Beatty's Chocolate Cake: The Ultimate Decadent Dessert Recipe

Have you ever craved a chocolate cake so rich, moist, and intensely chocolatey that it makes your taste buds dance with joy? Enter beatty's chocolate cake, the legendary dessert that has captured hearts and palates worldwide. Making this beatty's chocolate cake at home is not only rewarding but also surprisingly simple, allowing you to create bakery-quality results in your own kitchen. This chocolate cake recipe delivers a perfectly balanced sweetness with deep cocoa flavor, ideal for birthdays, celebrations, or when you simply want to treat yourself. With straightforward ingredients and foolproof techniques, this chocolate cake recipe transforms ordinary baking into an extraordinary experience that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Ingredients List

    • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed recommended)
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

For the Chocolate Frosting:

    • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
    • ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1¼ cups sifted confectioners' sugar
    • 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
    • Optional: chocolate shavings or sprinkles for decoration

Timing / Cooking Schedule

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Total time: 55 minutes (plus cooling and frosting time)

Plan ahead by allowing at least 2 hours for the cake to cool completely before frosting. This ensures your frosting won't melt and will spread beautifully across each layer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. This double protection prevents sticking and ensures easy cake removal.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Sifting eliminates lumps and incorporates air, creating a lighter texture in your finished beatty's chocolate cake.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. The buttermilk provides tanginess and tenderness that makes this chocolate cake recipe incredibly moist.

Step 4: Create the Batter Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and blend on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Carefully add the hot coffee (the batter will be thin—this is correct!) and mix until just combined.

Step 5: Bake Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't open the oven door during the first 30 minutes to prevent sinking.

Step 6: Cool Completely Let cakes cool in pans for 30 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Patience here prevents a frosting disaster!

Step 7: Make the Frosting Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Let cool slightly. Beat butter until creamy, then add egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually mix in confectioners' sugar, coffee granules, and melted chocolate until smooth and spreadable.

Step 8: Frost and Serve Place one cake layer on your serving plate, spread frosting generously, top with second layer, and frost the top and sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set before slicing.

Nutritional Information

Nutritional Information

Per serving (serves 12):

    • Calories: 485
    • Protein: 6g
    • Carbohydrates: 62g
    • Fat: 26g
    • Fiber: 3g
    • Vitamin A: 8% DV
    • Iron: 15% DV

Tips, Variations, or Cooking Advice

Dietary Variations: For a gluten-free version, substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Make it dairy-free by using almond milk mixed with lemon juice instead of buttermilk and coconut oil instead of butter.

Flavor Enhancements: Add a tablespoon of espresso powder to intensify chocolate flavor, or mix in a teaspoon of cinnamon for warmth. Try orange zest in the batter for a sophisticated twist.

Size Adjustments: This recipe adapts perfectly to a 9x13-inch pan (bake for 40-45 minutes) or 24 cupcakes (bake for 20-22 minutes).

Make-Ahead Strategy: Bake cake layers up to two days in advance, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Frost the day of serving for best results.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Using Cold Ingredients Room temperature eggs and buttermilk mix more evenly, creating better texture. Set them out 30 minutes before baking.

Mistake 2: Overmixing the Batter Mix just until ingredients are combined. Overworking develops gluten, resulting in a tough, dense cake instead of a tender crumb.

Mistake 3: Skipping the Coffee The coffee doesn't make the cake taste like coffee—it deepens and enhances the chocolate flavor. Never substitute with water.

Mistake 4: Frosting While Warm Warm cake melts frosting instantly. Always wait until completely cool, or refrigerate layers for 15 minutes before frosting.

Mistake 5: Incorrect Oven Temperature Use an oven thermometer to verify accuracy. Too hot causes burning on edges while leaving the center undercooked.

Storage / Leftovers Tips

Store your frosted beatty's chocolate cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. The chocolate frosting actually improves in flavor after a day as it sets and develops richer notes.

For longer storage, wrap unfrosted cake layers individually in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting. Frosted cake can also be frozen—place in the freezer unwrapped for 30 minutes to harden the frosting, then wrap carefully and freeze for up to 2 months.

To reheat individual slices of this incredible chocolate cake recipe, microwave for 15-20 seconds or bring to room temperature naturally for 30 minutes. The texture remains wonderfully moist even after refrigeration, making leftovers just as delightful as the freshly baked cake. For best presentation when serving refrigerated cake, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before slicing—this softens the frosting slightly and enhances the chocolate flavor.