Triple layer chocolate cake recipe

Why settle for one layer when you can have three? This triple layer chocolate cake is the ultimate treat for a chocoholic.

Unlike our classic chocolate cake (opens in new tab) - this contains three chocolate sponges, which are smothered with luxurious chocolate buttercream and topped with a sprinkling of grated chocolate. This chocolate cake recipe is made by famous baker Molly Bakes so you know it's going to be a real winner. This recipe serves around 20 people making it the perfect chocolate birthday cake or cake for a special occasion when it will be shared. 

It will take around 1hr and five mins to prepare and bake this cake. Thanks to the simple buttercream decoration you don't have to spend too much time decorating after its baked.

Watch how to make this triple layer chocolate cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 150g cocoa powder
• 600ml boiling water
• 360g butter, softened
• 600g caster sugar
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 6 eggs, room temperature
• 360g self raising flour
• 2tsp baking powder
• ½tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½tsp salt

For the buttercream:

• 250g butter, softened
• 500g icing sugar, sifted
• 200g dark chocolate plus extra
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 2tbsp milk

You'll also need:

• 3x 25cm round baking tins or 4x 20cm round baking tin

Method

1. To make this triple layer chocolate cake, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease and flour the 25cm round cake tins.
2. Combine the boiling water with the cocoa powder and stir until smooth. Leave to cool.Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla then the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add all of the flour, gently mix until just combined. Fold in the cooled cocoa.
4. Divide the mixture into the prepared cake tins and bake for 35 mins or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Loosen the edges with a knife to reduce cracking the cake as it cools and shrinks. Leave to cool for 20 mins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. For the buttercream: Melt the chocolate over a bain marie.
6. Cream the butter until smooth, gradually add the icing sugar and continue to cream until light and fluffy. Add the chocolate and beat until combined. Finally add the vanilla and the milk, creaming until combined and the mixture is soft, add a little extra milk if you feel it is not a spreadable mixture.
7. Cut the tops off each cake and level. Using a palette knife spread a coating of buttercream onto the top of the bottom two cake layers. Sandwich the three layers together.
8. Spread a coating of buttercream over the top of the cake, then coat the sides. Garnish the top with grated chocolate.  

Top tip for making triple layer chocolate cake

If you don't have a bain-marie simply melt the chocolate over water which has just been boiled and then turned off. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water and stir until it's melted. Or you could melt the chocolate in the microwave in small short bursts of 10-20 seconds of heat at a time - stir each time. The chocolate ganache is the perfect topping for this chocolate sponge cake (opens in new tab).

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Chocolate ganache cake (opens in new tab)