Hot Chocolate Cake

Super moist chocolate layer cake recipe that's made with hot chocolate.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 389kcal

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and hot chocolate; set aside.
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder¹, 1 cup hot chocolate2
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, butter, buttermilk, and vanilla together until well-combined. It's important that the eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature so that the melted butter doesn't clump up.
2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add hot chocolate mixture, and whisk to combine.
Whisk in flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt just until incorporated.
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
Bake for 20-35 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
Remove cakes from pans and cool on wire rack until room temperature.
The cake is now ready to frost and assemble.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I use regular unsweetened baking cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed.
I use 1 cup of hot water mixed with 1.25 oz. of hot chocolate powder (standard-sized packet).
Nutrition facts are estimates.