Double the chocolate means double the fun?! That’s definitely true where this double chocolate layer cake is involved! Two rich chocolate cake layers are topped with a sweet and slightly tangy milk chocolate sour cream frosting – yum!
Double Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

Let me just sum up my first week of night float for you in two sentences:

Need chocolate.

And wine.

(All the wine.)

Double Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

Fine, three sentences!!

But I really can’t be expected to count accurately after surviving on basically five hours of sleep for the past six days.

What little mental acuity I still have has to be preserved for repleting people’s potassium, collecting 3AM blood cultures, and being able to keep it together during codes. You know, the important things in life.

Double Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

What’s actually surprised me the most about the past week was how quick each night seemed to go (time flies when all of your patients are having chest pain + coding + being febrile + trying to leave AMA at exactly the same time) but how absurdly long the week felt.

Like, I’m in shock that I still have six days left. It feels like an eternity.

It doesn’t help that I’m the “floating” night float meaning that instead of covering the same set of patients every night, I cover all the other six night float’s patients on their day off so I’m taking care of a new set of patients every night.

On the bright side….there’s never a dull moment?

Double Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

Annnyyywaaayy.

Since drinking wine by myself during the day before having to work all night seems like not a best idea, I made cake!!

The chocolate on chocolate kind.

Total best life choice.

Double Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

I’m actually not usually all about the chocolate, but something about being stressed/sleep-deprived has me craving it at all the moments. (But especially at 4AM.)

This satisfies alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll those cravings and then some.

The cake is incredibly moist and rich, while the frosting is like a breath of fresh air – light and just a bit tangy from the sour cream. It’s such a perfect combination of flavors.

And the knowledge that it’s sitting at home on my kitchen table waiting for me to inhale a slice when I walk in the door makes time move just a little bit quicker.

The countdown starts now.

Double Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

Double Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
 
Double the chocolate means double the fun?! That's definitely true where this double chocolate layer cake is involved! Two rich chocolate cake layers are topped with a sweet and slightly tangy milk chocolate sour cream frosting - yum!
Yield: 9-inch layer cake
Ingredients
For the cake
  • 1½ cups cake flour
  • ¼ cup + 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup (70 g) finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
  • 1 cup + 1 tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup canola oil
For the frosting
  • 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 4 oz milk chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
For the cake
  1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan with baking spray, line it with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Melt the chocolate, either in a double boiler on the stove or in the microwave. Allow it to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, sift together the cake flour and cocoa powder. Whisk in ½ cup of the sugar, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt. Set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and vanilla. Set aside.
  5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs, brown sugar, and remaining white sugar. Whip in medium-high speed until very pale and tripled in volume, about 5-6 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  6. Reduce the speed to medium and slowly stream in ½ cup of the oil. Add the melted chocolate and mix to combine. Finally, slowly stream in the remaining ½ cup of oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  7. Turn the mixer to medium-low and then add in the buttermilk-vanilla mixture in a slow stream. Mix until just incorporated, then scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Remove the bowl from the machine.
  8. Add in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, folding it in by hand with a spatula until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 50-55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
  9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes on a wire rack before turning out the cake onto a 9-inch round cake board. Cool to room temperature before splitting and frosting.
For the frosting
  1. Combine both chocolates in a small bowl and melt either in a double boiler or in the microwave. If microwaving, make sure to stir after each 30 minute increment. Once melted, set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. Once chocolate is cool, place the butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together for 5 minutes on medium-high speed until fluffy and pale. Scrape down the bowl, turn the mixer speed to medium-low and add the sour cream. Mix until incorporated then add in the cooled chocolate, vanilla, and salt. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat for 1 minute.
To assemble
  1. Cut the cake in half, into two layers. Set the top layer aside.
  2. Spread about ¾-1 cup of the frosting on top of the bottom layer to fill the cake, using an offset spatula to spread the filling into an even layer. Place the top layer atop the frosting.
  3. Use the remaining frosting to frost the cake and decorate as desired.

More chocolate cakes!

 sweet and salty cake

Sweet and Salty Cake

peppermint chocolate cheesecake cake

Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

Chocolate Heartland Bundt Cake with A Chocolate Honey Glaze

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5 Responses to Double Chocolate Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

  1. Kate says:

    Like anyone needs an excuse for chocolate cake.

  2. Lori says:

    Sour cream frosting sounds SO good!

  3. Marie Will says:

    Night Float was, in my opinion, the hardest rotation of intern year. I didn’t like the work, I missed my baby desperately at night, I never could sleep during the day (and would rather see my baby), and I felt so out of sort all the time. Hang in there – I still remember vividly the day Night Float ended, it was like the sky opened up and everything seemed just that much brighter. You are almost there!

  4. oh I so need some chocolate cake right now – just before I collapse in a heap! (I also need lots of sleep but I don’t know how you work those hours with a young child)

  5. that frosting is so hella silky I almost can’t take it. I love how chocolatey and moist and amazing this cake looks!

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