A gorgeous three layer Chocolate Chip Cake made from scratch. Buttery vanilla cake studded with chocolate chips and frosted with vanilla buttercream – it’s the perfect party cake.
All hail the chocolate chip.
This gorgeous three layer Chocolate Chip Cake is fluffy and moist, and filled to the brim with chocolate chips.
Covered in a milky vanilla buttercream, it’s a unique twist on the classic ‘cookies and milk.’
I’m so excited to share this cake recipe with you today. You know I’m mad for Chocolate Chip Cookies and cake (of course), so this is like the perfect marriage.
A delicate vanilla cake studded with chocolate, covered in a creamy frosting and topped with chocolate chips.
It’s simple and sweet and just the thing to make your day better.
Taking a leaf from my favourite Funfetti Vanilla Layer Cake, this Chocolate Chip Cake gets its buttery texture and rich flavour from oodles of vanilla and a dash of sour cream.
The rest is just, well, the icing on the cake, really. Once you take a cake that good and add a little frosting, well then, there’s no turning back.
Needless to say, I could not stop at one slice. No sir.
Tips for making a Chocolate Chip Cake
- If you’ve ever had trouble with chocolate chips sinking in your cake, can I suggest either using mini chocolate chips (if you can find them) OR finely chopping or grating chocolate by hand. You will get a similar effect.
- You can make this cake as either a 3 layer 6 inch cake as pictured here OR a 2 layer 8 inch cake. You may just have to adjust the cooking time slightly. I recommend checking the cakes every 5 minutes after 30 minutes of baking, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Finally, to achieve a semi-naked look with the frosting, as I did, cover the cake in frosting and use a cake scraper to get rid of the excess frosting around the sides.
- And YES you can change the colour of the vanilla frosting by using food gel colouring.
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PinDescription
Buttery chocolate chip cake covered in vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients
Vanilla cake
- 230 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 315 grams (2 and 1/4 cups) plain flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 240 ml (1 cup) milk
- 2 tablespoons full fat sour cream
- 150 grams (1 cup) mini chocolate chips*
Vanilla buttercream
- 230 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 625 grams (5 cups) icing or powdered sugar
- 3–4 tablespoons milk
- 100 grams (2/3 cup) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Grease and line three 6 inch round baking tins (or two 8 inch baking tins). Preheat the oven to 180 C (360 F). In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift in flour and baking powder. Add milk and sour cream and beat on a low speed until combined. Finally, chocolate chips and stir.
- Divide batter evenly between cake tins and bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Carefully remove the cakes and set on a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make frosting, beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, then add the vanilla. Add icing sugar, one cup at a time. Add a tablespoon of milk as needed. Continue until you have used all the icing sugar and milk and the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Use a serrated knife or a cake trimmer to even the top of both cakes. Place one cake on a small cake board, then cover the top with buttercream. Place the second cake on top. Cover top with buttercream.
- Add third cake on top. Cover the entire cake, top and sides, with remaining buttercream. Use a cake scraper to remove excess buttercream on the sides. Sprinkles chocolate chips on top.
Notes
*Sometimes chocolate chips can sink to the bottom of a cake, which is why mini chocolate chips are recommended. Alternatively, finely chop or grate a block of chocolate by hand and use that instead.
Keywords: Vanilla cake, Chocolate chip cake
Hey can this cake be poured into a 10 inch cake tin?
Hi, yes it can. You’ll just have to adjust the cooking time.
I going to try it for my daughter’s birthday. By plain flour, you mean all purpose flour?
Yes that’s right!
Thanks so much! Other question. Should milk snd sour cream be at room temp too?
Yes if possible! Or just pull them out when you get the rest of your ingredients ready.
Totally love the recipe, gonna try it for my hubby’s bday tomorrow! ! 😊
★★★★★
I hope you enjoy it!!
Is the oven temperature of 180c for a fan assisted oven?
Thank you
Hi Sarah, you can turn it down to 160C for a fan assisted oven or if your oven tends to run hot.
Thank you.
I was hoping to make this for my daughters birthday but she is allergic to eggs. Is there a particular egg substitute you could recommend? Do you think
applesauce is a good replacement for the egg ?
Hi Stephanie, baking without eggs is a bit tricky and I haven’t tested this cake with any egg replacements – sorry!
Can I do cupcakes with this recipe. Thank you
Hi Claudia, yes you can!
Hi! Would be good for. 2 tier cake?
★★★★★
Hi Elizabeth, yes you could turn this into a two layer 8 inch cake if you like!
Thank you! I meant as for a wedding cake?
Oh sure Elizabeth. Otherwise, quite a few readers have used my White Chocolate Mud Cake as a wedding cake – https://www.sweetestmenu.com/white-chocolate-mud-cake/
What happens if I use a 9 inch round pan? Do I just make 1 layer?
Hi Kunj, typically a three layer 6 inch cake will make a two layer 8 inch cake. So I’d say a two layer 9 inch cake would be the way to go! Just remember to check it earlier as it will cook faster.
This is basically the same recipefrom55 years ago from a church cook book I received as part of a showergift. It is a family requested favourite, Iuse no egg yolks and beat egg whites separTely and fold them in. After the rest iftheingredients,
Thanks Elizabeth, so glad you liked it!
Hi I’m new to your blog! Such a gem! Love it so far! Do I have to use sour cream or can I sub it for yogurt or milk? Thanks! Lovely blog btw
Hi Claudia! Aw welcome! So glad you found me. I recommend subbing natural or Greek yogurt for the sour cream. I hope you enjoy it!
Great recipe. I used it for my daughter’s birthday cake and everyone loves it
★★★★★
Aww so pleased to hear that Ella! Thank you for trying one of my recipes! ☺️
Can i use vegetable oil instead of butter innthe cake batter?
Hi, I haven’t tested this cake with oil, so I can’t say – sorry. I recommend using butter as specified.
I made this cake at the weekend for my daughter’s 3rd birthday. The only changes I made were a full covering of vanilla buttercream over the cake, and I covered it in ‘unicorn confetti’. The cake tasted amazing, and the recipe was incredibly straightforward to follow. I will absolutely make this cake again, thanks so,so much for sharing.
Bec
★★★★★
Aw thank you for the lovely feedback Bec! 💕 I’m so so pleased you enjoyed the cake! ☺️
I love chocolate chip anything and this cake looks perfect! Such a wonderful birthday cake ♥
★★★★★
Thanks Natalie!!