Death by Chocolate Cake

By : AEC Heather | 0 Comments | On : May 15, 2025 | Category : Desserts, Recipes

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This cake is no joke—three layers of dark chocolate cake soaked with cocoa simple syrup, filled and frosted with the silkiest dark chocolate buttercream, and finished with a storm of mini chocolate chips. Melted dark chocolate, espresso, and full-fat sour cream take this over the top. It’s intense, indulgent, and absolutely perfect for Angelica’s surprise party. Stick around for her reaction—worth every bite and beat of suspense! 💖🎂

Print your Death by Chocolate Cake recipe here:

Death by Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• Chocolate Simple Syrup
  • 120g (½ cup) water
  • 100g (½ cup) sugar 
  • 6g (1 Tbsp) dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• Dark Chocolate Cake Recipe
  • 260g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 400g (2 cups) sugar 
  • 75g (¾ cup) dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 8g (2 tsp) baking powder
  • 9g (1 ½) tsp baking soda 
  • 6g (1 tsp) salt
  • 240g (1 cup) warm water
  • 255g (1 cup) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
  • 110g (½ cup) vegetable or canola oil
  • 112g of room temp eggs or 2 large eggs
  • 8g (2 tsp) vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1g (1 tsp) instant espresso or coffee
• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
  • 452g (2 cups or 4 sticks) unsalted room temp butter
  • 100g (1 cup) dark baking cocoa
  • 4g (1 tsp) vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 3g (½ tsp) salt
  • 625g (5 cups) powdered sugar 
  • 180g (¾ cup) room temp heavy whipping cream
  • 230g (1 ⅓ cups) dark chocolate chips, melted then cooled
• Decorations
  • 1-2 cups of mini chocolate chips

Directions for Chocolate Simple Syrup

This syrup will be used to brush over the cake layers during assembly. If preparing ahead of time, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

1. Combine ½ cup of water and ½ cup of sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. 
2. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder. 
3. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and let it cool to room temperature. 
4. Once cooled, put it in a squeeze bottle and set aside. 

 

Directions for Dark Chocolate Cake 

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line (3) 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add warm water, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, and instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients. Whisk together until just combined, careful not to overmix.
4. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 22–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
5. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Then, run a cake releaser around the edges to loosen. Tip onto wire racks and cool completely.
6. Once cooled, level the tops with cake knife and assemble.

 

Directions for Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

 

1. Melt your chocolate in glass bowl in the microwave for 30 second blasts until almost completely melted and smooth. Stir a few times to allow to finish melting. Allow the chocolate to cool at least 10 minutes before making the frosting.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter on medium until smooth and creamy. 
3. Add cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low until fully combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
4. Gradually add the powdered sugar and heavy cream. Continue mixing until the frosting becomes smooth and fluffy.
5. Slowly pour  the cool melted dark chocolate as the mixer is on low speed. Scrape down the bowl  and continue to mix until silky smooth. Make sure no chunks of chocolate remain.
6. Cover the finished buttercream to prevent it from drying out. Store on the counter. If you put it in the refrigerator, it’ll need to come to room temp before you use it and may need to be mixed again.

Directions for assembling the cake

 

1. Place the first cake layer on your cake board, secured with a small dollop of chocolate buttercream on the bottom.
2. Squeeze chocolate simple syrup over the top of the cake and allow it to soak in.
3. Spread an even layer of chocolate buttercream over the layer. (For added texture, you can add chocolate chips in any of the layers).
4. Repeat this process with remaining layers until all layers are stacked. Coat the cake in a light crumb coat (don’t worry about getting it perfect). We will put another layer on after the freezer.
5. Transfer the assembled cake to the freezer for about 10 minutes or the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes (or until the buttercream has firmed up completely).
6. Coat the cooled cake in a generous layer of chocolate buttercream. Smooth it out with an offset spatula or cake scraper.
7. Press chocolate chips gently into the buttercream all around the bottom half of your cake, then decorate the top with whatever you’d like (more chips, chocolate bars, buttercream roses, etc)
8. Store at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate a week.