Moist Chocolate Layer Cake

4.70 from 13 votes

Simple, decadent, and sinfully delicious, our fudgy Moist Chocolate Layer Cake is the BEST go-to recipe for family celebrations!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate cake, chocolate layer cake

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Cooling Time 1

Total Time 2

Servings slices

Calories 616kcal

Author Aubrey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. (see note)
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Mix together until just combined.
In a cup or medium bowl, stir together the instant coffee and hot water. Pour this mixture into the cake batter and mix until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. (The batter will be thin.) Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans on a wire rack for 1-2 hours. (The centers of the cake may fall a bit while cooling, that's okay.)
Turn the cakes out onto a plate and then carefully flip them back onto another plate so they are right side up. Use a serrated knife to trim the tops so they are flat. (Any scraps are for snacking!)
Place one cake layer onto a platter or cake stand and frost the top with your desired frosting. Place the second layer on top and frost the cake all over using an offset spatula. Decorate with sprinkles if desired before cutting into slices and serving. (Store in the fridge until ready to serve. This also helps the frosting set up, and the cake is easier to slice.)

Nutritional information uses the cake recipe above with 4 cups of homemade chocolate buttercream for frosting.
To guarantee the cakes release from the pan easily, you can line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the pan, add the paper, and then spray again.
Instead of buttermilk, you can make sour milk by combining 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
If you don't have instant coffee available, substitute 8 ounces of brewed coffee for the instant coffee and boiling water mixture. If you prefer not to use coffee at all (though it does help bring out the chocolate flavor), you can use hot water instead.