Death by Chocolate Cake (2024)

Death by Chocolate Cake is a moist and fudgy chocolate cake topped with a creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. It's a chocolate lovers' favorite dessert recipe and one that will satisfy all of your cravings. For more decadent chocolate desserts, make sure to try my chocolate cake in a mug.

Looking for a dessert that will truly wow your guests? Look no further. This Death by Chocolate Cake recipe will impress even the pickiest guest.

This fudgy cake is everything you've dreamed of, and you won't believe how simple it is to make.

The Best Death by Chocolate Cake Recipe

Making a Death by Chocolate sheet cake is one of the easiest ways to create this over the top dessert recipe. It's one fudgy layer of chocolate cake followed by a rich and creamy layer of frosting. The final creation is sprinkled with your favorite chocolate chips.

What is Death by Chocolate?

There isn't one simple recipe for a Death by Chocolate cake. The term is used to describe desserts where dark chocolate is the main ingredient. But, the dessert is the signature dish of Bennigans' chain of restaurants. And its creation is credited to them.

There are many different varieties of death by chocolate recipes, including a martini, trifle, ice cream, and even cookies. And, when it comes to cake, you can make a Death by Chocolate Bundt Cake and even make a Death by Chocolate Cake with cake mix.

Recipe Notes for Death by Chocolate Cake

Substitutions

• Semi-sweet chocolate chips - You can also use milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.

• Buttermilk - If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute buttermilk powder. Or, you can make your own buttermilk by adding one tablespoon of lemon juice per each cup of milk.

• Eggs - Instead of eggs, substitute half a cup of mashed banana or applesauce for every egg in your recipe.

• Sour cream - You can use the same amount of plain full-fat Greek yogurt for the sour cream.

Keto substitutions

For a keto Death by Chocolate Cake, you need to make a few simple changes.

• Use dark chocolate chips rather than semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips.

• Instead of traditional all-purpose flour, you can use the same amount of blanched almond flour that is finely ground.

• Substitute the same amount of Erythritol for the granulated sugar.

• For the confectioners' sugar in the frosting, substitute the same amount of powdered erythritol.

Baking tips

• The simplest way to measure flour is by using a scale. Adding too much flour is one of the most common mistakes made when baking. If you don't have a scale, carefully spoon flour into your measuring cup and use a knife to level. Never pack flour into the measuring cup.

• To make a Death by Chocolate Bundt Cake, cook for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

• If you are making a Death by Chocolate Cake from a mix, follow the cooking time recommendation on the package.
• You may replace mayonnaise with full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt (the same amount).
• If you don't have buttermilk at home, mix 1 cup of whole milk or half-and-half with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice, and let sit for 10 minutes before adding to the recipe.
• For a rich flavor, use warm coffee instead of water.
• Eggs should always be at room temp when adding to the cake batter.
• You may use a bundt cake pan instead and make death by chocolate bundt cake-- but adjust the baking time. It may take from 40-55 minutes to bake! If making a layered cake, use more than one 9-inch round pan. It should take around 28-32 minutes to bake!

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

This buttercream frosting is the perfect topping for my Death by Chocolate Sheet Cake. You just need a few simple ingredients.

• Unsalted butter

• Confectioner's sugar
• Unsweetened cocoa powder

• Heavy cream - If you do not have heavy cream, you can use a smaller amount of whole milk instead.

• Vanilla extract

To make your buttercream frosting, simply beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Then, add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.

Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high, beating for 1 minute. Add ¼ cup more sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin. But if it is too thick, add a tablespoon of cream.

If you don't use all the frosting, store, covered, in the fridge for up to 1 week or for up to 3 months in the freezer.

After freezing, thaw in the fridge and then beat the buttercream frosting on medium speed for a few seconds or until it is creamy again. If needed, add a splash of heavy cream or milk to help thin the frosting.

Chocolate Ganache

If you prefer, you can cover the cake with a chocolate ganache made with melted chocolate chips (4-oz) and warm heavy cream (¼ cup), mixing well until creamy and smooth.

How to Make Death by Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Spray a 13x9-inch sheet cake pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Using a sifter, sift the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder) in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment and mix to combine. Then add the wet ingredients in (mayonnaise, buttercream, hot water, vanilla, and oil) and beat just until combined. PHOTO 1 Add the eggs and beat on low for almost a minute. PHOTO 2
3. Pour the cake batter into your prepared baking pan. PHOTO 3 Bake for about 45-50 minutes. Test for doneness using a toothpick in the center of the cake.
4. After you allow your cake to cool for a few minutes, invert it onto a rack to come to room temperature. Remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and spread the buttercream frosting on top. PHOTO 4 Decorate as desired.
5. For the Halloween graveyard cake, I used chocolate cookies and wrote RIP with melted white melts but you can use white chocolate chips instead. I used sprinkles and Wilton sugar ghosts plus mini pumpkin candies. I also drew a spider web with the melted candy melts and topped with plastic spiders.

Storage

You can store your chocolate cake in the refrigerator for up to one week. Be sure to keep it in an airtight container or a cake keeper for the best results.

Or, if you prefer, you can keep your cake at room temperature for up to 3 days. Remember to keep it out of direct sunlight. If your kitchen gets hot during the day, it really is best to keep it in the fridge.

If you don't think that you'll finish your entire Death by Chocolate cake in a week, you can freeze it for longer storage. You will need to do this in two separate steps.

• Freeze the frosted cake on a baking sheet for at least 30 minutes before you cover it.

• Then, remove the cake from the freezer once the frosting is hard.

• Finally, cover the cake in foil so that the frosting doesn't stick to the foil.

• When you want to eat the cake, remove the foil from the cake and allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight.
• For a gluten-free cake, use gluten-free all-purpose flour (same amount).

Frequently asked questions

What is the best cocoa powder?

Dutch-process cocoa powder is the best type to use in this recipe. It has a stronger flavor and goes well in this recipe. But, if you cannot find the Dutch Process, you can use traditional cocoa powder instead.

Why does my frosting have lumps?

To avoid having lumps in your frosting, always start with softened butter. And, make sure that your confectioners' sugar is not lumpy when you add it.

For a smooth frosting, use an ice cream scooper to put the frosting on your cake. Then, spread it gently using an offset spatula.

How many servings is this cake?

If you use a 13x9-inch baking pan, you will get about 30 pieces of cake. When using an 18 x 26-inch pan, you will have about 78 pieces.

Can I make this death by chocolate cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can freeze your unfrosted cake for up to a month before you need it. All you need to do is wrap the cooled cake in parchment paper and then in foil and store it in the freezer. When you want to serve it, let it thaw in the refrigerator and add the frosting.

Other Chocolate Dessert Recipes to Try:

• Brigadeirao
• Brigadeiro recipe
• Chocolate bread pudding
• Brigadeiro cake
• Chocolate mousse
• Chocolate cake roll
• Flourless chocolate nut cake

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