Let me show you a new to me recipe for the best Dark Chocolate Cake With Whipped Cream Frosting. Birthdays will never be the same around here!
I come from a long line of pie lovers… which means you won’t find cake at most of our family gatherings, even birthdays. We snub our noses at store bought cakes and are proud to be on TEAM PIE… So it’s no surprise to me that I only have a handful of cake recipes here on Lovely Little Kitchen. But this Dark Chocolate Cake With Whipped Cream Frosting is a game changer for me! I made it for my husband’s birthday recently after he specifically requested a cake (WHAT?) and I’m so glad he did.
It’s so easy to make, requiring one bowl, regular all-purpose flour, and a hand mixer. Nothing fancy, and nothing I can’t handle even though cake is something I probably make once a year. And it’s so delicious!!! Super moist and fudgy, with a rich chocolate flavor without being too sweet.
The frosting I paired with it is my homemade whipped cream with some dark chocolate cocoa powder added to it. It keeps beautifully in the fridge so you can make it even a couple days ahead of time.
Since I’m not too fancy with my cakes, I kept the decorations simple by smoothing out the sides, dragging a spoon in a spiral shape on top, and tossing on a few sprinkles. We can do this! I even piped a few dots of extra frosting around the bottom edge to cover up a slight gap. Frosting covers a multitude of sins, my friends.
The recipe for this Dark Chocolate Cake came from my neighbor, who found it on the side of the Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder container. I adapted it just slightly, and didn’t use the frosting recipe as written because I wanted something lighter than a traditional buttercream.
If you have something special coming up to celebrate, this is your cake! I tried to list some cake making tips and tricks that were helpful to me in the recipe below, but I’d love to hear what works for you all too. Happy Baking!
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Dark Chocolate Cake With Whipped Cream Frosting
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This super moist and decadent Dark Chocolate Cake With Whipped Cream Frosting made a cake lover out of me! Try it and you’ll see!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups dark chocolate cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup oil (I used avocado oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon coffee extract
- 1 cup boiling water
For the Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray two nine-inch baking pans with baking spray. Cut four 1 inch by 12 inch strips of parchment paper and arrange them in an “X” across each of the baking pans. This will give you “tabs” to remove the cakes from the pans after they are baked.
- In a large bowl, mix sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil, and extracts. Beat the ingredients together with a hand mixer on low speed, and then gradually increase to medium speed for about 2 minutes.
- Slowly stir in the boiling water by hand. The batter will be very thin. Don’t worry!
- Evenly divide the batter between the two baking pans and bake for 33-35 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean, or with a few crumbs attached.
- Let the pans cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, and then place into the freezer for 1 hour.
For the Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
- Over a large bowl, sift powdered sugar and cocoa powder together. Add heavy cream and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed (carefully at first) and gradually increase the speed to high as the mixture thickens. After about 3-4 minutes, you will have stiff peaks in the cream and it will be ready to use for frosting.
To Assemble
- Place a few more strips of parchment or wax paper around the edge of your cake plate or pan. This will keep the surface clean while you are frosting. Place the first cake (domed side down) onto the center of the plate.
- Remove the cakes from the freezer, and use the tabs to lift them out.
- Scoop about 2 cups of frosting on top of the cake and spread to the edges in an even layer.
- Place the second cake (domed side up) on top of the frosting layer. Add more frosting to the top of the cake, and spread to the edges and down the sides. Keep adding more frosting until the cake is completely covered.
- Use a knife or offset spatula to smooth the edges. I like to drag a spoon around the top of the cake to make a spiral design. If desired, reserve 1 cup of frosting to pipe around the bottom edge of the cake to cover any gap after you remove the parchment paper strips. Add chocolate sprinkles.
