Chocolate Sprinkle Cake

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This chocolate sprinkle cake is the perfect birthday cake, especially for chocolate lovers. Featuring a rich chocolate flavor from cocoa powder and a burst of color from rainbow sprinkles, this dessert is a showstopper that tastes as good as it looks. But the best part? No mixer needed for the batter! And just a few minutes with a stand mixer will get the easy chocolate buttercream ready.

Up-close shot of a chocolate cake, topped with rainbow sprinkles and coated at its base, sitting on a cake stand.

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Why You'll Love this Recipe
Best Results: Baking in Grams
📋 Key Ingredients
Recipe Substitutions and Variations on this Chocolate Sprinkle Cake
Pro Tip for Even Cake Layers
📖 Steps for Baking this Moist Chocolate Cake
🍫 Chocolate Buttercream Instructions
Pro Tip for Cake Decorating
🌈 Frosting & Assembling this Chocolate Sprinkle Cake
❓ Recipe FAQ and Troubleshooting
Cake Storage Instructions
More Baking Tips
More Recipes
Chocolate Cake with Sprinkles

If you're ISO more chocolate-based recipes (and tbh when are we not all looking for more chocolate?? 🍫), you'll love these other options:

Chocolate fudge cupcakes - This recipe is ideal if you're looking for a dessert that's similar but in cupcake form.
No-bake chocolate cream pie - This simple dessert has an over-the-top decadence, from the Oreo crust to the creamy filling.

For other colorful treats packed with sprinkles for a birthday party or different special occasions, we've got:

Birthday cake muffins - Find a cuter dessert for starting someone's birthday. I dare ya.
Funfetti Oreo cookies - If a party were a cookie, it would be this. Also, Oreos and Funfetti are the dream team flavors of childhood nostalgia.
Chocolate sprinkle cookies - Party vibes 🤝 a chocolate cookie. Need I say more?
Mini birthday cake - No mixer needed for the layers on this cute little homemade funfetti cake! And the insides are sprinkles galore.

Overhead shot of a chocolate cake, topped with rainbow sprinkles and surrounded by it and other colorful items in the background.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Simple yet Stunning: This is a moist chocolate cake that's perfect for celebrations.
Chocolate Lovers’ Dream: The layers and creamy frosting have tons of cocoa powder.
A Smaller Cake: With two 6" layers of chocolate cake, this is an approachable and manageable cake size for smaller gatherings.
Easy to make: The cake batter can be made without ever turning on a hand or stand mixer! And while you will want an electric mixer for the buttercream, it comes together in a bowl with just a few basic baking ingredients.
Versatile: Customize the frosted cake with your favorite sprinkles. Use jimmies, confetti sprinkles - whatever your heart desires.

Best Results: Baking in Grams

If you’re not already, use a kitchen scale for accuracy in baking.

While I include cups and grams in my recipe cards, weighing your ingredients and writing or following a recipe using a standard metric like grams ensures consistency.

I highly recommend investing $30 or less in a kitchen scale.

📋 Key Ingredients

In the recipe card below, you'll find all the ingredients you need for making this easy chocolate cake recipe. I highlight a few of the key items and why they're necessary.

