By Claire Saffitz
Updated Oct. 30, 2023
- Total Time
- 2¼ hours
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 2 hours
- Rating
- 4(469)
- Notes
- Read community notes
The texture of this oil-based chocolate cake strikes an ideal balance between dense and fudgy and light and fluffy. It’s ultratender thanks to cake flour. The frosting, a variation on German buttercream, uses a chocolate pudding base whipped with butter to create a complement to the cake that’s both rich and airy.
Featured in: This Is the Ultimate Chocolate Cake
Learn: How to Frost a Cake
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Include recipe photo
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:10 servings
- Room-temperature butter, for greasing the pans
- 2cups/260 grams cake flour
- 2¼cups/450 grams granulated sugar
- 2teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 1½teaspoons baking soda
- 1½teaspoons baking powder
- 1cup/80 grams unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
- ¾cup/177 grams strong freshly brewed coffee, steaming hot
- 1cup/240 grams crème fraîche, at room temperature
- 1tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5large eggs plus 2 large yolks, at room temperature
- ¾cup/180 grams neutral oil, such as avocado or vegetable
- 8ounces/226 grams semisweet chocolate (54 to 64 percent cacao), finely chopped
- 1cup/240 grams whole milk
- ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- 3tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
- 2tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¾ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 4large egg yolks
- 1¼cups/284 grams unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces, at room temperature
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cake
For the Buttercream
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
828 calories; 47 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 101 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 70 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 618 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
Step
1
Arrange an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and another in the lower third. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of 3 (8-inch) cake pans with butter, then line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper and smooth the parchment to eliminate air bubbles.
Step
2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder; mix on low speed just until combined.
Step
3
Bloom the cocoa: In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the cocoa powder and hot coffee. Add the crème fraîche and vanilla, then whisk until completely smooth. Set aside.
Step
4
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the 5 whole eggs and 2 yolks until smooth; set aside.
Step
5
Mix the batter: To the stand mixer bowl, add the oil and half of the cocoa mixture; mix on low speed just until the flour is completely coated in the liquid ingredients. Pause the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix on medium until smooth and pasty, about 30 seconds. Pause and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again, then add the whisked eggs and remaining cocoa mixture. Beat on medium speed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice, until the batter is very silky and has the consistency of thin pancake batter, about 1 minute.
Step
6
Pour the batter into the prepared pans, dividing evenly. (For uniform layers, use a scale – you’ll get about 550 grams of batter per pan.) Transfer the pans to the oven, positioning two on the upper rack and one on the lower, staggering them so the pans above don’t block the one below. Bake, rotating the top two pans side to side and rack to rack after 20 minutes, until the tops of the cakes are domed, springy to the touch and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Step
7
Remove the pans from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Step
8
To make the buttercream, start with the pudding base: Place the chocolate in the clean bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. In a small saucepan, combine the milk and ¼ cup/50 grams of the sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat and set aside. In a medium bowl, add the cocoa powder, flour, salt and remaining ¼ cup/50 grams sugar, and whisk until combined. Add the yolks to the bowl and whisk slowly to combine (it will seem very thick at first, but will loosen up), then whisk more vigorously until the mixture is pale, thick and smooth. Whisking the yolk mixture constantly, slowly stream in about half of the warm milk mixture, then whisk the contents of the bowl back into the saucepan. Set the saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly and scraping against the sides, until thick and bubbling, 1 to 3 minutes. Immediately scrape the pudding over the chocolate in the stand mixer bowl.
Step
9
Make the buttercream: Let the pudding mixture sit for a few minutes, so the heat gently melts the chocolate, then mix with the paddle on low speed until the chocolate is completely melted and the pudding is smooth and glossy. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the outside of the bowl is cool to the touch, 10 to 15 minutes. With the mixer running, add the butter a couple of pieces at a time, waiting for each addition to incorporate into the pudding before adding the next, until you have a smooth, glossy, spreadable frosting. Stop the mixer, thoroughly scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and add the vanilla. Beat once more just until evenly mixed.
