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Brick Street Chocolate Cake Recipe (Copycat): A Tall, Moist Six-Layer Dessert

Brick Street Chocolate Cake Recipe (Copycat)

A tall, moist chocolate layer cake made with buttermilk, hot coffee, oil, and cocoa, finished with creamy chocolate buttercream. Divide the three baked cakes into six layers for a classic Brick Street-style presentation.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients
  

Chocolate Cake
  • 1 3/4 cups (220 g) All-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (400 g) Granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup (65–75 g) Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Fine salt
  • 2 eggs Large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Neutral vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Hot, strong brewed coffee
Chocolate Buttercream
  • 1 cup (226 g) Unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 to 1 cup (65–85 g) Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 5 to 6 cups (575–690 g) Powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 to 2/3 cup (120–160 ml) Whole milk or heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon Fine salt

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and parchment-line three 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.
  2. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat for 1–2 minutes, until smooth.
  4. Slowly mix in the hot coffee just until incorporated. Divide the thin batter among the pans.
  5. Bake for 28–35 minutes, until the centers spring back and a tester shows a few moist crumbs.
  6. Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them onto racks and cool completely.
  7. Beat softened butter until creamy. Add cocoa, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in batches, alternating with milk or cream, and beat until spreadable.
  8. Level cakes if needed and slice each horizontally in half for six layers. Stack with buttercream between layers, frost the top and sides, and chill before slicing.

Notes

For the neatest slices, chill the assembled cake for at least 30–60 minutes. The batter is unusually thin, so use parchment and divide it carefully. Do not overbake; moist crumbs are the correct doneness signal.