Death By Chocolate Cake
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Death by chocolate cake is the ultimate cake for chocolate lovers. Three layers of rich, decadent, chocolate flavor cake with velvety smooth rich chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and chocolate ganache. A surprisingly simple and easy recipe to make and perfect for any celebration or as a festive dinner dessert.
I’ve always found it weird when people call a cake – death by chocolate cake. I mean it really sounds weird. My Aadi laughs too.
Then a few years ago, I did eat a chocolate cake at a restaurant that really felt like I had died and gone to chocolate heaven.
Over the years, I’ve made many chocolate cakes, and my family, friends, and customers have raved about my recipes. But I’ve never named any ‘death by chocolate’. Until this one. It had the OMG moment for me and I knew this is it. I finally created the ultimate chocolate cake that deserved to be called ‘Death by Chocolate’. If you love chocolate, you must try this recipe.
Why make this cake?
- Have you ever made a chocolate cake that does not look so fancy but when you take a bite – it’s got that OMG moment? This one has that.
- This is a cake you make when you want to indulge in chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate. There is melted chocolate and cocoa powder in the batter. And there is chocolate in the Swiss meringue filling and ganache frosting. So, you see this cake is a chocolate lover’s dream.
- The recipe is an oil-based cake very simple and easy. We use a two-bowl method – dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another. Combine the two together and bake.
- I am using chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream between the layers and a rich chocolate ganache for the frosting. And yet, you can absolutely use any other chocolate buttercream if you prefer.
The process and timeline for this cake
- Cake batter – 15 minutes
- Bake cake – 35 minutes
- Chill cake – 4 hours at least (preferably overnight)
- Buttercream & Ganache – 30 minutes
- Frost the cake – 45 – 60 mins
Ingredients and substitutes
- All-purpose flour – I prefer to use all-purpose flour for my chocolate-based cakes. I believe it adds stability and prevents the cake from falling apart.
- Cocoa powder – I always use unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder. You can find this in the regular baking aisle.
- Oil – I find oil keeps the cake nice and moist especially because we are using both cocoa paste and melted chocolate in the batter. Use flavorless cooking oil for best results.
- Buttermilk – You can make buttermilk at home and it takes just five minutes – here’s how to make homemade buttermilk in 5 mins.
- Sugar – We are using both white granulated sugar and dark sugar in this cake. The dark adds that soft fudgy texture while the white does give us a nice crisp crust.
- Vanilla – A good quality vanilla extract, bean paste, or sugar works great.
- Chocolate for buttercream – The chocolate I am using for this Swiss meringue buttercream is Callebaut 70% Cocoa ad you can see that the frosting is quite darker than regular Swiss meringue but you can use 56 % or more.
Death by chocolate cake
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/ 165°C/ Gas Mark 3
- Pans – Grease and line 3 x 7-inch round or 2 x 8-inch round baking pans with parchment paper.
- Chocolate – Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt for a minute or more until smooth. Set aside to cool.
Pro tip – you can also melt chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. - Cocoa paste – In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, coffee, and hot water. Set aside.
- Dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – and set aside.
- Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg with both white and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract followed by cocoa paste, and melted cooled chocolate. Combine well, then, add the buttermilk and oil.
- Wet to dry – Next, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Combine well until you have a smooth batter.
Pro tip – You will need a whisk or whisk attachment to ensure there are no lumps in the batter.
- Bake – Divide the batter equally between the prepared baking pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes clean.
Pro tip – I like to use cake strips to ensure my layer cakes bake flat. For even layers use a kitchen scale to ensure you have equal quantity. - Cool – When baked, cool in the baking pans for 5 minutes. Then, invert and cool on a wire rack completely before you decorate.
Pro tip – it is very important that the cakes are completely cooled before frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will melt on the warm cakes.
Chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream
- Temper – Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer. Using a whisk, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler). Whip until all the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are fairly warm (about 160 F).
Pro tip – make sure the bowl is grease-free otherwise the egg whites will not whip - Whip – Take the bowl off the heat and whip the egg whites on medium to high speed until you have a thick meringue with stiff peaks. Let the mixer continue to whip on medium-low until the mixer bowl feels cool to the touch.
Pro tip – it is best to start whipping eggs at medium speed then increase speed as you go for the best meringue. - Butter – Gradually add butter, one cube at a time, with the mixer at medium speed. Once all the butter is added, whip on medium-high for 2 minutes. Lastly, add the vanilla. Combine well until everything is well combined. Add the vanilla extract. This is your classic Swiss meringue buttercream
Pro tip – it is VERY important that the meringue is cooled completely before you add the butter. Otherwise, you will have a soupy mess. - Chocolate – Now, fold in the melted cooled chocolate. Combine until you have a smooth frosting.
