Death By Chocolate Cake Recipe

If you're a chocolate lover, you may be searching for the perfect recipe to curb even the strongest craving. And with this death by chocolate cake recipe, you won't have to look any further.

Death by chocolate cake can mean a lot of different things, and it can be made a number of different ways. But one thing remains consistent across the board: it has to be jampacked with rich, fudgy chocolate flavor. And this decadent treat certainly fits the bill.

This death by chocolate cake recipe features a moist cake crumb with deep chocolate flavor. It's topped with a luscious chocolate frosting, creating the perfect pairing for every bite. Dressed up with chunks of chocolate, a chocolate drizzle, and sprinkles, it's certainly ready to party for any occasion. Are you ready to grab a fork and take a bite? Read on for step-by-step directions on how to make this death by chocolate cake for yourself at home.

Gather the ingredients for death by chocolate cake

Ready to get started on making this decadent dessert? First up, grab all of your ingredients. 

For this death by chocolate cake recipe, you'll need, white sugar, brown sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 2 eggs, oil, milk, and hot water. To make the chocolate frosting, you'll need one stick of unsalted butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk. Plus, don't forget your decorations! You'll need 1 (4-ounce) baking chocolate bar to add more chocolate on top of the cake, along with your favorite sprinkles, if desired. 

Mix the dry ingredients

Once all of your ingredients are gathered, it's time to get to baking. First, preheat your oven to 350 F so it can come up to the proper temperature while you prepare the chocolate cake batter.

To start the batter, combine all the dry ingredients. Pour the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, 1 ¼ cups cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients until combined. Be sure the mixture is free of any large clumps before moving on. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones

To finish off the chocolate cake batter, you'll need to mix in the wet ingredients. First, mix in the eggs, Next, mix in the oil, then mix in 1 cup milk. Use a hand mixer to be sure the ingredients are completely combined. 

When the batter comes together, stir in the ½ cup hot water. This will thin out the batter while you stir, which is ultimately the goal. It will help to produce an extra moist chocolate cake. 

Bake the chocolate cake

Once the batter is ready, prepare a 9x13-inch cake pan by spraying it with cooking spray. To be extra sure the cake doesn't stick, place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan.

Pour all the prepared cake batter into the pan. Put the pan in the oven and bake the cake for 25 minutes. The cake is ready once the top is fully set. 

Once the cake is baked and ready, take it out of the oven and set it aside to fully cool before topping it with frosting. 

Make the chocolate frosting and frost the cake

While the cake cools, it's the perfect opportunity to make the chocolate frosting. Mix the stick of softened butter in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer until it's fluffy. Next, add in 2 cups powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk. Continue mixing, gradually adding powdered sugar along the way. Once the frosting starts to come together, mix in the 3 tablespoons cocoa powder to flavor the frosting. Turn the speed up on the mixer to whip the frosting until it reaches a fluffy consistency. 

Transfer the cooled chocolate cake to a cake board or platter, or keep it in the pan. Spread the chocolate frosting all over the top of the cake. Break the chocolate baking bar in half. Cut half of the bar into small chunks to sprinkle on top of the cake. Utilize the second half of the bar to melt according to the directions on the package. Drizzle the top of the chocolate cake with melted chocolate, and finish it off with sprinkles, if desired. 

Death by chocolate cake recipe
5 (91 ratings)
If you're the type of chocolate lover who wants chocolate on top of chocolate, then you need to try this easy recipe for death by chocolate cake.
Prep Time
15
minutes
Cook Time
25
minutes
Servings
12
slices
slices of chocolate cake
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • 1 ¼ cups + 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, divided
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅔ cup oil
  • 1 cup + 3 tablespoons milk, divided
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 5 cups powdered sugar (for the chocolate frosting)
  • 1 4-ounce baking chocolate bar
Optional Ingredients
  • sprinkles
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, add the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, 1 ¼ cups cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine.
  2. Add the eggs, and mix. Then, add the oil and 1 cup milk. Mix until just combined, then stir in the hot water. The batter will be thinned out, which is the goal.
  3. Prepare a cake pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom to prevent sticking. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
  4. Bake the cake for 25 minutes until the top is fully set. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven to cool completely.
  5. To make the chocolate frosting, add 1 stick softened butter to a mixing bowl. Whip the butter until fluffy, then mix in 2 cups powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk. Continue gradually adding the powdered sugar and mix until the frosting starts to come together. Mix in the 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and turn the speed up on the mixer to whip until fluffy.
  6. Once the cake is cooled, spread the chocolate frosting on top. Decorate the cake with chunks of chocolate, a drizzle of melted chocolate, and sprinkles.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 598
Total Fat 25.6 g
Saturated Fat 8.9 g
Trans Fat 0.4 g
Cholesterol 49.3 mg
Total Carbohydrates 95.4 g
Dietary Fiber 4.8 g
Total Sugars 75.6 g
Sodium 374.0 mg
Protein 5.8 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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