Moist Chocolate Birthday Cake

Perfect for a birthday or celebration, this chocolate cake uses coffee, buttermilk, and melted chocolate to make it extra moist and delicious.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 413 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup hot coffee
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.75 cup white sugar
• 0.75 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 0.5 cup buttermilk
• 1.25 teaspoons baking soda
• 1.25 cups packed dark brown sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the pans and dust with cocoa powder.

Step 2

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Step 3

Beat butter, dark brown sugar, and white sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat on medium-high until fluffy.

Step 4

Pour melted chocolate and vanilla extract into the bowl with the sugar mixture; mix on low speed until combined. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, mixing on low speed. Pour in coffee slowly in a steady stream; mix on low speed until smooth.

Step 5

Use an electric mixer to beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold gently into batter. Divide batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, making sure not to overbake. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes; turn out onto waxed paper to cool completely before frosting.