I made this cake last month for my mom’s birthday. I took my family over to her house, and I cooked dinner. Mom got to play with her grandsons. We chatted and drank some wine, and it was a wonderful night. Everyone raved about dinner, but this cake was definitely the pièce de résistance. And with good cause.

I don’t always have the easiest time shopping for my mom. Yeah there are a bunch of things I can pick up and say that she’d like, but my favorite thing to do is cook for her. She gets a night off from the kitchen and I can make her a killer cake to go with dinner. This year, I took the family over to her house, and made one of my all time favorite dinners.

I made the most delicious Cilantro Cream Chicken from Mom’s Test Kitchen and Loaded Sweet Potato Salad from Ari’s Menu. You may never want to go back to regular loaded potatoes after having this dish. It’s so freaking good. I kept stealing bites all night long…even after I was too full. The chicken was totally delicious. If I had the time I would have let it marinade much long to really get the flavors in there, but the chicken was juicy and the sauce rocked!!

I couldn’t leave well enough alone though. I had to make a four-layer cake to end the meal. I originally planned on making a blackberry lemon cake with white chocolate cream cheese frosting, and I still might one day. But for some reason the day before the dinner chocolate become the name of the game. This cake has a great crumb, is totally decadent, and is the perfect chocolate cake!

This cake is a love child of two of my favorite chocolate cakes – both from Baked in New York. I have the Baked Elements cookbook, and it’s one of my all time favorite cookbooks. I had made their Black Cocoa Cake with Peanut Butter Filling and Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting on a whim one day, and fell in love! It was so rich and decadent. Then, I saw their other recipe for Mile High Chocolate Cake and knew that’s what Mom needed to have for her special day.

I made the chocolate cake, used 4 tiers instead of 6 because somehow I only have two cake pans, and frosted it with two different types of frosting. For a little flair! My mom and step dad couldn’t stop talking about the chocolate frosting. It’s really the easiest thing ever to make, and it’s rich, smooth, and decadent. Everything chocolate should be!

Julie

Four-Layer Chocolate Cake

A decadent four-layer chocolate cake that's filled with buttercream and topped with sour cream chocolate frosting.

Print Recipe

Servings: 10 slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

¾ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ¼ cups hot water
⅔ cup sour cream
2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 ounces unsalted butter, softened
½ cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons heavy cream, or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ½ cups powdered sugar

Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting

1 cup sour cream
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, or dark chocolate

Method

Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Cut out two parchment paper circles to fit the pans, and place one in the bottom of each pan. Spray the parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray as well.
In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. Add sour cream and combine. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.4. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; mix to combine, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions. Alternate adding flour mixture and cocoa mixture, mix just until combined after each addition.
Pour 2 1/2 cups of batter into each cake pan. {This recipe is made for 3 cake pans, if you have a third add the rest of the batter to than pan. Otherwise you can do whatever you like with the extra batter, like eat it with a spoon...I won't tell.}
Bake the cakes for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and col completely.

Buttercream

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and beat until smooth. If this frosting is too thick/dry add another tablespoon of milk, and mix again. If the frosting is too wet, add 1/4 cup powdered sugar and mix. Adjust as needed until desired consistency is reached.

Frosting

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place bowl over a medium saucepan filled 1/3 way with water. Bring water to a simmer. Occasionally stir chocolate until it is completely melted.
Remove from heat, and stir in sour cream. Fold and stir until completely combined.

Assembly

Remove cakes from pans. Using a cake saw (or serrated knife) cut each cake into two layers (horizontally). Place one layer on serving plate or cake board. Top with a 1/3 cup buttercream. Spread buttercream evenly over top of cake layer. Repeat with remaining 3 layers. Using remaining buttercream to frost around the sides and top of the cake. Freeze cake for 20 minutes.
Remove cake from freezer. Frost cake with chocolate frosting, and top with chocolate jimmies or other sprinkles or your choice. Grab a big glass of milk or cup of coffee and enjoy!