Looking for a show-stopping chocolate dessert? This triple chocolate layer cake is rich, moist, and made with three kinds of chocolate: white, milk, and dark. It’s an impressive cake that’s surprisingly easy to make; perfect for birthdays, holidays, or any other special occasion when you want to wow your guests. In my opinion: the best chocolate cake you can serve!
Table of Content
Why This Recipe Works
I first made this triple chocolate layer cake for a birthday, and honestly, everyone loved it. The three different chocolates make it rich without being too heavy, and the layers stay beautifully moist. What I really like is that it looks like a bakery-style cake, but it’s simple enough for any home baker to put together. It’s been tested more than once in my kitchen, and every single time it’s a hit.
This triple chocolate cake pairs wonderfully with: fresh berries or raspberry sauce for a fruity contrast, a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream, as part of a dessert table with brownies, cookies, or vanilla cupcakes.
Recipe Ingredients Best Chocolate Cake
- Dark chocolate: can be swapped for milk chocolate if you prefer it sweeter.
- Milk chocolate: can be swapped for dark or white.
- White chocolate: can be replaced with extra milk or dark chocolate if you prefer.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: if you only have sweetened on hand, reduce the sugar you add to the cake.
- Unsalted butter: you could use salted butter, however the taste will change.
- Sugar: can be swapped with light brown sugar for extra depth.
- Dream Whip – For the frosting and filling of the cake you can use something like Dream Whip but a creamy buttercream will also work.
How to Make This Triple Chocolate Layer Cake
Step 1. Bake the layers
Preheat your oven and grease three 7-inch (18 cm) springform pans. Use a stand mixer to make the cake batter, divide evenly, and bake each layer until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely.
Step 2. Prepare the filling
Whip heavy cream or Dream Whip, with melted chocolate for a light chocolate cream. Alternatively, make a chocolate buttercream or ganache.
Step 3. Stack the cake
Place one layer on a plate, spread filling on top, and repeat with the remaining baked cakes.
Step 4. Frost and decorate
Frost the sides of the cake lightly for a rustic “naked cake” look. Use a piping bag with a star tip for swirls on top. Decorate with chocolate shavings, fruit, or put a cake topper on top of the cake. You could also make a chocolate drip if you like.
FAQ Triple Chocolate Layer Cake
Can I make this layered chocolate cake ahead of time?
Yes! Bake the cake layers up to 2 days ahead. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Assemble and decorate a day or a couple hours before serving.
What size pans are best for a triple layer chocolate cake?
This recipe works best with 7-inch (18 cm) pans. Using larger pans will make thinner layers, so reduce baking time slightly.
Can I freeze this triple chocolate cake?
Absolutely. Freeze the cooled (unfrosted) cake layers, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before stacking and frosting.
Can I turn this recipe into cupcakes?
Yes! Divide the batter into muffin tins and bake for 18–20 minutes. Fill and frost like mini versions of the cake.
Expert Tip
For the cleanest layers, bake the cakes the day before. Wrap them in plastic wrap and chill overnight; cold cake is much easier to cut, stack, and frost without crumbling. Looking to switch things up? Try one of these variations:
- Swap the chocolate chunks for chopped walnuts for a crunchy twist.
- Use a light chocolate whipped cream for the filling, or go with white chocolate buttercream or a rich ganache.
- Add fruit such as raspberries or cherries to the batter. This may slightly increase moisture, so adjust the baking time, but it gives a lovely fresh flavor.
Ingredients
- 300 gram unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 300 gram brown sugar
- 5 medium eggs
- 125 gram Greek yogurt
- 250 gram self-rising flour
- 50 gram cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 50 gram dark chocolate (chopped into small pieces)
- 50 gram milk chocolate (chopped into small pieces)
- 50 gram white chocolate (chopped into small pieces)
- 400 gram Dream whip chocolate
- 200 gram Chocolate decorative melts
- Optional: topper for decoration
Equipment
- Cake tin
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Piping bag + nozzle
INSTRUCTIONS (how to make this recipe):
- Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F (top and bottom heat). Line the baking pan with parchment paper and/or grease a 7-inch (18 cm) springform pan.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with a mixer for 5 minutes until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the Greek yogurt, self-rising flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Finally, fold in the chopped chocolate pieces.
- Bake the layers: Divide one-third of the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool, remove from the pan, and repeat with the remaining batter. Allow all cake layers to cool completely.
- Prepare the filling: Make the dream whip chocolate according to the package instructions.
- Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a cake stand or turntable. Spread a generous layer of cream filling on top, then place the next cake on top. Repeat and finish with the final cake layer. Chill the stacked cake in the refrigerator until firm.
- Frost the cake: Cover the outside of the cake with a thin layer of Dream Whip.
- Add the drip: Pour the melted chocolate into a piping bag or squeeze bottle and carefully create a drip effect around the edge of the cake. Let it set in the fridge.
- Decorate: Pipe 8 swirls on top of the cake using a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 2D tip. Add a cake topper if you like. Enjoy!
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