This rich and deliciously decadent chocolate triple layer cake with buttercream frosting made from scratch is sure to become a favorite dessert recipe.
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This is a perfect chocolate cake! Rich and delicious, but not too overly sweet. Mmm, it’s just so good. I promise it is everything you hope for in a homemade chocolate cake, including being incredibly moist, and it even has an amazing buttercream frosting.
Wow your friends and family with this triple layer cake that will taste like it came from a bakery. It’s a must-try for anyone that is a chocolate fanatic (like me!).
If all that isn’t enough, it’s not hard to make. Really, it’s not. I am far from a baker and yet this cake recipe always turns out fantastic with very little effort.
Triple Layer Chocolate Cake
You will need three bowls to make this cake – two large and one medium in size.
Mix the cocoa powder and boiling water in a medium bowl until well combined and no lumps remain.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Mix the butter and cocoa powder in a large bowl until well blended. Then add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until all of the sugar is combined. Finally, stir in milk and vanilla extract to reach a smooth consistency.
If you like this frosting, I think you’ll enjoy this cannoli frosting, too!
Helpful Tips
- To bring the eggs to room temperature quickly, let them sit in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
- Bake cakes a day prior for the easiest frosting. Just cover the baking pans with plastic wrap after they’ve cooled, and frost the next day.
Love chocolate? Check out my Cheesecake Brownies!
This triple layer chocolate cake with buttercream frosting is a great way to bake some love and treat the people you care about.
For another great cake recipe, try my Pumpkin Dump Cake.
When you give this fabulous cake a try, let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Triple Layer Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2¼ cups boiling water
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 16 oz powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (3) 8” round cake pans, then line bottom with round parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix the cocoa powder and boiling water in a medium bowl until well combined and no lumps remain.
- Alternating between the two, slowly add dry ingredients and chocolate mixture to the bowl with the butter and sugar. Mix on low speed to incorporate ingredients.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the three cake pans and place in the pre-heated oven. Bake 22-28 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and set aside to cool for approximately 10 minutes before transferring the cakes from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely, approximately 20 more minutes. (Cakes should no longer be warm to the touch before frosting).
- To assemble the cake, place the first layer top-side down on a cake plate. Add 1/3 of the frosting to the top of the cake layer and spread it out evenly. Take the second layer and level off the rounded top with a knife or cake leveler. Place the second layer on top of the first layer, top-side down. Add frosting to this layer and spread out evenly. Repeat this with the 3rd layer, and spread the remaining frosting out on the top layer.
Frosting
- Mix the butter and cocoa powder in a large bowl until well blended
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low-speed until all of the sugar is combined.
- Stir in milk and vanilla extract to reach smooth consistency.