Triple Chocolate Cake
This is the most perfect triple chocolate cake. It’s an incredibly moist and fudgy dark chocolate cake filled with a sweet dark chocolate milk soak and frosted with silky smooth, melt in your mouth, dark chocolate frosting.
Why You’ll Adore this Triple Chocolate Cake
Three chocolatey components working together to give you the best chocolate cake you’ll ever eat.
Fudgy chocolate cake– Dutch-process cocoa powder gives this cake it’s super chocolatey flavor and fudge like consistency. It’s tender and fluffy at the same time; each bite is truly perfect. I like to use a combination of regular Dutch-process cocoa powder and black cocoa powder for the darkest chocolate flavor.
Dark chocolate milk soak– To elevate the chocolate flavor even more, once the cake bakes, it gets poked with little holes and a delicious dark chocolate sweetened condensed milk mixture is poured over the top. The cake soaks it all up, acquiring an even fudgier texture.
Best dark chocolate frosting– The creamiest, glossiest chocolate frosting finishes off the cake. A little cream cheese adds extra lushness, while melted dark chocolate and honey keep this frosting glossy and pretty. It’s so silky smooth and makes each bite completely melt in your mouth.
For the full recipe, including measurements, step by step instructions, and bake time, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is just a brief overview!
Tips for Baking the Perfect Chocolate Cake
Room Temperature Ingredients- You’ll have the best textured cake if you use room temperature ingredients instead of cold. Cold wet ingredients, like eggs and buttermilk can cause the cake to bake with more of a gummy consistency, and we don’t want that. We want a moist and tender cake!
Cocoa Powder- For the darkest, most chocolatey chocolate cake, use Dutch-process or black cocoa powder. For this recipe I mixed the two together. My favorite cocoa powder brands to use are Guittard Cocoa Rouge and Modern Mountain Black Cocoa.
Mixing the Batter- You’ll want to cream the butter and sugar together until pale in color and fluffy, and the eggs should be mixed in until smooth. It’s okay at this point to mix a lot, as we’re adding air into the eggs, helping to give the batter a “lift”. However, mix the dry ingredients on low speed just until they are blended into the wet ingredients to avoid an overly dense cake.
Measuring Your Flour Properly- If you learn anything from making this recipe, please let it be this: measure your flour (and all other ingredients) with a digital kitchen scale. Don’t scoop your measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to inaccurate flour measurements and therefore, a wonky bake.
Baking Pan- I recommend using a light colored, metal baking pan. This will help to ensure that the cake gets baked evenly. A glass or dark colored baking pan can cause baking variations, like the cake baking too quickly, being over-baked in some areas, while not fully baked in others.
Triple Chocolate Cake FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, for three days. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before enjoying for the best texture!
I have been on my own gluten free journey lately and have found that most of my recipes turn out great GF- Hooray! There is a caveat though, I can only say the recipe will come out good with Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour. This is not sponsored, but my true opinion. This is the only gluten free flour I use as it bakes most similarly to regular, all-purpose flour.
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make it but mixing 1 cup (240 ml) of whole milk with 1 tbsp + 3/4 tsp of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar.
Coffee yields the best, rich chocolate flavor, but if you do not want to use coffee, you can use hot water in exchange. (It must be hot to get the same results.)
If you make this chocolate cake please leave a star review! Also, tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see your creation! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Recipes to Try Next Time
Triple Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the Dark Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 3/4 cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated white sugar
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot coffee
For the Dark Chocolate Milk Soak
- 1/3 cup (100 g/ 80 ml) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tbsp (10 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) half & half or whole milk
For the Dark Chocolate Frosting
- 8 oz (226 g) chopped dark chocolate bar
- 2 tbsp (40 g) honey
- 1 1/4 cups (280 g) unsalted butter, softened
- pinch of salt
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
For the Dark Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175 ℃). Grease a 9×9 inch light metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 3/4 cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder , 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt
- To a large bowl add the softened butter and granulated white sugar. Cream together with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes.(If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)2 cups (400 g) granulated white sugar, 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.3 eggs, at room temperature, 1 tsp vanilla
- Add in the dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing on low speed. Mix just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.1 1/4 cups (300 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- Add in the hot coffee and mix on low speed just until dispersed through the batter.1/2 cup (120 ml) hot coffee
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake. Bake the cake for 48-52 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then pull up on the parchment paper to release it from the pan. Let the cake continue cooling on the wire rack until completely cooled.
For the Dark Chocolate Milk Soak
- While the cake cools, make the dark chocolate milk soak by mixing together the sweetened condensed milk and cocoa powder in a liquid measuring cup or something easily poured from.1/3 cup (100 g/ 80 ml) sweetened condensed milk, 2 tbsp (10 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- Once the cocoa powder and condensed milk are combined, add in the milk and whisk until combined. Set aside.1/4 cup (60 ml) half & half or whole milk
For the Dark Chocolate Frosting
- Add the chopped chocolate and honey to a medium pot. Melt together over medium low heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. Let the mixture cool slightly while working on the rest of the frosting.8 oz (226 g) chopped dark chocolate bar, 2 tbsp (40 g) honey
- Add the softened butter and salt to a large bowl. Whip the butter on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.1 1/4 cups (280 g) unsalted butter, softened, pinch of salt
- Then add in the cold cream cheese and mix on medium speed until combined and fluffy.4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold
- Add the vanilla and sift in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Mix on low then medium speed until everything is combined.1 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder, 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
- Add in the slightly cooled melted chocolate mixture and mix on medium low speed until everything is combined.
- Lastly, add in the heavy cream. Mix on low speed to combine, then high speed until the frosting is fluffy.1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
Assembling the Cake
- When the cake is completely cooled, cut a very thin layer off the top of the cake using a sharp knife. This will make it easier for the chocolate milk mixture to absorb into the cake. Transfer it to a serving plate. Poke holes on the top of the cake using a wooden stick or the handle of a wooden spoon.(I used the handle of a honey dipper for smaller holes.)
- Slowly pour the chocolate milk mixture on top of the cake. It is thin so it should absorb into the cake and the poked holes easily, but do be patient as it does.
- Frost the top of the cake with a thick layer of chocolate frosting using an offset spatula. Then cut into 16 slices and serve!
