The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Lightly grease three 9-inch cake rounds or dust with flour or cocoa powder. Alternatively, you can lightly grease the pans and line them with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat on a low speed until smooth, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed in.
Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans, about 3 cups per pan. Tap the cake pans gently on the counter to allow any bubbles to rise to the top and escape.
Bake for 30-35 minutes in a 350°F (176°C) oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes on wire racks for 15 minutes, then remove them from the pans and place them on the wire racks to cool completely.
Frost with your favorite frosting and enjoy!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Beat until just combined, about 30 seconds.
Beat in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add milk as necessary to make a spreadable consistency. The frosting should be very thick and will thicken even more once refrigerated.
Use the frosting to frost and assemble the cake or transfer it to a piping bag for decorating. Once frosted, the cake should be refrigerated, but it can remain at room temperature for up to 4 hours.