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This Death by Chocolate Cake is for SERIOUS chocolate lovers only! Featuring three layers of moist chocolate cake, chocolate fudge sauce, chocolate frosting, and chocolate chips, this cake is a chocolate lovers dream come true!
Death by Chocolate Cake Recipe
What in the world could possibly be better than homemade chocolate cake? DEATH BY CHOCOLATE CAKE. That’s what!
This sinfully decadent dessert begins with three luscious layers of chocolate cake. Each layer is slathered in rich chocolate buttercream, then enrobed in a layer of hot fudge. Finally, the entire cake is coated with chocolate shavings, then sprinkled with mini chocolate chips.
Chocolate HEAVEN ↓
P.S. This cake may look fancy, but I promise it’s simple enough for anyone to throw together! I timed myself the last time I baked this and, much to my surprise, found I had it baked, frosted, and ready to be served in less than 2 hours. Not too shabby!
How to make Death by Chocolate Cake
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success:
- For the hot fudge layer you can make your own using this recipe, or use your favorite store bought brand.
- I suggest using high-quality chocolate for this recipe.
- This recipe calls for vegetable oil, but you may use an equal amount of melted coconut oil in its place, if preferred. I do not recommend substituting oil with melted butter.
- For best results, make sure your eggs, egg yolks, sour cream, and milk have all come to room temperature before you begin baking.
- When you measure your flour, be sure you’re not packing it into the measuring cup. Packed flour will yield a dense and dry cake.
- The cake layers should all be baked on the middle rack of your oven. If there’s not enough room in your oven to bake them all in an even row at once, you can bake them in two batches.
- For the rich chocolate frosting, you’ll want to make sure your butter is VERY soft before creaming it.
- The cakes should be completely cooled before adding the frosting and hot fudge sauce.
- The assembly is a two part process: you’ll place one cake level on a large plate, top it with a thin layer of frosting, then add the hot fudge, then add another cake level and repeat. Once you’ve added the final cake level you’ll want to leave the top bare and place the cake in the fridge to set for one hour. Once it’s set, you can finish frosting it and add the edible decorations.
This cake is literally chocolate on chocolate on chocolate on more chocolate. This cake is intense. This cake is a chocolate lovers paradise.
Next time you’re craving chocolate, treat yourself to this death by chocolate cake. Trust me, you’ll love it. And it’ll keep, covered in the fridge, for about a week. Meaning you could technically eat death by chocolate cake 7 nights in a row. A blessing and a curse if you know what I mean 😉
More Chocolate Cake Recipes:
- Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Super Decadent Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting
- Easy Single Layer Chocolate Cake
- Triple Layer German Chocolate Cake
If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day ♥
Death by Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake:
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (not packed!)
- 1 and 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil (you may also sub in melted coconut oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups hot water
- 1 cup chocolate chips
For the chocolate frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter (4 sticks, 16 ounces), VERY soft
- 4 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream (more if needed)
- 2 tablespoons hot fudge sauce
Garnish:
- 1 cup hot fudge sauce sauce (please see post for more on this)
- 4 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, shaved
- 1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
For the chocolate cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°(F). Cut out three 9-inch round segments of parchment paper to line your cake pans with. Spray each pan generously - sides and bottom - with nonstick cooking spray, then place the parchment paper cut out in the bottom of the pans and spray again. It's important to make sure every bit of pan and paper are sprayed so your cakes don't get stuck. Set pans aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, combine both sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Use your hands to break up any large clumps, if needed.
- In a separate bowl combine the eggs, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract; mix until completely combined.
- Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and beat on low until just incorporated. Pour in hot water and continue mixing until completely combined; about 1 minute. The batter will quite thin. Quickly fold in mini chocolate chips.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 28 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pan before removing from pans and transferring to a cooling rack. Cool cakes completely before frosting.
For the chocolate frosting:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric beater, cream the softened butter on medium-speed until completely smooth; about 3 minutes.