Rainbow sprinkles (or go with chocolate ones) - Whether you're making this recipe for birthday parties or a regular weekday, you need sprinkles! They add a nice pop of color with every bite. And if you want to stick to an all-chocolate theme, you could swap out the rainbow and opt for chocolate sprinkles instead. I also like jimmies (the ones shaped a bit like tiny tubes!), but you do do.
Dutch processed cocoa powder - This darker cocoa powder has been treated with an alkalizing agent. As a result, it's a lot less acidic-tasting than natural cocoa powder. Dutch processed powder has a milder flavor and less bitterness. Because the alkalization process makes this cocoa powder less acidic and more neutral, it reacts with baking powder and not soda.
Espresso powder - Espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor. It doesn't make the cake taste like coffee either, so I suggest giving it a try. You could nix this ingredient if you prefer, though.
Canola or vegetable oil (or another flavorless oil) - While I often use unsalted butter in baked goods, this recipe relies on oil for much of its fat content. Oil helps keep these layers moist for days! Canola is also a neutral-flavored oil. This is important because you don't want an oil with a distinct taste - like olive oil - to overpower the chocolate flavor.
Buttermilk - Buttermilk is a common ingredient in chocolate cake recipes because it helps tenderize and moisten the cake. Also, due to its acidity, it reacts with baking soda, which creates carbon dioxide bubbles that help the cake rise. Buttermilk adds a tanginess that can really enhance the flavor of chocolate baked goods.
Hot water - Hot coffee or hot water are often used in chocolate cake recipes to enhance the chocolate flavor and create a moist texture. Mixing cocoa powder with a hot liquid helps release the powder's natural oils and flavor.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations on this Chocolate Sprinkle Cake

Sheet Cake - Make my tried and true chocolate cake with strawberry filling. Instead of the two 8-inch round cake pans it calls for, use a 9x13-inch pan, greased and lined with parchment paper. Bake at the same temperature but extend the baking time by about 10-15 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Frost directly in the pan for ease.
Fillings - Experiment with fillings like chocolate ganache or whipped cream between layers.
Dietary Variations - While I haven't tested it here, King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill have highly rated gluten-free flour blends for gluten sensitivity. You should be able to swap them into this recipe.

Pro Tip for Even Cake Layers

I use these bake even strips on most of my cakes. They help cake rise evenly during baking.

If you want to do the same, start soaking strips in water before proceeding with the recipe.

Cake pan with a damp cake strip wrapped around it to prevent burned layers.

📖 Steps for Baking this Moist Chocolate Cake

Six-inch cake pan, prepped and dusted with cocoa powder.

Preheat and Prep Pans: Set your oven to 350°F, and prepare two 6” round cake pans with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can generously butter the pans and coat with cocoa powder or use non-stick baking spray.

Bowl of dry ingredients for chocolate cake.

Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown and granulated sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.

Mix Wet Ingredients: In a smaller bowl, whisk together vanilla extract, eggs, Greek yogurt or sour cream, buttermilk, and oil.

Add Water: Pour the very hot water into the dry ingredients to bloom the cocoa powder. Stir until combined.

Batter for chocolate cake in a light green mixing bowl.

Combine: Add all your ingredients into your larger and mix until fully incorporated.

Overhead shot of two baked chocolate cake layers, sitting in their pans on a cooling rack.

Fill Pans and Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, and bake for 33-38 minutes, or until the layers spring back when gently touched.

Overhead shot of two baked chocolate round cake layers, sitting on a wire rack.

Cool: Let the layer cakes cool in their pans for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

🍫 Chocolate Buttercream Instructions

Check out my full post for small batch chocolate buttercream for all the tips you need to make this.

For a quick overview on making the frosting, you'll do the following: Combine butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powders, vanilla, heavy cream, and salt in a stand mixer.

Start mixing on low to avoid splatters, then beat until fluffy.

Smooth the frosting with a rubber spatula to remove air bubbles, and adjust the consistency with cream or powdered sugar as needed. Transfer to a piping bag to decorate!

Shot of a slice of chocolate cake with sprinkles, on its side on a small white plate, with the rest of the cake in the background.

Pro Tip for Cake Decorating

Decorate with chilled cake layers!

I typically bake and freeze the layers one day and assemble them with frosting the next. I wrap them in plastic wrap to ensure they stay fresh.

Not only does this break up the process into manageable steps, it also ensures cake crumbs don't find their way into your decadent chocolate frosting.

🌈 Frosting & Assembling this Chocolate Sprinkle Cake

Chocolate buttercream on a white cake round.

Anchor Bottom Cake Layer: Pipe or spread a dollop of chocolate buttercream onto a cake circle or cake board to hold the layer in place, then set the first cake layer on top. It should be cold from resting in your freezer, ideally for at least a couple of hours.

