Chocolate cake is one of my favorite things in the whole world. But, if you’ve read Add a Pinch for very long, you could’ve probably already guessed that little tidbit of information. And this Chocolate Velvet Cake? Well, it needs to happen in your life soon. You will love it!

Chocolate Velvet Cake Recipe | ©addapinch.com

With it’s signature crumb and flavor, this chocolate cake is an unmistakable velvet cake recipe. Unlike the red velvet cake of my childhood and the blue velvet cake I dreamt up a while back, this chocolate velvet cake just lets the chocolate shine through.

Chocolate Velvet Cake | ©addapinch.com

And boy does it ever shine!

This chocolate velvet cake comes with a bit of a history. You see, I was asked last summer to develop a recipe for novelist Jane Porter for her book, The Good Wife.

Jane and I went back and forth about the character, her history, her passions and hobbies, and the like. I was thrilled when we decided that only a chocolate cake would work! I loved reading through the character notes and developing the perfect chocolate cake that held a touch of Southern roots while still being a modern cake.

Here’s my Chocolate Velvet Cake Recipe. I think you’ll love it.

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Chocolate Velvet Cake Recipe

Robyn Stone
5 from 6 votes
Chocolate Velvet Cake with Chocolate Heritage Frosting gives a nod to the traditional Southern velvet cakes we all know and love while giving them a bit of an update. Full of rich, delicious chocolate flavor with that unmistakable velvet cake texture.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 24

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups (297 g) sugar
  • 2 large (100 g) eggs, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons (15.75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon (1.16 g) espresso powder
  • 1 cup (227 g) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon (4.7 g) vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon (14.9 g) distilled white vinegar

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350o F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans with butter and flour, taking care to remove any excess flour.
  • Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add eggs one at a time, completely incorporating after each addition.
  • Sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso powder in a separate medium bowl, set aside.
  • Pour buttermilk and vanilla into a measuring cup, set aside.
  • Alternately, mix flour mixture and buttermilk mixture into butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
  • Scrape down sides of mixing bowl to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.
  • Reduce speed of mixer and stir in baking soda, making sure incorporated into batter. Then, stir in the vinegar, taking care not to over mix.
  • Distribute cake batter evenly into the three cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until cakes have gently pulled away from the edges of the cake pans and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. You can follow my tips for how to tell when your cake is done.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cool in pans for about 10 minutes and then turn out onto cooling racks until cakes are completely cooled before frosting cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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For the frosting, you can use a favorite buttercream frosting or my chocolate heritage frosting. I think you’ll love it, too!

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Recipe Review




77 Comments

  1. Robyn,
    I have only been following your blog for a little while, but I love seeing that you are a chocolate cake sort of person. I LOVE chocolate and the recipe above looks delicious. However, seeing that you specialize in chocolate cake reminded me that I have been looking for a recipe for a certain type of chocolate cake and I wonder if you have any like it. When I was in graduate school I worked for an organization running wedding receptions. One baker that we often worked with made an amazing groom’s cake and would not give out her recipe (not surprising), although I do remember that she said it had several different kinds of chocolate in it. Her chocolate groom’s cake was really dense and heavy and very moist. It was very chocolatey and rich and the frosting was almost like fudge. It was SO good! All of us workers would always hope that there would be leftover cake so we could take a piece home to enjoy later. I haven’t found any recipes that even come close to it. I’d love to hear if you have any recipes to suggest that might be similar.

    Reply

  6. This cake looks amazing! I need to learn how to reach into a computer and pull out this totally yummy cake!

    Reply

  7. Robyn, first let me wish you the Happiest of Birthdays! Now, the cake…wow, just beautiful. I have never met a chocolate cake I didn’t like and I just know that this one would be no exception. It’s Pinned!

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy,
      The frosting I used is this one: https://addapinch.com/cooking/2014/01/20/chocolate-heritage-frosting-recipe/#axzz2qy2KPORb

  9. oh this cake looks fabulous! love the smooth and creamy frosting too 🙂 It’s a real BEAUTY!

    Reply