- Cover (if possible) and refrigerate until ready to serve. I think this cake tastes best served cold on the day after it is made, which is nice because you can make it ahead and have it all ready to go.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Piece
- Calories: 553
- Sugar: 49g
- Sodium: 430mg
- Fat: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.6g
- Carbohydrates: 68g
- Fiber: 1.8g
- Protein: 6.3g
- Cholesterol: 89mg
Corrine says
Thank you for this amazing recipe! It is by far the most amazing cake ever! I don’t even like dark chocolate and this is the best cake I have ever had! I made it for my husband’s birthday, a friends birthday and today for my mom’s birthday! ❤️❤️❤️
Julie says
That’s so awesome Corrine! Always nice to have a go-to cake you know everyone will love!
Roslyn Cliffe says
Hello,
Have made this about 10 times over the last few weeks and my family and friends say this is the best chocolate cake they have ever eaten!
I’ve made 2 today, as little gifts for family.
I use mascarpone cheese and double cream for the frosting and add walnuts to the middle and top!
Thank you!
Julie says
Oh my goodness – you are a cake baking queen! I love how you do the frosting… sounds delicious!
Michelle says
I have used the Hershey recipe for years! It is the absolute best! I will try the whipped cream!
Julie says
Hope you love it too!
Ashanta E. says
Hi…this cake looks beautiful! When translating this recipie to cupcakes they did not rise. I tripled checked and even did it a second time. All my ingredients were new. Any idea for why this happened and how do I make this into cupcakes?
Julie says
Hi! I’m not sure how they would work as cupcakes… I’ll have to try that soon.
Maggie says
Hi Julie,
Made this tonight – trying to find a good recipe for my sons 2nd bday this coming weekend. It was so delicious, but I had major problems getting it out of the pan. Even though I oiled (with coconut oil) the pans. Any idea on the issue? Could it be my pans or the oil? Will dusting the pan with flour help? I also couldn’t get the tabs to work – they just ripped!
Julie says
Hi Maggie – Sorry yours stuck! I have never had trouble with this cake sticking… I like to use coconut oil whenever possible too, but you may want to try a nonstick spray made specifically for baking for this one. It’s like a mixture of oil and flour and it works so well!
Cori says
I too had the same problem. Just greasing the pan and using the crisp cross parchment strips was not enough. I love the recipe; it’s my go-to chocolate cake. ( I make it Gluten free with no issues other than that it’s probably more tender than wheat flour cakes. ) So, to prevent sticking and ripping, I thoroughly grease the pans, then trace circles of parchment to line the bottoms. Once the cakes are baked, all that’s required is to run a knife around the edge to loosen, then gently invert the pan and the cake will come loose. You just peel off the parchment and voila!
Shilpi says
Recipe is good..it tastes yum… But i had the same problem. It was not coming out of the pan. Even i greased it properly with oil and flour. When i inverted the pan it broke off.
Eve says
I haven’t tried making the chocolate cake yet, but I have made the chocolate whipped frosting several time, it’s amazing!
Julie says
Glad you enjoy it!
Mary Vadillo says
Planning to make this for husband’s birthday this weekend! I do have a question, can you substitute the avocado oil for coconut oil?
Julie says
Mary, it is a wonderful cake and I hope it will be loved by all! I do have a slight hesitation with substituting coconut oil for the avocado oil – because the coconut oil will harden with refrigeration (like butter would), it could change the texture of the cake… You could substitute any mild flavored oil that is still liquid even when chilled, such as vegetable or canola oil. The coconut oil could be just fine, but I just can’t say for sure since I haven’t tried it yet. Thanks for your question!
Kat says
Just made this cake for my friend’s birthday and it was so soooo good!
I used reg cocoa powder since my friend isn’t a dark choc fan and I subbed one cup of coffee for one cup water since my grocery store didn’t have the extract.
It came out perfectly! I let it sit in the fridge for a day before icing and it was perfectly moist.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Will definitely be making this again!
Julie says
Feeling very jealous right now, and wishing I still had some cake! Next time I will try one cup of coffee instead of the hot water and extract.
Holly says
Any thoughts on making this in a 9×13 pan? I’m guessing just up the bake time a little. I’m taking it to a dinner party an hour’s drive away and I’m afraid in our over 100 degree heat right now, it won’t fare well as a layer cake.
