Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

Dig into a slice of this chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting, and you will be rewarded with a moist texture and fluffy Cool Whip frosting.

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If you’re in the mood for something indulgent, chocolatey, and delicious, what could be better than a big slice of chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting? Rich, decadent, and classic, this recipe is everything you love about chocolate cake.

Chocolate Cake With Whipped Cream Frosting Ingredients

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If you’re seeking a truly delectable treat, look no further than chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting.

This classic combination of rich chocolate and light, fluffy cream is a dessert lover’s paradise.

The velvety smoothness of the cake contrasts perfectly with the airy, sweet topping, creating a mouth-watering sensation that’s tough to beat.

You’ll need:

For The Cool Whip Frosting:

• 5.1-ounce box of instant vanilla pudding mix
• ¼ cup of powdered sugar
• 1½ cups of whole milk, cold
• 16-ounce tub of whipped topping, thawed

For The Chocolate Cake:

• 2 cups of cake flour (I used King Arthur brand)
• ⅔ cup of cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Cocoa Special Dark)
• 1¾ teaspoons of baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon of baking soda
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1¾ cups of granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
• ½ cup of vegetable oil
• 1 cup of whole milk
• ½ cup of very hot water

PRO TIP:

The Hershey’s Special Dark 100% Cocoa powder is also known as “Dutch Processed” cocoa, NOT hot cocoa mix. You can find this in any grocery store, in the baking aisle, where you will also find chocolate chips and chocolate baking bars. 

Substitutions And Additions

COFFEE: You can substitute hot brewed coffee for the hot water in this moist chocolate cake recipe. The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor without giving your cake a mocha flavor. Be sure that you do not use espresso or flavored coffee if you are going to use this substitute.

FLOUR: Cake flour has a much more tender crumb texture than a cake made from all-purpose flour. You can absolutely substitute the cake flour with all-purpose, but your cake will be slightly denser.

MILK: You want to make sure to use whole milk instead of lower or non-fat milk in this easy recipe. Both the cake and the whipped cream frosting need the fat from the whole milk for the best texture and structure. We have not tested this recipe with a dairy-free alternative.

How To Make This Chocolate Cake With Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe

Follow our instructions to make this moist chocolate cake and whip up the creamy frosting.

For The Frosting

STEP ONE: Make your whipped cream frosting by adding the packet of instant vanilla pudding powder and powdered sugar to a large bowl.

STEP TWO: Add the cold whole milk to the bowl and beat with a handheld mixer for three to four minutes, starting on low and increasing to high as the pudding mixture thickens. 

Starting on low speed helps avoid the milk splattering too much until the pudding starts to thicken.

STEP THREE: Gently fold the thawed whipped topping into the vanilla pudding until fully combined and no streaks of white or yellow remain.

STEP FOUR: Cover the bowl of whipped cream frosting with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour while your chocolate cake is baking and cooling.

For The Cake

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with baker’s spray. Set aside.

STEP TWO: In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure you do not have any lumps of cocoa powder in your dry ingredient mixture. Set aside.

STEP THREE: In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat together the granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract for 1 to 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.

STEP FOUR: Add half the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix on low just until incorporated.

STEP FIVE: Next, add the whole milk and mix until fully incorporated.

STEP SIX: Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.

STEP SEVEN: Lastly, you will add the hot water and mix for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute to get a smooth batter.

STEP EIGHT: Divide the batter equally between the two prepared pans.

STEP NINE: Bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

STEP TEN: Once your layers of cake have cooled completely, you can frost the sides and top of the cake with the creamy frosting and serve.

STEP ELEVEN: Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes before slicing/serving.

How To Serve

Chocolate lovers are going to swoon over this rich cake and fluffy frosting. This makes the perfect dessert for a special occasion, especially if you serve it with a great big scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

And let’s not forget about a warm cup of coffee or a mug of hot chocolate to savor alongside your decadent slice of cake.

If you can’t get enough decadent chocolate cake, check out our German chocolate cake and red wine chocolate cake.

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Storage

We’ll walk you through how to store this delectable cake so that it is ready when you are.

IN THE FRIDGE: Leftover cake with whipped cream frosting will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator in a covered container. You can make the cake layers and whipped cream frosting ahead of time and store them each tightly wrapped in plastic separately until you are ready to assemble. You will need to serve the cake once it has been frosted. 

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the unfrosted cake for up to two months. Thaw overnight and add the frosting when you are ready to serve.

You won’t be able to resist this easy chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting. It’s a classic and decadent layer cake, topped with a sweet and fluffy frosting that makes it perfect for any occasion, whether a special celebration or just because.

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Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

5 from 1 vote

Dig into a slice of this chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting, and you will be rewarded with a moist texture and fluffy Cool Whip frosting.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12

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Ingredients

  

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Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups cake flour, I used King Arthur brand
• ⅔ cup cocoa powder, I used Hershey’s Cocoa Special Dark
• 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1¾ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup very hot water

Cool Whip Frosting

• 5.1 ounces instant vanilla pudding
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1½ cups whole milk, cold
• 16 ounces whipped topping, thawed

Instructions

 

Frosting

• Make your whipped cream frosting by adding the packet of instant vanilla pudding powder and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl.
• Add the cold whole milk to the bowl and beat with a handheld mixer for 3-4 minutes, starting on low and increasing to high as the pudding mixture thickens. 

  Starting on low speed helps avoid the milk splattering too much until the pudding starts to thicken.
• Gently fold the thawed whipped topping into the vanilla pudding until fully combined and no streaks of white or yellow remain.
• Cover the bowl of whipped cream frosting with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour while your chocolate cake is baking and cooling.

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with baker’s spray. Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure you do not have any lumps of cocoa powder in your dry ingredient mixture. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, the granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract for 1 to 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• Add half the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix on low just until incorporated.
• Next, add the whole milk and mix until fully incorporated.
• Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
• Lastly, you will add the hot water and mix for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute to get a smooth batter.
• Divide the batter equally between the two prepared 9-inch round cake pans.
• Bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Once your cake layers have cooled completely, you can frost and serve your chocolate cake.
• Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes before slicing/serving.

Video

Notes

• We recommend making the frosting first, then refrigerating it until the cake has been baked and completely cooled. This would give the frosting about two hours in the fridge to firm up a little more to make it easier to spread on the cake.
• The Hershey’s Special Dark 100% Cocoa powder is also known as “Dutch Processed” cocoa, NOT hot cocoa mix. You can find this in any grocery store, in the baking aisle, where you will also find chocolate chips and chocolate baking bars.
• You can add a 9-inch round piece of parchment paper to the bottom of each sprayed baking pan to really make sure that your cake layers come out clean. This is most helpful if you have older cake pans that tend to cause sticking.
• When dividing your cake batter between the two 9-inch round baking pans, you want to make sure that you have an even amount of batter in each pan. This will ensure that your cake layers bake at the same time and are equally sized. If you have a digital kitchen scale, you can just weigh each pan and adjust the amounts of batter in each pan accordingly.
• Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 309mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 178IU | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 1mg

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