🍫 The Ultimate Classic American Chocolate Cake

📝 Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water

For the Chocolate Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼–½ cup heavy cream or milk (as needed)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1️⃣ Prepare the Cake Pans

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
  • Line the bottoms with parchment paper if desired.

2️⃣ Mix Dry Ingredients

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3️⃣ Add Wet Ingredients

  • Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients.
  • Mix until smooth and well combined.

4️⃣ Add Boiling Water

  • Slowly pour in the boiling water while mixing.
  • The batter will be thin—this is normal and helps create a moist cake.

5️⃣ Bake

  • Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
  • Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6️⃣ Cool

  • Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
  • Remove and cool completely on wire racks before frosting.

🍫 Make the Chocolate Frosting

7️⃣ Prepare Frosting

  • Beat the butter until creamy.
  • Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla.
  • Beat well, adding cream or milk gradually until smooth and spreadable.

🎂 Assemble the Cake

8️⃣ Frost & Decorate

  • Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
  • Spread a thick layer of frosting on top.
  • Add the second layer and frost the top and sides.
  • Decorate with chocolate shavings, sprinkles, or piped frosting if desired.

✨ Final Touch

Slice, serve, and enjoy a rich, moist, and classic American chocolate cake—perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or anytime chocolate cravings hit 🍰🍫

Print
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🍫 The Ultimate Classic American Chocolate Cake


  • Author: Shirley

Ingredients

Scale

📝 Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour

    • 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar

    • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

    • 2 teaspoons baking powder

    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

    • 1 teaspoon salt

    • 2 large eggs (room temperature)

    • 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)

    • ½ cup vegetable oil

    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    • 1 cup boiling water

For the Chocolate Frosting

    • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)

    • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar

    • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

    • ½ teaspoon salt

    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    • ¼½ cup heavy cream or milk (as needed)


Instructions

1️⃣ Prepare the Cake Pans

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
  • Line the bottoms with parchment paper if desired.

2️⃣ Mix Dry Ingredients

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3️⃣ Add Wet Ingredients

  • Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients.
  • Mix until smooth and well combined.

4️⃣ Add Boiling Water

  • Slowly pour in the boiling water while mixing.
  • The batter will be thin—this is normal and helps create a moist cake.

5️⃣ Bake

  • Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
  • Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6️⃣ Cool

  • Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
  • Remove and cool completely on wire racks before frosting.

🍫 Make the Chocolate Frosting

7️⃣ Prepare Frosting

  • Beat the butter until creamy.
  • Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla.
  • Beat well, adding cream or milk gradually until smooth and spreadable.

🎂 Assemble the Cake

8️⃣ Frost & Decorate

  • Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
  • Spread a thick layer of frosting on top.
  • Add the second layer and frost the top and sides.
  • Decorate with chocolate shavings, sprinkles, or piped frosting if desired.

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