This two layer chocolate cake recipe is dense, rich, and perfectly fudgy. My mom gave me a binder full of family recipes passed down from generations. It’s such a treasure having all these recipes that the women before me made. Getting to make them in my own kitchen with my own children is honestly something I cherish. I wanted to share some of these recipes with you so you can make them too. I hope they bring joy and memories to you and your kitchen. Enjoy friends!

Side view of chocolate cake slice with the rest of the cake in the background on a white kitchen counter.

What you need to make two layer chocolate cake + substitutions:

All-purpose flour- I typically bake with all-purpose flour. Almond and coconut flour do not have the same measurements so they will not work in this recipe. However, gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour should work just fine. Make sure to find one with xantham gum, I love Bob’s Red Mill, but any should do.
Granulated sugar- A classic in any recipe. You can use white sugar, cane sugar, whatever you prefer. I haven’t tested coconut sugar.
Cocoa powder- Cocoa powder is ideal in this recipe. I prefer dutch processed because it’ll make it richer but you can use regular and dark as well. This is my personal favorite. Cacao powder won’t work the same.
Baking soda- The baking soda helps this chocolate cake to rise.
Baking powder- Helps to add a light and fluffiness.
Sea salt- Salt is key in a baked good, because it really helps to bring out the flavor! Our favorite sea salt is from Redmond and we buy it in bulk. You can use the code daddioskitchen for 15% off!
Mayonnaise- Okay don’t knock it until you try it. I know it sounds weird, some of you may already know this trick, but it makes the cake SO dense and good. If I told Thomas there was mayo in here he wouldn’t touch it haha but thankfully he probably won’t read this haha! He sticks to the dinner recipes. I promise you it’s ridiculously good. You can substitute with 1 cup softened unsalted butter if you prefer.
Whole milk- I used whole milk in this recipe, but you can easily substitute with buttermilk or even water if you prefer. Non-dairy milk works fine too, I usually prefer soy milk when it comes to dairy-free in recipes.
Eggs- The eggs also help bind the cake together and make it extra dense and delicious.
Vanilla extract- No baked good recipe is complete without vanilla extract in my opinion. It’s key!

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Two Layer Chocolate Cake

This two layer chocolate cake recipe is dense, rich, and perfectly fudgy. My mom gave me a binder full of family recipes passed down from generations. It's such a treasure having all these recipes that the women before me made. Getting to make them in my own kitchen with my own children is honestly something I cherish. I wanted to share some of these recipes with you so you can make them too. I hope they bring joy and memories to you and your kitchen. Enjoy friends!

Course: Dessert

Keyword: cake, chocolate cake, dessert, easy dessert, kid friendly

Ingredients

For the Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1⅔ cups granulated sugar
⅔ cups dutch-processed cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup mayonnaise (It sounds weird but I promise it makes it SO good & you don’t taste it!)
1⅓ cup whole milk
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

8 tbsp softened butter
⅓ cup whole milk or heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3½ cups powdered sugar
⅔ cup dutch-processed cocoa powder

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees.
In a large mixing bowl add in all the wet ingredients for the cake. Mix until incorporated.
In a separate medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet & mix together with a whisk until incorporated.
Pour the batter into 2 greased & lined 8in cake pans. (You can use 9in too you’ll just cook for less time).
Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the center comes out clean with a toothpick.
Remove from the cake pans and cool on a wire baking rack.
While the cake is cooling, go ahead and make the icing. To make the icing, in a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream the butter.
Next, add in the cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla. Mix. Add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and mix until incorporated. If you want the icing a little thinner, add an additional tbsp of milk until you reach the consistency you like.
Once the cakes are cooled, put your first layer of cake down and add icing to the middle. Then top with the second layer of cake.
Add icing to the top of the cake and around the sides. Slice and enjoy!