Name: Double Chocolate Layer Cake
Yield: Serves 12 to 14
Ingredients: 3 oz. fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut; 1½ cups hot brewed coffee; 3 cups sugar; 2½ cups all-purpose flour; 1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process); 2 tsp. baking soda; ¾ tsp. baking powder; 1¼ tsp. salt; 3 large eggs; ¾ cup vegetable oil; 1½ cups well-shaken buttermilk; ¾ tsp. vanilla extract; 1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 Tbsp. sugar; 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup; ½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter; two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans

Gourmet's Double Chocolate Layer Cake on a serving plate with forks plates and glasses of seltzer on the side.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad

Was this Gourmet classic dubbed “Double Chocolate” because of the combo of moist chocolate cake and silky chocolate ganache frosting? Or was it because of the powerhouse duo of natural cocoa and melted semisweet chocolate that get mixed into the cake batter? Maybe it was the tenderizing buttermilk or the generous pour of hot coffee that make this cake taste like it has two times the chocolate power. Did opting for vegetable oil instead of butter—which often helps chocolate cakes retain their moisture and vibrant flavor—have anything to do with it?

Whatever the reason, all we know is that this two-layer masterpiece from 1999 is one of the most popular chocolate cake recipes on Epicurious. And for good reason: The crumb is tender but rich, moist but not too dense. The cake boasts a chocolate frosting that could give Milton Hershey a run for his money. (Just don't skip the corn syrup, okay?) When this recipe was first printed in Gourmet, editors wrote that “the staff swooned” over Chef Ed Kasky's creation. Whether you choose to make this your next birthday cake with ice cream, or a celebration cake with friends, or just a Tuesday night cake with your favorite fork, we think you’ll swoon, too.

Recipe notes

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