Pro tip – it is very important that the chocolate is not warm. Otherwise, it will seize when added to the chilled frosting.
Chocolate ganache
- Microwave – Chop the chocolate into smaller similar size pieces so it melts easily. Pour the whipping cream over the chocolate. Heat in the microwave for a minute or more until all the chocolate is melted and smooth. Add the butter and vanilla extract.
- Double boiler – Alternatively, you can heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Then, pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Combine with a spatula until it is smooth. Add the butter and vanilla extract.
- Rest – Cover the ganache with plastic wrap making sure to cover the surface of the chocolate to prevent any skin from forming. Leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours or on the counter for 4 hours until it’s about peanut butter consistency.
Pro tip – If the ganache is set too firm/hard, place it in the microwave for no more than 10 seconds until you have a spreadable consistency.
Assemble
- Level – Using a bread knife or cake leveler cut the domes off the cake layers. Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup.
Pro tip – if you baked two layers, you can split each layer horizontally to make four layers. - Stack – Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand. Top with a big dollop of buttercream – spread evenly using a straight-edge spatula. Then, top the next cake layer on top followed by more buttercream and more layers. Chill for 15 minutes.
Pro tip – Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don’t move when you frost the outside. - Frost – Next, spread the ganache around and on top of the cake. Using a paddle motion when spreading will help smooth the ganache better.
Pro tip – A straight-edge spatula for the top, an offset spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better. - Pattern – Create a rustic finish look by simply holding the tip of the spatula horizontally against the side of the cake and rotating the cake at the same time. Do the same on the top of the cake.
- Optional – You can pipe any remaining frosting as a border or on the top of the cake. I preferred to leave it like this.
Tips for Success
- Make sure to use room-temperature ingredients. Firm butter will make a lumpy batter and chilled eggs will curdle the batter.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy means the sugar will be melted into the butter and the color of the butter will become pale.
- Always add eggs one at a time to prevent the batter from curdling. If it does curdle just add a tablespoon of flour and continue with the recipe.
- Whip the buttermilk before adding it to the batter to prevent lumps in the batter.
- To ensure you have even layers you can measure the batter using a weighing scale. I like to weigh the empty pans first then make sure they both weigh the same with the batter.
- Bake the cakes on the center rack and do not open the oven door for the first 25 minutes of baking.
- When baked cool the cakes for 5 minutes in the pan then cool them completely on the cooling rack. The cakes must be cooled completely before frosting otherwise the frosting will melt. Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don’t move when you frost the outside. Though, if you leave the cake uncovered in the fridge for too long it can dry out. So, 10 minutes is all you need.
- The cake will stay fresh for up to two days at cool room temperature, longer if kept in the fridge. It can be frozen for a month or more.
More chocolate cakes
How do you make a moist death by chocolate cake?
A moist chocolate cake is the result of the right balance of ingredients. The right amount of wet ingredients and dry ingredients.
Perfect leavening that’s enough to make it light and fluffy and not too much so it sinks.
And baking it so it’s just cooked. Over baking can dry out the moisture in cakes.
How long will this chocolate cake last?
If properly stored, a chocolate cake will last for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. It can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.
Can I omit the eggs? What can I replace the eggs to make this an eggless death by chocolate cake?
No, this recipe works best with eggs. Perhaps try my proven eggless chocolate cake or eggless chocolate Fudge cake recipes, which are both very popular with my visitors on this blog.
What other pans can I bake this ultimate chocolate cake in?
If you don’t want to make a layer cake like this, you can make this into a sheet cake – ‘Death by Chocolate Sheet Cake’.
You can also pour the batter into a well-greased and dusted bundt pan for a ‘Death by Chocolate Bundt Cake’.
This recipe can also be baked into 24 to 28 beautiful Death by chocolate cupcakes.
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Death by Chocolate Cake
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 325°F/ 165°C/ Gas Mark 3
Calories: 845kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 15 servings
Description
Death by chocolate cake is the ultimate cake for chocolate lovers. Three layers of rich, decadent, cake with velvety smooth rich chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and chocolate ganache.