- Turn the mixer off and sift the powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on the lowest speed and mix until the sugar/cocoa have been absorbed by the butter; about 2 minutes. Increase mixer speed to medium; add in vanilla extract, salt, heavy cream and hot fudge; beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting appears a little too thin, add a little more confectioners' sugar; If your frosting needs to be thinner, add additional heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Assembly:
- Using a serrated knife, carefully trim the raised top of each cake, making each one an even, level surface. Transfer 1 layer to a large plate or cake stand.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting on top, then add a 1/2 cup of hot fudge sauce; top with another cake layer, and repeat, thinly spread it with a layer of frosting, then adding a 1/2 cup of hot fudge sauce. Top with the final cake layer and place cake in the fridge to set for 1 hour.
- Once set, finishing frosting the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the sides and top with chocolate shavings, then gently press the mini chocolate chips around the sides and on the top.
- Slice and serve, or keep refrigerated for about a week.
hi,i made this today, the cake,no frosting yet!it is not that sweet given the quantity of sugar used and i like that it is dark. i pour the cocoa powder on the hot water insteadof mixing it in the dry ingredients.. does it have any difference? imbaking a cake for my hubby’s birthday and in search chocolate cake. alsi,i was not able to mix the choco chip in the batter. will the chip melt as it bakes? i intend to make another tri and this time, i will do the frosting. i left the cake room temp for tomorrow.. pls give additional tips:)
In love with this cake. It is always my all time favorite but it is completely a sinful indulgence and after I eat it I think about the calories. Too much of confusion but this so so delicious that I can’t resist.
I would like to try this!! but its hard to find some of the ingredients from this recipe. May i know what would be the best replacement ingredients that i can use for the full fat sour cream? Thank you!!!
Hello! I made this recipe last weekend. WOW! I also made the hot chocolate fudge sauce and replaced the hot water with coffee. This is a fabulous recipe. I am generally not a big chocolate fan but my friends are and I always look for chocolate dessert recipes when i host dinner parties. This cake was a big hit. I now look forward to making and enjoying this cake again.
So happy this was a hit, Ron! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Hello!! Im making a chocolate cake for a birthday party this weekend but im doubting between, Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake,Super Decadent Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting or Death by Chocolate Cake. Checking the chocolate batter of each I can see that are a little bit different which chocolate butter do you recommend the most? Or which of the three cakes you think wild cause more impact ( I guess the 3 off them are amazing) Thank you for your help!!
I was wondering this as well! Did you every get an answer an answer??
Looks great, but is it possible to use less sugar, if so by how much, so as not to unbalance the cake texture .
NB … for those of us living over the water in Europe, its dificult
to judge American quantities as cups, and although you gave
a conversion in another chat, it’s not so user friendly, as it’s so extensive, its frustrating , as you want to get on with the recipe. I find grams so much more accurate.Thanks
Oh wow, I think this is the most glorious chocolate cake I’ve ever seen !
Aww thank you 🙂
“BEST CAKE EVER” was one of the compliments I received for this cake.
I’m an extreme amateur baker (this is the first cake I can remember baking from scratch) so a couple of quick notes:
– This recipe is super easy to compete successfully.
– It took me 4 hours to bake and assemble. I’ll admit my tools and oven (and skills) are sub-par, just plan accordingly based on your situation.
– I used the hot fudge recipe someone else linked in a comment and highly recommend it.
Happy Baking!
So happy this was a hit, Adam! And thank you for your helpful feedback 🙂
Is it possible to use 8inch (8X3) diameter pan? I don’t have a 9inch pan. I loved your chocolate sheet cake and I would love to try baking this next!
I will try doing this as soon as I can. Your chocolate cake is a sweet tooth killer.
I love the hot fudge topping!
Yay!!! I can’t wait to hear how it turns out 🙂
How do you prevent the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of the cake?
I think you have to coat them in flour first I suppose! I read that somewhere