Double Chocolate Cake — say it loud: Double. Chocolate. Cake. No matter the occasion, this cake delivers: fudgy, rich, and deeply chocolatey with a moist crumb. The best part? You only need one bowl and about 15 minutes of hands-on time to mix the batter. Preheat the oven to 350°F and let’s get baking.
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One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
This recipe is truly one-bowl friendly. Add the dry ingredients to your mixing bowl, then give them a short whisk on low to break up any lumps in the flour or cocoa powder. You don’t need to be rough — a gentle combine is enough.
Add the wet ingredients next, reserving the white vinegar for last. Pour them into the dry mix, then beat on medium until everything is combined but don’t overmix. The batter will be thick and glossy, almost like lava.
The Magic Ingredient
Add the white vinegar last and mix on low. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda and the batter will bubble and foam slightly — that reaction gives the cake lift and a tender crumb. Once it’s fully combined, divide the batter evenly among three prepared 6-inch cake pans.
I use a non-stick pan spray for convenience. Place the pans on the center oven rack and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Buttercream Dreams
While the cake cools, make the buttercream. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening until pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, salt, dairy-free milk (or heavy cream if you prefer), and vanilla. Mix on low until combined, then increase to high and beat for about five minutes to get a light, fluffy frosting.
This buttercream is silky and spreadable — perfect for layering and decorating. It pairs beautifully with the deep chocolate cake layers.
Double Chocolate Cake
5 Stars
5 from 4 reviews
- Author: Katie
- Total Time: 2 Hrs 30 Mins
- Yield: 10 Slices
Description
This rich, fudgy double chocolate cake is frosted with creamy chocolate buttercream and always impresses. It’s ideal for birthdays, celebrations, or any day that needs a chocolate pick-me-up.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups hot coffee
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 cup dairy-free salted butter, room temperature (or regular butter)
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 8 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup dairy-free milk or heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
Equipment:
- Stand mixer
- 3 x 6-inch round cake pans
- Offset spatula
- Cake smoother
Chocolate Cake Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare three 6-inch round cake pans (grease and line if desired).
- Add all dry ingredients to the stand mixer bowl and whisk briefly to combine.
- Add all wet ingredients except the vinegar and whisk until fully incorporated.
- Add the vinegar and mix on low until combined — you’ll see bubbling from the reaction with the baking soda.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Buttercream Instructions:
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening on high until light and fluffy, about 5–10 minutes.
- Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, salt, milk (or cream), and vanilla. Mix on low until combined.
- Increase speed to high and beat for 5 minutes until the buttercream is smooth and airy.
Cake Assembly:
- Place one leveled cake layer on your serving plate and spread about 1 cup of buttercream over it.
- Repeat with the remaining layers. Apply a thin crumb coat over the whole cake and refrigerate 15–20 minutes to set.
- Finish with a final layer of buttercream and decorate as desired — I used jimmie-only sprinkles. Slice and enjoy.
Equipment
6-inch cake pan
9-inch angled icing spatula
Wilton icing smoother
KitchenAid mixer (4.5 qt.)
- Prep Time: 2 Hrs
- Cook Time: 30 Mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American