Video
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 oz (113 g) Chocolate (semi-sweet or dark)
- 3 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 cup (85 g) Cocoa powder
- 1 tsp Instant coffee (optional )
- 1½ cup (355 ml) Hot water
- 4 large (200 g) Eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) White sugar
- 1 cup (220 g) Brown sugar
- 1½ cup (350 ml) Buttermilk
- 1 cup (240 ml) Cooking oil
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
Chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream
- 3 large (99 g) Egg whites
- ¾ cup (150 g) White sugar
- ⅛ tsp Cream of tartar (optional)
- 12 oz (340 g) Butter ( unsalted, room temperature)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Salt
- 6 oz (170 g) Chocolate (melted and cooled)
Chocolate ganache
- 1 lb (450 g) Chocolate (semi-sweet)
- 1 cup (240 ml) Whipping cream
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 2 tsp Vanilla
Plus
- ½ cup (120 ml) Simple Syrup
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/ 165°C/ Gas Mark 3
- Pans – Grease and line 3 x 7-inch round or 2 x 8-inch round baking pans with parchment paper.
- Chocolate – Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt for a minute or more until smooth. Set aside to cool. Pro tip – you can also melt chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl over a pot of simmering water.4 oz Chocolate
- Dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – and set aside.3 cups All-purpose flour, 2 tsp Baking powder, 1 ½ tsp Baking soda, ½ tsp Salt
- Cocoa paste – In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, coffee, and hot water. Set aside.1 cup Cocoa powder, 1 tsp Instant coffee, 1½ cup Hot water
- Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg with both white and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract followed by cocoa paste, and melted cooled chocolate. Combine well, then, add the buttermilk and oil.4 large Eggs, 1 cup White sugar, 1 cup Brown sugar, 1½ cup Buttermilk, 1 cup Cooking oil, 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- Wet to dry – Next, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Combine well until you have a smooth batter. Pro tip – You will need a whisk or whisk attachment to ensure there are no lumps in the batter.
- Bake – Divide the batter equally between the prepared baking pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes clean.Pro tip – I like to use cake strips to ensure my layer cakes bake flat. For even layers use a kitchen scale to ensure you have equal quantity.
- Cool – When baked, cool in the baking pans for 5 minutes. Then, invert and cool on a wire rack completely before you decorate.Pro tip – it is very important that the cakes are completely cooled before frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will melt on the warm cakes.
Chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream
- Temper – Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer. Using a whisk, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler). Whip until all the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are fairly warm (about 160 F).Pro tip – make sure the bowl is grease-free otherwise the egg whites will not whip3 large Egg whites, ¾ cup White sugar
- Whip – Take the bowl off the heat and whip the egg whites with cream of tartar and salt on medium to high speed until you have a thick meringue with stiff peaks. Let the mixer continue to whip on medium-low until the mixer bowl feels cool to the touch. Pro tip – it is best to start whipping eggs at medium speed then increase speed as you go for the best meringue.⅛ tsp Cream of tartar, ½ tsp Salt
- Butter – Gradually add butter, one cube at a time, with the mixer at medium speed. Once all the butter is added, whip on medium-high for 2 minutes. Lastly, add the vanilla. Combine well until everything is well combined. Add the vanilla extract. This is your classic Swiss meringue buttercreamPro tip – it is VERY important that the meringue is cooled completely before you add the butter. Otherwise, you will have a soupy mess.12 oz Butter, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Chocolate – Now, fold in the melted cooled chocolate. Combine until you have a smooth frosting. Pro tip – it is very important that the chocolate is not warm. Otherwise, it will seize when added to the chilled frosting.6 oz Chocolate
Chocolate ganache
- Microwave – Chop the chocolate into smaller similar size pieces so it melts easily. Pour the whipping cream over the chocolate. Heat in the microwave for a minute or more until all the chocolate is melted and smooth. Add the butter and vanilla extract.1 lb Chocolate, 1 cup Whipping cream, 1 tbsp Butter, 2 tsp Vanilla
- Double boiler – Alternatively, you can heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Then, pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Combine with a spatula until it is smooth. Add the butter and vanilla extract.
- Rest – Cover the ganache with plastic wrap making sure to cover the surface of the chocolate to prevent any skin from forming. Leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours or on the counter for 4 hours until it’s about peanut butter consistency.Pro tip – If the ganache is set too firm/hard, place it in the microwave for no more than 10 seconds until you have a spreadable consistency.
