The Best Triple Chocolate Layer Cake

Ingredients Needed

• Flour: I've only tested this recipe with all purpose flour.
• Cocoa Powder: make sure you are using dutch processed cocoa powder. Not only is it much richer in taste, but it reacts differently with baking soda and baking powder compared to unsweetened cocoa powder. If you only have unsweetened cocoa powder, you'll need to change the amount of baking powder and baking soda used!
• Buttermilk: this is what makes the cake so moist, but you can swap it out for sour cream or full fat yogurt.
• Oil: make sure you use a neutral oil like vegetable oil or canola oil - we don't want anything with a flavor.

• Chocolate: I recommend using high quality chocolate bars for both the ganache filling and the chocolate buttercream. My rule of thumb for chocolate in baking is if I wouldn't eat it on it's own, I wouldn't use that chocolate in the recipe!
• Sour Cream: make sure to use full fat sour cream for the frosting. Don't have any sour cream? How about using my chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe instead?

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix all of the dry ingredients together.

Step 2: In a large jug or in a bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients until smooth.

Step 3: While the mixer is running on low speed, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Once all of the wet ingredients are added, pour in the hot water. This batter will be very liquidy which is normal!

Step 4: Pour into three 8-inch cake pans that are greased and lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°Fahrenheit for 22-25 minutes. Let the baked cakes cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the pan and let them cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Step 5: Make your cake filling. Heat your heavy cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes before whisking smooth. Let the chocolate ganache sit until it is at room temperature.

Step 6: With a hand held mixer, whisk the chocolate ganache for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until the chocolate ganache has lightened in color and is double in size.

Step 7: Melt the chopped chocolate and let cool down. You can either melt it in the microwave in 12 second increments, stirring after each increment to make sure it doesn't burn. You could also use a double boiler if you don't have a microwave!

Step 8: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter with the confectioners' sugar on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft and fluffy.

Step 8: Add the cocoa powder and beat on low speed, once combined increase the speed to medium-high.

Step 9: Pour in the melted chocolate, salt and sour cream. Beat in the mixer until spreadable.

Expert Tips & Tricks

• Measuring ingredients – I always recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It really is the most accurate way to bake!
• Let the cakes cool completely - make sure your cakes are completely cool before you start assembling them with the filling and the frosting, otherwise, it might melt straight off of the cake!
• Want a thicker filling? Feel free to double the ingredients for the whipped chocolate ganache filling if you want it to be thicker!
• Cooling the melted chocolate - the melted chocolate for the chocolate frosting should not be warm when you add it to the rest of the ingredients, otherwise it might melt the butter.
• Room temperature ingredients - pull out the cake and frosting ingredients at least 1 hour before you start baking, longer if it's winter and your kitchen is cold! You especially want the butter for the frosting to be at room temperature, otherwise, it will be difficult to beat with the powdered sugar to get thick and fluffy frosting.

Recipe FAQs