Chocolate Birthday Cake for Men
Decadent chocolate cake recipe perfect for celebrating a man’s special birthday with rich flavor and sophisticated design.
Equipment
- 2 9-inch round cake pans Greased and lined with parchment paper
- 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer For beating ingredients
- 1 Mixing Bowl Large
- 1 Mixing Bowl Medium
- 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 1 Offset Spatula
- 1 Cooling Rack
- 1 Cake turntable Optional
- 1 Serrated knife
- 1 Piping Bags and Tips For decorating
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs At room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee or hot water
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter Softened
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips Melted and cooled slightly
Optional Decorations:
- Chocolate shavingS As needed
- Fresh berries As needed
- Fondant decorations For themed cake design
- Birthday cake topper As needed
- Sprinkles or edible gold flakes For gold cake effect
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, then grease the paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- In another bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing on medium speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Slowly pour in the hot coffee (or hot water) and mix on low speed until the batter is smooth.1 cup hot coffee
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add cocoa powder, then alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in vanilla extract, salt, and melted chocolate until well combined and fluffy.1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 5 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup whole milk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, Fresh berries
- Level the cakes if needed using a serrated knife. Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly over the top. Add the second cake layer. Apply a thin crumb coat over the entire cake and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Then apply the remaining frosting generously and decorate with optional toppings.Fondant decorations, Birthday cake topper, Sprinkles or edible gold flakes
Notes
- Ensure eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature for a smoother batter.
- Do not overmix the cake batter to keep it light and fluffy.
- Coffee enhances the chocolate flavor; it can be substituted with hot water if preferred.
- Cake layers can be made a day ahead and stored properly.
- Consider using specialized cake delivery services for transporting the cake safely.