Assemble
- Level – Using a bread knife or cake leveler cut the domes off the cake layers. Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup.Pro tip – if you baked two layers, you can split each layer horizontally to make four layers.1/2 cup Simple Syrup
- Stack – Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand. Top with a big dollop of buttercream – spread evenly using a straight-edge spatula. Then, top the next cake layer on top followed by more buttercream and more layers. Chill for 15 minutes. Pro tip – Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don't move when you frost the outside.
- Frost – Next, spread the ganache around and on top of the cake. Using a paddle motion when spreading will help smooth the ganache better. Pro tip – A straight-edge spatula for the top, an offset spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better.
- Pattern – Create a rustic finish look by simply holding the tip of the spatula horizontally against the side of the cake and rotating the cake at the same time. Do the same on the top of the cake.
- Optional – You can pipe any remaining frosting as a border or on the top of the cake. I preferred to leave it like this.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Make sure to use room-temperature ingredients. Firm butter will make a lumpy batter and chilled eggs will curdle the batter.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy means the sugar will be melted into the butter and the color of the butter will become pale.
- Always add eggs one at a time to prevent the batter from curdling. If it does curdle just add a tablespoon of flour and continue with the recipe.
- Whip the buttermilk before adding it to the batter as this prevents lumps in the batter.
- To ensure you have even layers you can measure the batter using a weighing scale. I like to weigh the empty pans first then make sure they are both the same weight with the batter.
- Bake the cakes on the center rack and do not open the oven door for the first 25 minutes of baking.
- When baked cool the cakes for 5 minutes in the pan then cool them completely on the cooling rack. The cakes must be cooled completely before frosting otherwise the frosting will melt. Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don’t move when you frost the outside. Though, if you leave the cake uncovered in the fridge for too long it can dry out. So, 10 minutes is all you need.
- The cake will stay fresh for up to two days at cool room temperature, longer if kept in the fridge. It can be frozen for a month or more.
- Freezing instructions – Freeze the cake on a tray for an hour or two then wrap well in plastic wrap, followed by a parchment paper and then aluminum foil. The parchment and aluminum will prevent freezer burns and odor from other foods into the cake. Thaw wrapped in the fridge for 24 hours so the condensation will stay on the papers, not the cake.
- Other pan suggestions – If you don’t want to make a layer cake like this,
- You can pour this batter into a 9 x 13 pan to make a classic chocolate sheet cake.
- Pour the batter into a well-greased and dusted 9 cup bundt pan for a chocolate fudge bundt cake’.
- This recipe can also be baked into 26 beautiful chocolate cupcakes
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Nutrition Information
Calories: 845– kcalCarbohydrates: 81– gProtein: 10– gFat: 56– gSaturated Fat: 35– gCholesterol: 143– mgSodium: 364– mgPotassium: 513– mgFiber: 6– gSugar: 49– gVitamin A: 1313– IUVitamin C: 1– mgCalcium: 141– mgIron: 6– mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Are the cocoa powder, and hot water measurement’s correct in the ingredients list because I used exact measurements as shown and my cocoa powder/hot water mixture came out very liquidy, not a paste at all. The cake luckily still came out fine but I was just wondering incase you made a mistake.
Yes Dee, the amount of liquid is correct. I did change the measurement after I made the video. In reduced 1/2 cup buttermilk and increased 1/2 cup water. It should work better. Thanks
Hi Veena, I need some advice – I was asked to baked a 50th birthday 2-tier vintage birthday cake and the guests are 100 ppl – 1) any suggestions on the tier sizes & heights of each to feed 100 guests 2) should I suggest a smaller 2-tier for cutting and a separate square cake which could be cut to serve – if yes then what size and height would you suggest to make it look grand and what size square for serving (most of the 2 -tier will also be cut to serve) 3) a good size for the 2-tier cake to stand out with stuff like VINTAGE 1971 – AGED TO PERFECTION written on the front of both the tiers respectively
Hey Marion. You have plenty of options to serve 100 guests depending on the shape and number of cakes you want to use. Check this – cake portion guide it might be what you need. Thanks
Hi Veena..is the cake stable enough to cover with fondant?
Yes, Faith. You can cover this cake with fondant. Make sure to use either cake decorators ganache or a butter-based buttercream frosting. Chill the cake well until firm so it is easier to work with.
Is there a misprint in the Death by Chocolate cake recipe? My cake batter was much too thick to pour/spread into the pans. I added an additional cup of liquid and it was still thick but the consistency was closer to something that could be poured into a pan without having to use my hands to pat it out level. It’s in the oven now and I am crossing my fingers that it turns out well.
Hey Sue. The consistency is thick but not as thick as you say it was when you made it. Thanks