out superb. Just omited applesauce as i didn’t get that.
    I am loving your recipes.

    Thanks

    • Madhuram

      That was very quick Jaaee. Thanks for trying it.

      • Jaaee

        yes.
        Previously i had only one option as egg substitute i.e. condensed mil. But since i came across your site i got lots more options to try. And love cooking.

        Keep posting
        thanks for everything.

        • Madhuram

          Jaaee, I had actually used 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar while baking the cake but forgot to include it when I posted the recipe and have updated it now. So I would like to know about the texture of the cake without it. How was it?

          • Jaaee

            it was also nice, fluffy as if u would find with with apple cider vinegar
            i guess it was as i don’t experienced with it. but cake was good.

          • Madhuram

            Thanks Jaee.

  17. sheetal

    hi cake looks superb i hope when i make it i get the same result thanks for these recipe

  18. Vera

    Sorry, but I have another question also. Looking at the cake, I can see that it has 4 layers of icing. Did u cut the cake to 3 horizontal parts or I need to bake 2 cakes to have the above seen result?

    • Madhuram

      You will be baking 2 cakes and will have to cut each cake into 2 halves, so you will get 4 layers.

      • Vera

        The above mentioned recipe will give me 2 cakes?

        • Madhuram

          Yes Vera. Two 9 inch cakes. You will have to split each into half, so totally 4 layers. When each layer is placed on the other its a (one) layered cake with 4 layers.

  19. Jayasree

    Cake looks sinfully delicious…Bookmarked. Shall bake it soon.

  20. Nishi

    The chocolate cake looks delectable. Beautifully presented and shot 🙂

  21. Vera

    This looks great! Makes me crave to bake it ASAP. I have a question though. Buttermilk, what can I replace it with? We don’t have buttermilk in Lebanon, so I need ur advice about this. Thx in advance!

    • Madhuram

      Hi Vera, if you can get yogurt just thin it out. Blend 1 cup of yogurt with 1/2 cup of water or adjust the ratio according to the thickness of the yogurt. Or else you could also curdle soymilk with a tablespoon of vinegar, which is a vegan alternative for buttermilk.

  22. Mona

    Looks super yummy! You are torturing us with such delectable pictures.

    • Rupa

      agree on this…cant wait to try this !!

  23. Sharmilee

    Perfect layer cake

  24. notyet100

    cake looks superyum