Julie says
Holly, sorry I’m just answering your question… not sure exactly on the adjusted baking time here but I’m sure it could be made in a 9 by 13. Or you could assemble on site. Hope you enjoy!
Steph says
I love baking and am always in charge of making all birthday cakes in my family. I made this for my dad’s birthday and it was a huge hit. My sister in law actually said she thought it was the best cake I’ve ever made. So today, I’m making it again…this time just for me so I don’t have to share! Great recipe! Thank you so much for sharing!
Julie says
That’s such a great compliment Steph! Thanks for letting me know that it was a hit, and enjoy the next one even more!
Skylar says
Can I use vegetable oil instead of avocado oil? How will it turn out with vegetable oil?
Julie says
Yes, vegetable oil will be just fine. Enjoy!
LaReda says
Only have buttermilk can it sub for the regular milk?
Julie says
I think it should be just fine, but can’t say for sure since I haven’t tried it. Let me know what you think if you try it!
Brie Higgings says
I’m always a little scared to make cakes from scratch so I bought 2 boxes of devils food cake mix. Can I use that and add the dark cocoa? Also is one box enough?
Daisy says
Julie, Amazing-looking chocolate cake…nice and moist-looking… how I like it. Question: Can’t find coffee extract at my groceries. Do you think instant coffee granules dissolved in teeny amount of water would work? This cake is yelling at me, along with the vanilla ice cream in my freezer … “Pick us! Pick us!”
Julie says
Haha! Yes, I think the granules would be fine. I think someone even used one cup of hot brewed coffee instead of the extract and hot water and it worked out well. Enjoy!!!
Raymond Glidewell says
I always make it with a cup of brewed coffee. Works well and tastes wonderful! My go to cake these days.
Julie says
Thank you, good to know!
Tiffany says
Could you make this into peanut butter icing? I love this recipe for icing and was just thinking how good it would be if it was peanut butter!
Julie says
Oh yum! I think I’d just fold in about 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter and see how it works.
Mindy says
Love this cake! I’ve made it several times now for birthdays and co-workers. Today I’m going to a family reunion and it will be the farthest I’ve traveled with this cake. I won’t easily be able to assemble it at the location. I have a cooler but it doesn’t fit. Does anyone have any ideas how I can safely transport it without it melting?
Julie says
So glad you love this cake too, Mindy. One idea that comes to mind is to put the whole cake in the freezer for maybe an hour or so before you leave. It might just keep it cool enough on the road and then thaw just in time for dessert. Let me know how it goes. Enjoy the reunion!
Mindy says
Thank you Julie, great idea. I refer to this cake as “The Best Cake Ever” and I can’t wait for my family to try it and show off my baking skills in the process. :).
Tess says
Made this for my vegan daughter ‘s birthday this weekend. Used egg substitute and almond milk, and then a cup of chicory coffee. I frosted some of the cupcakes with a vegan buttercream, and used your chocolate whip cream frosting for the rest. Everyone loved them, they were nice and moist with a great chocolate flavor. Thanks for a great recipe!
Andrew Faber says
I love this chocolate cake! I used melted butter instead of oil. I am sensitive to caffeine and will need to leave the coffee extract out next time.
Julie says
Thanks so much!
Asha Tausif says
Is it possible to make it without oven?
Angel Frolander says
I have been searching for a great chocolate cake recipe and now I can stop looking. This is positively the best chocolate cake I have ever had! Delicious! Thanks Julie!
Julie says
Angel, I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake! Thanks for letting me know!
Marcy says
I made this a few weeks ago and it was amazing! You are right, even better the next day, which I never say! I used regular whipping cream, didn’t add chocolate. It was a big hit! I’m making it again today for a dinner tomorrow night, and I’m going to frost it with cream cheese frosting. I also used coconut oil and some Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate in place of some of the sugar, and added dark chocolate pieces along with the Hershey’s Cocoa, because you can never have too much chocolate, right? I swore off baking cakes from scratch… until now! Thank you!
Julie says
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Marcy! Love the idea of a cream cheese frosting. And yes, I agree that chocolate has no limit!