Golden Corral Chocolate Cake – Copycat Recipe You’ll Love
A homemade version of Golden Corral’s classic dessert—simple ingredients, step‑by‑step instructions, and bakery‑style results.
Equipment
- Two 8‑inch round cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls (large and medium)
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Whisk and spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack
- Offset spatula or butter knife (for frosting)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups all‑purpose flour (208 g)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (200 g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (75 g)
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (113 g)
- ½ cup neutral oil (canola, avocado, or vegetable) (118 ml)
- 2 large eggs + 1 extra yolk, lightly beaten, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk (236 ml)
- ½ cup hot coffee or hot water with 1 tsp instant coffee dissolved (118 ml)
For the Frosting
- Silky Chocolate Buttercream
Instructions
- Prep the pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottoms of two deep 8‑inch round cake pans with parchment paper, then lightly grease and flour the sides.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl), whisk together flour, both sugars, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Add the fats: Pour in the melted butter and oil. Stir until the mixture looks sandy and well blended.
- Incorporate eggs and flavoring: Add the eggs, extra yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Blend in the liquids: Gradually add the buttermilk, mixing until fully incorporated. Then slowly pour in the hot coffee, stirring until the batter is glossy and uniform.
- Bake the cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Cool and frost: Let cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Spread frosting over one layer, stack with the second, and finish frosting the entire cake. Slice and serve.
