This is a tall, bakery-style cake with alternating layers of moist chocolate and fluffy vanilla, finished with rich buttercream frosting.

🍫🍰 Decadent Chocolate & Vanilla Layer Cake

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake Layers:

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 ½ tsp baking powder

• 1 ½ tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar, sit 5 min)

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup hot brewed coffee (or hot water)

Vanilla Cake Layers:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

• 2 cups sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup milk

Frosting (Buttercream Duo):

• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter (softened)

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ cup heavy cream (more as needed)

• ½ cup cocoa powder (for the chocolate portion of frosting)

Instructions

1. Bake Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease & line two 9-inch round pans.

2. Whisk flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla → beat until smooth.

4. Stir in hot coffee (batter will be thin).

5. Bake 30–35 minutes, cool completely.

2. Bake Vanilla Cake

1. Cream butter & sugar until fluffy.

2. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.

3. Mix in flour + baking powder + salt alternately with milk.

4. Divide into two pans, bake 25–30 minutes, cool.

3. Make the Frosting

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy.

2. Gradually add powdered sugar.

3. Mix in vanilla + cream until smooth.

4. Divide in half: leave one part vanilla, mix cocoa into the other for chocolate frosting.

4. Assemble the Cake

1. Level cakes if needed.

2. Stack: chocolate layer → vanilla frosting → vanilla layer → chocolate frosting → repeat.

3. Frost the outside with swirls of both chocolate & vanilla buttercream.

4. Garnish with chocolate curls, sprinkles, or a drizzle of ganache.