This Chocolate Cake is so moist, so fudgy, so chocolatey, so rich, and so so delicious! It has three layers of moist chocolate cake that are smothered in a glossy chocolate fudge frosting - perfect for birthday parties, or just because!
WHAT YOU NEED all purpose flour cornstarch unsweetened cocoa powder baking soda baking powder kosher salt granulated sugar dark brown sugar vegetable oil eggs milk vanilla extract vinegar hot coffee unsalted butter powdered sugar corn syrup dutch process cocoa powder dark chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and prep 3 8″ cake pans. Grease the inside and line the bottom with parchment paper. If you have them, wrap the pans in damp cake strips and set aside. 2. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 3. In a measuring glass, add the milk and stir in the vinegar and vanilla.
4. Whisk together the sugars, oil, and mayo, followed by the eggs and egg yolk. Mix in the milk mixture. 5. Pour in half of the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Pour in the hot coffee and whisk to combine, followed by the remaining dry ingredients. The batter should be very thin and liquid. 6. Evenly distribute the batter between the three pans.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool the cakes completely before frosting, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
8. Make the frosting. Using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Then mix in the powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. 9. In a measuring glass, whisk together the warm water and cocoa powder.
10. Pour into the frosting and mix to combine, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Then pour in the melted chocolate and mix to fully combine. 11. The frosting should now be smooth and glossy but somewhat thin. To thicken, place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes.
12. Level off the top of each cake layer if needed. Lay one layer down on a cake turntable and spread a layer of frosting on top. Lay the next cake layer on top, repeating the process. 13. Once all the layers are stacked, place the cake in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to allow those layers to set. Once set, cover the entire outside of the cake with frosting.