First Prize Chocolate Cake

This two-layer chocolate cake gets its intensity from real unsweetened chocolate melted with butter, not cocoa powder. That melted chocolate base combined with buttermilk produces a crumb that’s dense enough to feel rich but tender enough to pull apart easily with a fork.

The batter comes together quickly. Beat the eggs first, blend in buttermilk and vanilla, then fold in the flour and sugar before stirring in the cooled chocolate mixture. Self-rising flour handles the leavening so you don’t need to fuss with baking powder measurements.

The dark chocolate frosting follows the same melted butter and chocolate approach as the cake. Powdered sugar and evaporated milk get beaten in until smooth, giving you a glossy, spreadable frosting with serious chocolate backbone.

Chef Tips

• Cool the melted chocolate mixture before adding it to the batter. Hot chocolate will cook the eggs and give you a lumpy mess.
• The cake is done when it pulls away from the sides of the pan. The toothpick test works too, but that edge pull is your most reliable visual cue.
• Let layers cool completely on wire racks before frosting. Warm cake melts frosting and you’ll end up with a sliding top layer.
• Sift the self-rising flour. It clumps in the bag and unsifted flour throws off the texture.

Variations

• Add a shot of espresso to the batter. It doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee but deepens the chocolate flavor significantly.
• Fold in a cup of mini chocolate chips for pockets of melted chocolate throughout.
• Use the frosting between layers and coat the outside with a chocolate ganache for a more polished finish.