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Homemade 9 Layer Chocolate Cake Recipe made from scratch using simple ingredients and is completely delicious. Give it a try.

As long as I can remember I have loved a 7, 9, or 12-layer chocolate cake. These cakes have many delicious layers and the homemade chocolate icing definitely amps up the flavor factor way up. I have always thought the cakes were super hard to make simply because so many layers to me translated to lots of time in the kitchen and you already know how I feel about spending hours in the kitchen...so that is mainly why I never even thought about giving this cake a try...well that is until now.
I decided to take the plunge and give it a try and that is mainly due to the fact that I have not had a multi-layer cake in a while and so it seemed as though the only way that I was going to have one was to make it myself and so I did.
Now I have to be honest with you making the actual cake frosting, which you could probably cheat and use store brought frosting instead, and making the cake layers was not difficult at all. The only real part of the process that takes time is waiting for the layers to actually cook.
I only could fit 3 round cake pans into the oven at a time so that meant I would have to wash and re-prepare those pans in between each rotation which is why I decided to make a 9 layer chocolate cake instead of 7, I mean really what difference was 2 more pans in the oven going to make?!? If you want to make a 7-layer cake, then you will use the same recipe and just add more cake batter to the layers and if you want 12 layers then add less.
This cake is rich and delicious...you only need a small slice and this is a cake that you will want to share with your friends and family which makes it a perfect cake to make during the holidays or for a pot-luck supper.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Chocolate Icing-
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3-½ small blocks unsweetened baking chocolate
- 2 (5 oz.) small cans evaporated milk
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cake Layers-
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
- 1 -½ cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 3-½ cups self-rising flour, sifted
- 1-¾ cups water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Step By Step Instructions
Allow all of the ingredients to be at room temperature and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and grease at least three 8-inch round cake pans with shortening and set aside.
Make the chocolate icing first, by placing it in a medium (heavy bottom) pot over medium-low heat and adding in the sugar, unsweetened chocolate, milk, butter, and vanilla and allow to fully dissolve (sugar to completely melt) and stir constantly or whisk.

You may need to adjust the temperature to make sure that it does not burn. Do not allow the icing to boil. Turn on low or off and begin making the cake layers.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter. Then add all 6 large eggs into the mixture at once and mix well until incorporated.

Add in the flour and alternate with the water, beginning and ending with flour. Mix in the vanilla extract and grab your cake pans.


Pour about ¾ cup of cake batter into each prepared pan and smooth (pat the bottom of the pans) until the batter reaches the edges. Place into the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. I used 3 pans at a time and washed and re-greased with shortening a total of three times.

Once you remove the baked cake layers from the oven turn one layer onto a plate and frost with icing all the way to the edges until it covers the sides, then add another layer and frosting until you have a total of 9 layers. When all of the layers have been stacked and frosted...spread the remaining icing over the top and sides to cover the entire cake. As the icing cools it will become thick.

Recipe

9 Layer Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 ½ blocks unsweetened baking chocolate
- 10 ounces evaporated milk
- ½ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup butter
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 3 ½ cups self-rising flour
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Allow all of the ingredients to be at room temperature and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and grease at least three 8-inch round cake pans with shortening and set aside.
- Make the chocolate icing first, by placing in a medium (heavy bottom) pot over medium-low heat and adding in the sugar, unsweetened chocolate, milk, butter, and vanilla and allow to fully dissolve (sugar to completely melt) and stir constantly or whisk.
- You may need to adjust the temperature to make sure that it does not burn. Do not allow the icing to boil. Turn on low or off and begin making the cake layers.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter. Then add in all 6 large eggs into the mixture at once and mix well until incorporated. Add in the flour and alternate with the water, beginning and ending with flour. Mix in the vanilla extract and grab your cake pans.
- Pour about ¾ cup of cake batter into each prepared pan and smooth (pat the bottom of the pans) until the batter reaches the edges. Place into the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. I used 3 pans at a time and washed and re-greased with shortening for a total of three times.
- Once you remove the baked cake layers from the oven turn one layer onto plate and frost with icing all the way to the edges until it covers the sides, then add another layer and frosting until you have a total of 9 layers.
- When all of the layers have been stacked and frosted...spread the remaining icing over the top and sides to cover the entire cake. As the icing cools it will become thick.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

More Recipes You'll Love
- Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Chocolate Avocado Cake
- Vegan Double Chocolate Cake
Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ideas and ways to enjoy this 9 Layer Chocolate Cake Recipe? Please share them in the comments below!

Mrs. AOK
I'm not a huge cake fan.... but CHOCOLATE cake is different 🙂 Chocolate cake is special, it's happiness wrapped in chocolate, no? I use to work at a place called Boston's waaaaaaaay back in the day, and the chocolate cake was GOOD, BUT when I moved to Illinois, I had one of the best chocolate cakes EVER there. Have you ever tried a Portillo's chocolate cake? It's DIVINE. Whenever friends or family would visit us there we would get them 'the' cake. I need to find a good chocolate cake here in South Carolina.
XOXO
admin
Chocolate Cake IS SPECIAL!! I love any type of chocolate cake...it is by far my favorite. I have never tried Portillo's chocolate cake, but it looks delicious and I will be sure to check it out the next time that I am in Illinois. If you are close to Charleston, SC check out Christophe Artisan as I recall he had delicious chocolate cake...along with macaroons and pastries 🙂
Julie @ Girl on the Move
This looks yummy! I definitely need to try this out for the holidays!
admin
Thank you so much! It was very yummy and a nice treat if you decided to give it a try I am sure it will be a hit for the holidays 🙂
Frances
I’ve never made this cake or icing. Would using parchment paper help to remove the layers when done? How long do you need to let them cool once removed from the oven.
LaKita
Hi Frances! Parchment paper is not necessary. The layers are very thin and only need to cool in the pan for about 2 to 3 minutes before removing completely from the pan.