Step
10
Unmold and level the cakes: Use a butter knife or small offset spatula to cut around the cooled cakes, pressing the blade firmly against the sides of the pans to loosen them. Invert the cakes onto a wire rack, remove the parchment paper if necessary, then invert again onto a second rack or cutting board so they’re domed side up. Holding a serrated knife parallel to the work surface, slice horizontally through the surface of each cake to level the layers. (The scraps are perfect for snacking.)
Step
11
Place one of the layers cut side-down on a serving plate, cake stand or cardboard cake round. Dollop about 1 cup buttercream in the center, then use an offset spatula to spread it evenly all the way to the edges. Place a second layer cut side-down over the first, center it, then top with another 1 cup of buttercream. Place the third layer on top, cut side-down, pressing gently to level it. Scrape about half of the remaining buttercream over the top of the cake, then use the spatula to spread it across the surface and down the sides, covering the entire cake in a very thin layer of frosting. (The cake will show through in several places; this is just the crumb coat.) Transfer the cake to the refrigerator and chill just until the frosting is firm, 10 to 15 minutes, then cover with the remaining frosting.
Step
12
The assembled cake will keep, loosely covered at room temperature, for 1 day. (Before covering the cake, chill it for 15 minutes so the frosting can firm up.) After 24 hours, refrigerate the cake and be sure to tightly cover any cut surfaces. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.
Ratings
4
out of 5
469
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
marisa
Claire has a video on this cake on the NYT cooking YouTube channel and recommends sour cream as a sub for crème fraiche
Ellen Tabor
For those who asked, cake strips are strips of fabric with a shiny silvery exterior and velcro closures. You soak them in water and then wrap them around your cake tins before putting them in the oven. They help the cake layer to rise evenly and keep the layers flat.
Dutchkirk
Make your own creme fraiche; to each cup of heavy cream, add 2 tbsp full fat cultured buttermilk. I do this in a jar, shake it a few times to mix and then let it set on the counter for 24 hours or so. It will become tangy and thick. As a sub, you might try full-fat yogurt or reduced fat sour cream.
KrazieJane
Regarding cake strips: may I recommend an alternative. Place a flower nail (Ie what you'd use to pipe a frosting rose) with the flat side down, in the middle of the cake batter before it goes in the oven. The heat of the nail will result in a higher temp in the middle of the cake and better ensure a flat cake top. Be sure to rub butter under the nail bottom before place in the batter so it pulls out easily when you invert the pan. I find flower nails easier to procure and less work than strips.
NYTFAN
Fabulous chocolate cake, a recipe for the ages. While everyone has their own idea of the chocolate cake archetype, this has a lightness to offset the richness of flavour, no less so than a flourless cake. For that reason, those who might be worried about loss of height from trimming the domes, the recipe has already accounted for this- since the cake layers puffs up proudly as sponges , after trimming, the end result was still at least 4 inches proud-a layer cake in search of a celebration!
Mdresearcher
This recipe is very close to the classic Hershey chocolate cake recipe on the cocoa container with no crème fresh needed. Also rather than use boiling water (as the container says) sub hot coffee. Therefore, no crème fresh needed, less eggs, and for the comments on how to make without coffee, the original hot water works.The icing… again use the Hershey container recipe ( my splurge is to use Irish butter).Everyone asks for the recipe.
Caren
What is a cake strip? (To keep a cake level)
Michael
Can the layers be frozen? She mentions that in the video. We love “snacking cakes” - one layer rounds or squares that last a couple days - perfect for two people. I’d love to make three layers, freeze a couple, and eat them one at a time, making a small batch of frosting for each.
Brandon
If you use cake strips, the cakes will bake evenly and flat so you don’t need to level them! Best cake trick!
Mary
I used this German buttercream to top vanilla cupcakes. Don’t let the frosting’s light color fool you - it’s a rich, intense chocolate. Only modification I made was to the method: I added all the hot milk & sugar to the cocoa/flour/yolk mix, in 2 additions. Then I put that custard mix back over the low flame. Amount was sufficient to generously top 18 cupcakes, plus leftovers to use as a filling for the angel food cake I’ll make with my surplus egg whites.
sujatha92
I make crème fraiche with a couple tablespoons of full-fat yogurt (I always have that but almost never have buttermilk) added to heavy cream. Mix in a covered jar and let it sit at room temp till thick, 1-2 days.
