The Best Chocolate Cake & Chocolate Frosting Recipe

May 3

I just found this post I had drafted in October 2019 that I forgot to publish...after making this cake this week I knew now was the perfect time to finally share the recipe!

Ever since I was younger both my dad and brothers' favorite cake flavor has been chocolate on chocolate. And while I've always been a master with a box mix I've never really nailed both homemade chocolate cake and chocolate frosting at once...until now! I'd already mastered my chocolate cake las year, and thankfully I stumbled upon this chocolate swiss meringue buttercream recipe from Handle The Heat on my instagram explore page and was totally into how glossy and fluffy it looked. Every time I have made a chocolate buttercream I feel like it's too buttery and not chocolatey enough. They'd be okay, but not something I'd consider to be good. My goal was to be able to make a chocolate buttercream that I'd want to eat on it's own...by the spoonful...and this is it! I've made this frosting twice for yellow and chocolate cakes, and it's good on all of 'em.

The cake comes together super easily, and because the frosting is a bit more fiddly with technique, I opted for a simple sheet cake. I've made this twice now and it's a fan favorite. If you like the taste of boxed cake mixes (no shame there— it was my gateway into baking myself!)— this one's for you. The use of all-oil (no butter) in the cake makes it super light and moist just like the box.

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Devil's Food Cake with Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

This is the best homemade chocolate cake with chocolate frosting that I've tried so far. My new go-to! The frosting takes a bit of technique, but it comes together super easily since it's a sheet cake!

For Devil's Food Cake

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup coffee brewed & hot
1 cup milk (I used Flax Milk from Good Karma)
2 eggs large
1 tsp vanilla extract

For Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
12 ounces semisweet chocolate (melted & cooled)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Devil's Food Cake

Preheat oven to 325℉ and grease 9x13in sheet pan and line with parchment paper.
Sift together dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, soda, sugar) in large bowl.
Add oil, milk, and hot coffee and mix until blended, about 2 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix for 2 more minutes. Batter will be very runny. Don't be scared!
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes (30 minutes if using two 8 or 9 inch circle cake pans) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

For Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Combine the sugar, egg whites, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with 1-inch of gently simmering water. Whisking constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thicker and foamy and reaches 150°F.
Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture on medium speed until slightly cooled and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add butter, 1 tablespoon piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. If the frosting becomes too warm and greasy, refrigerate the bowl for 10 to 15 minutes then continue to beat until smooth.
Add chocolate and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light, fluffy, and well combined.
Frost cake when cooled, add sprinkles, and enjoy!