Dana’s Birthday Cake

So today is Dana’s Birthday!  Happy Birthday Dana! I wanted to make her a super chocolaty cake, so I made a moist chocolate cake, layered with a fluffy chocolate filling and a chocolate butter cream frosting.  It is rather intense with the amount of chocolate.  As you can see from the pics, I need a little practice with piping letters onto a cake.  However, the sentiment got across and she loved it.

Chocolate Cake – (Adapted from Hersey’s)

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups cake flour
  • 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water

Fluffy Chocolate filling

  • 1 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 package devils food pudding (3.4 oz)
  • 1 tub cool whip (8 oz)

Butter Cream Frosting

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2-3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Making the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Then grease two 9-inch round baking pans. I like to line the bottom of the pans with parchment to make sure that the cakes release from the pans.  Check out my red velvet cake post for directions on cutting parchment for round cake pans.

Stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of your mixer.  Then add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Then gently stir in the boiling water.  The batter will be very thin.

Super thin batter

Pour the batter equally into the two pans.

Fill the cake pans

Bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and removed cleanly.  Cool on a wire rack.

Fluffy Filling

Pour the instant pudding mixture and 1-3/4 cups of milk into a large bowl.  Mix for 2 minutes.  Then gently fold the cool whip into the mixture.  When combined it is ready.

Fold in the cool whip

The Frosting

Cream the butter using a mixer.   Then alternatively add the powdered sugar and milk.  Beat on medium until desired consistency.  Then add the vanilla and mix.

Frosting

The frosting may be a little thick so you may need to mix in a bit more cream into the mixture.

Assembly

Slice the two cake rounds in half so that you have four layers.

Slice the cake

Place one layer onto a cake stand and top with 1/3rd of the fluffy filling.  Then top with another layer and repeat.  Finally add the fourth layer.

Layer the cake

Then using the frosting coat the entire cake.

Frost the cake

Finally add any finishing decorations and serve.  Keep the cake refrigerated until it is ready to be served.

Happy B-Day

The layered cake was awesome!

The Cake

Enjoy!  Happy Birthday Dana!

Rex

Rex is an avid griller, barbecuer and bacon enthusiast. He is the Pitmaster for the Rex BBQ competition team. Rex was also featured on the TV show American Grilled. If you have any questions or wish to have Rex decode your favorite dish, click on the ASK REX link in the menu above.

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4 thoughts on “Dana’s Birthday Cake

  1. Looks GREAT wish we were there to have a piece. I love chocolate so that would be right up my alley. Enjoy. Love, MOM

  2. Hi,

    I plan on making this cake for my husband’s birthday on Sunday. It looks so good! Just a few quick questions. What size package of devils food pudding and what size tub of cool whip should I use for the fluffy filling?

    I can’t wait to make this cake! Thanks.

    1. Lacretia – I used the small size box of devils food pudding (3.4 oz) with an 8 oz tub of cool whip. I have also amended the recipe above to include sizes. Thanks for pointing that out.

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