The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe (2024)

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You Just Know When the Recipe is Right

For years I’ve been on a quest for the best chocolate cake recipe. You know, the kind of cake that is rich, moist, and completely decadent. I wanted to be able to make a chocolate cake that would become a classic in my home; the one everyone would request for their special occasion.

Well friends, I’m finally satisfied that I’ve made THE BEST chocolate cake. This cake came out perfectly on the first try. It sat so pretty on my pedestal plate and sliced up just beautifully. But the taste is really the thing… heavens, it’s so delicious!

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

What makes this the best chocolate cake recipe? I love the three layers. The sour cream used in both the cake batter and the icing may sound like an odd addition, but it creates an incredibly moist, rich cake with a perfect, chocolate icing that melts on your tongue.

Before you begin to make this cake, be sure you have three of the same cake pans. click here to see the type I used to make this recipe.

You Know It’s Good When…

As I was making this cake, my sweet little five year old daughter took to checking in on me often. She let me know how important it was for her to taste the frosting before I frosted the cake. When I finally did let her lick the beaters, she was in love! I really think the sour cream adds something special to the frosting.

Later, as I was taking the pictures you see here in this post, my little sidekick appeared again and offered to be the “model” for the pictures. Haha! She just could not wait to taste the cake and wanted to be the first to have a slice.

When Simple Frosting is Better

Now, I am many things, but a cake decorator is not one of them! I think I could be decent at decorating cakes, but I’ve put exactly zero effort into learning the craft. This is one reason why chocolate cake is my BFF; there’s really no need to get fancy with the frosting. I love a simply frosted chocolate cake, so I just add the frosting and do not worry about making it smooth. In fact, I think the icing spatula marks and swirls across the cake make it look event more delicious!

Good gravy… isn’t she lovely? Any chocolate cake lover will be in heaven over this dreamy three layer chocolate cake.

★★★★★5 from 3 reviews

Author: Carissa Shaw for Mom Needs Chocolate
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

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Ingredients

Scale

1 cup butter, softened and cubed
3 cups packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups sour cream
1 1/3 cup boiling water

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, cubed
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
3 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prep 3 9-inch round cake pans by greasing the inside of each pan, adding a circle of parchment paper to the bottom (to prevent sticking), and then flouring the sides of the pan.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

4. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into another large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the wet mixture and sour cream to the dry ingredients and beat with an electric mixer just until well blended. Add the boiling water then stir until combined.

5. Pour the batter evenly into the three prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick or cake tester is inserted and comes out clean. Set the cakes aside to cool.

6. Microwave the butter in a microwave safe bowl just until melted. Stir in the semi sweet and unsweetened chocolate. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the chocolate is melted.

7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Add the chocolate mixture and beat until smooth.

8. Place the first cake layer onto a plate or serving platter. Cut strips of waxed paper and place them just slightly under the edges of the cake to cover the platter and protect it from the frosting. Frost the top of the cake, add the second layer, frost the top of the second layer, then add the third layer. Use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake. Remove the waxed paper.

Leftover cake should be refrigerated.