I really needed a go-to classic chocolate birthday cake. I mean, yeah . . . it’s really hard to beat chocolate orange cake with pistachio filling or caramel pecan turtle cake . . .
But sometimes one just needs the classic taste of chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream and sprinkles. A moist, velvety crumb that melts in your mouth and makes it way too easy to eat a second . . . and a third . . . and a definitely-hitting-the-gym fourth piece. This simple recipe makes it easy to whip up a chocolate birthday cake like it ain’t no thang. Annnd it totally gives me a reason to keep a variety of adorably fun sprinkles around the house at all times. 🙂 🙂 🙂
So whip yourself up some incredible chocolate cake, grab a slice, pop a squat, and scootch on over here! Because I have something EXCITING to tell you! I have been a busy beaver booking all of our travel plans for the rest of the year. (dear david, don’t look at the credit card statement without talking to me first. it’s gonna be a doozy.) And I CAN’T WAAAAAAIT!!!
On the Agenda . . .
Minnesota! Place of my birth . . . for what is certain to be a fabulous photography workshop with the inspiring Lindsay Ostrom.
Mexico! For my dear bestie Ally’s destination wedding.
Alaska! For the family vacation of a lifetime, complete with everyone and their brother and their uncle and their crazy friend.
Disneyland for Halloween! I mean . . . is there anything better in the world than Disneyland? Is there anything better in the world than Halloween? My other bestie Alli has already handmade me a custom pair of mickey ears. (seriously. diy gold star right there.)
Annnndddd more TBD! We plan on taking some weekend getaways to celebrate David finishing the bar exam in the end of July! Eeeeeee! Already mentally making packing lists and trying to think of ways to slide an entire chocolate birthday cake with extra sprinkles into a suitcase…
Cheers!
mikaela | wyldflour
One 2-layer 9-inch cake
20 minPrep Time
25 minCook Time
45 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 3/4 cups white granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/3 cups water
- optional: 1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, sprinkles
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
- 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (Low altitude: 325 degrees.) Butter two 9-inch cake pans, line the bottom with parchment paper, and set aside. (See notes for 8-inch cake pans.)
- Add flour, shortening, and sugar to a food processor and pulse until pea-sized cornmeal-like mixture forms. Dump into a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in cocoa, espresso powder (optional), baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add oil, eggs, and water to mixing bowl. Beat mixture on lowest speed for 30 seconds until all ingredients are moistened. Scrape down sides. Beat mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Divide batter between two cake pans and bake for 23-25 minutes (low altitude: 28-30 minutes) or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on cooling racks. Cool for ten minutes, then turn cakes out onto a cooling rack and allow cakes to cool completely. (If you leave the pans in longer, there is a higher risk of the sides sticking.)
- Make the frosting! Add butter, cocoa, vanilla, corn syrup, and salt to mixing bowl and beat until mixed. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and beat until fully incorporated. Mix in 1-2 Tablespoons of water until you get your desired spreading consistency.
- Assemble! Level the cakes, if necessary. Pipe frosting onto the first layer. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the frosting and top with the second layer of cake. Cover with remaining frosting and sprinkles, as desired! This cake may be stored on the kitchen counter, in a cake dish, for up to 3 days.
Notes
If you'd like to have a cake mix on hand (essentially a homemade box mix), then follow the instructions up to and including adding the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the flour, sugar, and shortening mixture. Place the mixture in a jar and store for up to 4 weeks. When ready to bake a cake, complete the instructions with the remaining ingredients!
For 8-inch cake pans, make sure you use the 3-inch deep pans, because this recipes makes quite a bit of batter. Bake at 330 degrees Fahrenheit for 38 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
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