NYTFAN
The batter is very liquid, consistency like pouring cream. The miracle of baking is that the end result is an almost unmanageable loftiness ( trim the domes!)
Richard
Large, X-tra Large, and Jumbo eggs conform to specific weights set by the Dept of Agriculture
Erika
Total baking time: 25-35 minutes, but rotate the cakes at the 20 min mark. Clarifying here for my future self and for others who found the baking time instruction to be quite confusing as written—it seemed the be directing an additional 25-30 min after the rotation. Watching the video on YouTube provides a clearer baking time direction (25 - 25 min total).
sara
Can you recommend a substitution for the crème fraiche?
Karyn
I made this cake for a birthday party and turned out delicious. I covered the top with raspberries to offset the intensity of the all chocolate cake. Everyone went back for second slice!
KateSok
Any tips for an oil that REALLY doesn’t taste?
LewPhilly
This was the best chocolate cake ever. Not too heavy or dense but very chocolatey. The batter was very thin, but it baked well. It reminded my wife of her mother's Midnight Chocolate Cake, but with more eggs and creme fraiche instead of milk. It took about 35 minutes in our oven. The layers came out flat enough. I used Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting - it used up the extra egg whites. I added some mini chocolate chips to the frosting between the layers.
Emily
For people who like sweetness, but don’t want overly sweet--I used 1 cup of sugar instead in the cake batter and it still tasted fantastic and sweet. The frosting 1+1/2 sticks of sugar I found was the perfect amount.
Hope
A lot of work with very expensive ingredients for a very impressive presentation that entirely lacked flavor. No one finished a slice. The icing was tasteless until we added coffee and confectioners sugar. The video is great for learning how to even the tops of layers, but if you want a delicious chocolate indulgence, this recipe will disappoint.
Carolina
Stunning cake. Absolutely perfect. I would give it 10 stars if I could. Don’t understand how it has only four. I made it for my nephew’s birthday and everyone loved it. Thanks for another remarkable recipe, Claire!
SamBrooksS
I don’t know if it’s the high altitude I’m at, or if I did something wrong, but the cake turned out dry and the frosting became really hard. I baked it at 350 in a convection oven for 30 minutes and I think it was too long. I would recommend people not go beyond 25 min. I’m going to try making it again because I really think it should have turned out better.
Yaz
What kind of chocolate? Is any high quality bar chocolate okay or should it be baking chocolate?
judson
If anyone is curious I turned this into a 9x13 single layer cake and it worked pretty well. I turned the heat down to 325F and it cooked for about 35-45 minutes total. It turned out great! (I needed a cake for 20 people and thought a 9x13 would work better than slivers of 8" tiered cake)
C.F.
Perfect, decadent chocolate cake!
Melea Alexander
Such a great cake! Moist, flavorful, and not overly sweet; frosting is rich, but light. Subbed Bob's Red Mill gf baking blend 1:1 for the flour, and it turned out great. 10/10 recommend and will make again.
pva
Anyone tried to bake this as cupcake? How many did it yield and what temp did you bake it at?
Mary W
Cake is incredible, will be my new standard. I substituted 1-1 gluten free flour (King Arthur’s) and it worked beautifully. I also subbed buttermilk (vin and whole milk) as it’s what I had on hand. I have not made the frosting yet but am very excited to try this method. I will buy cake strips after this because with 3 pans in the oven, they did bake very unevenly. I’m not complaining because it meant more of the delicious top for me to sample! But hoping the cake doesn’t lean. Do watchher video!
David
This cake is perfection. Thank you Claire. I’ve been looking for a good not-too-sweet frosting forever and this is it. I was worried it would be hard to make without a stand mixer, but it was totally fine with a hand mixer. The only minor issue I had was quite a bit more doming than Claire had in the video, but it was easy to level with a sharp serrated knife. I suspect that it could be because my oven is running a little hot.
ClaudiaSaltLake
This is fantastic. So light. If you start the buttercream when the cakes come out, they’ll be cool enough to trim and build the cake when the frosting is done. The pudding-style frosting is a bit of a chore but so worth it.
Private notes are only visible to you.