Adding chocolate frosting to a small layer of chocolate cake, using an offset spatula.

Frost Bottom Layer: Pipe about a quarter of the frosting on top of the bottom layer. Spread it evenly using an offset spatula or large spoon.

Pressing rainbow sprinkles into chocolate buttercream to form the insides of chocolate sprinkle cake.

Add Sprinkles: Sprinkle your desired amount of sprinkles across the frosting layer for added color when you cut into your cake. Gently press them into the frosting with the back of a clean spoon.

Spreading chocolate buttercream onto the top of two cake layers.

Add Top Layer: Place the second cake layer on top. Pipe another quarter of the frosting onto its top and spread evenly.

Chocolate cake, wrapped in chocolate buttercream, sitting on a cake turntable.

Frost Sides and Top: Starting at the base, pipe a thick layer of frosting around the sides of the cake.

Smoothing out the frosting on a two-layer chocolate cake.

Smooth Frosting: Use a cake scraper (or the back of a bench scraper) to smooth the frosting. Hold the scraper gently against the side and rotate the cake to remove air bubbles and create an even surface. Leave the "crown" of frosting on top for a rustic, simple look, or smooth it out if preferred.

Pressing rainbow sprinkles into the sides of chocolate cake coated in chocolate buttercream.

Pressing rainbow sprinkles onto the top of a cake to create chocolate sprinkle cake.

Finish with Sprinkles: Scatter a thin layer of sprinkles over the top of the cake. For the base, place a band of sprinkles around the cake circle or decorating stand. Gently press them against the sides using a knife or the back of a spoon.

Serve your frosted chocolate sprinkle cake on a pretty cake plate or stand!

Chocolate sprinkle cake on a cake stand, with a small slice of it in the foreground.

❓ Recipe FAQ and Troubleshooting

Do I need to crumb coat this cake?

Due to its more rustic style, a crumb coat isn’t necessary for this cake. However, you must freeze the layers before frosting to skip crumb coating.

Freezing helps minimize crumbs, and the chocolate buttercream is thick enough to cover any imperfections.

However, if you're beginning to notice that your cake crumbs are popping through your buttercream as you decorate, pop your cake into the freezer or fridge again for at least 15 minutes.

Then you can continue with decorating.

Why do you decorate cold cake layers?

Chilled cake layers are sturdier and less likely to crumble during frosting. This makes it easier to achieve smooth, clean edges without crumbs mixing into the frosting.

Freezing or refrigerating the layers also helps break up the process, making decorating more manageable.

Slice of chocolate cake with sprinkles on it.

Cake Storage Instructions

Baking in Advance - The layers of this chocolate sprinkle cake can be baked and frozen up to 3 months in advance.

Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Be sure your layers are still cold when you decorate them.

Serving and Refrigerating - This cake will remain most fresh if stored covered in a container in the refrigerator for no more than five days.

If possible, bring out the cake or individual slices about 30 minutes before serving so that everything can reach room temperature. This will make your cake more moist, giving it the best flavor and texture.

Freezing - Fully frosted and coated in sprinkles, this cake will freeze pretty well for 3 months. Store slices in wax or parchment paper in an airtight container.

More Baking Tips

Up-close image of the top of chocolate sprinkle cake, featuring lots of rainbow sprinkles against a creamy chocolate frosting.

Below are some general tips to keep in mind when baking this cake recipe and any recipe, really:

Periodically check the freshness of your leavening agents. Mix a pinch of baking powder with hot water to see if it reacts. For baking soda, you can mix a pinch of it with a few drops of something acidic, like vinegar or lemon juice. If your leavening agents have no reaction (i.e. you see no fizzing or bubbling), it means they also won’t help your ingredients rise during the baking process.
Before diving into the recipe, clear your workspace and set out all your ingredients in front of you. This will make it less likely that you’ll forget to leave something important out of your mixing bowl!

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