One of my all time favorites, this is my moist, fudgy, and completely from-scratch chocolate cake recipe. It comes together in one bowl and pairs well with any frosting! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cake Recipe
- One bowl recipe! We’re keeping it super simple here today, just like my yellow cake and my spice cake recipes!
- Basic ingredients. All-purpose flour, natural cocoa powder, and buttermilk (or my easy buttermilk substitute!) are as complicated as this gets.
- No mixer needed! While I often use my stand mixer to make this cake, mixing by hand is absolutely an option here.
- Adaptable: you can make a hefty two layer 8โ cake or 9โ cake, or you can do a 3-layer cake–instructions for this are in the printable recipe below!
- Very little chance of over-mixing. I use a version of the reverse creaming method, which means it’s highly unlikely (but not impossible!) to over-mix this batter.
A long-time favorite recipe
This chocolate cake recipe is not new to the blog. I originally published it several years ago after a ton of trial and error…aย ton. In fact, it took me almost 5 months of failed cakes and frustration to perfect this recipe (not as bad as my macarons, but close!)!
And after many, many, many disappointing cakes, it was clear from the first fudgy forkful that this one was a winner. In fact, it’s one of my proudest creations on the blog to-date, and I even used it as the base for my German chocolate cake and my Ding Dong cake.
Today, I’m bringing it back with more notes and helpful tips, but the recipe remains unchanged (because there’s no need to mess with perfection!).
What You Need
Each ingredient in this chocolate cake recipe was carefully chosen to make for a moist and flavorful chocolate cake recipe.
- Buttermilk gives this cake depth of flavor and keeps it soft and moist. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can use my easy buttermilk substitute in a pinch–but real buttermilk is best!
- Oilย and butter give us a moist cake with great flavor. This combination is especially important if you need to refrigerate your chocolate cake (which could dry out your cake). I originally used canola or vegetable oil in this recipe, but have learned avocado oil works just as well and this is my current go-to.
- An extra egg yolk contributes to the tender, fudgy, melt-in-your-mouth crumb. If you don’t want to waste your leftover egg white, save it to make some candied almonds.
- Cocoa powder. It’s important that you stick with natural cocoa powder here, since we are only using baking soda. Using dutch process cocoa could cause rising issues in this recipe.
- Hot water/coffee will “bloom” your cocoa powder, fully developing its flavor. Note that using coffee won’t make your chocolate cake taste like coffee, but it will enhance the chocolate taste even more than plain hot water would. On the other hand, if you really like coffee and want a coffee flavor, you can always frost this cake with my coffee frosting (I actually like to use the variation in that recipe to make a mocha frosting with this cake)!
SAM’S TIP: The best way to keep chocolate cakeย (or, any cake) moist is to not over-bake it. Make sure that your oven temperature isn’t running hotter than it is leading you to believe (I keep two thermometers in my oven to make sure the temperature is accurate), as an oven that’s too hot will over-bake your cake in your hurry.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Chocolate Cake
- Whisk the dry ingredients and sugars together in a large bowl.
- Stir in the butter and oil. The batter will be stiff at this stage–this is totally normal, just make sure all the dry ingredients are moistened.
- Add the eggs, extra yolk, and vanilla, then scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is combining nicely.
- Gradually stir in the buttermilk. The batter will still be pretty thick here, but it will get a lot thinner with the next step!
- Pour in the hot coffee/water–slowly and carefully since it is very hot! I recommend scraping your bowl again at this stage just to make sure nothing is hiding on the bottom or sides. It’s important that the batter be smooth and uniform so that it bakes evenly.
- Divide the batter into your pans and bake. I love using parchment circles on the bottom of my pans (in addition to greasing/flouring them) to ensure there will be no sticking when it’s time to remove the cakes from the pans.
- Cool the cakes in their pans for a few minutes, then invert to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Level your cakes if needed/desired. This is entirely optional, and most of the time this cake bakes up pretty level for me! Here is the inexpensive cake leveler I like to use.
- Frosting with your favorite frosting and decorate as desired. I have a post on how to decorate a cake if you need help with this step (but you can see I kept things pretty simple here).
SAM’S TIP: A crumb coating is always a good idea! To do this, apply a thin, even layer of frosting to catch all of your crumbs and then place the cake in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove and finish frosting for a crumb-free finish!
Frequently Asked Questions
I typically use my favorite chocolate frosting; however my chocolate fudge frosting works just as well (and that’s what I used in the photos here!). The fudge frosting is thicker, richer and, well, fudgier, while the โfavoriteโ frosting is lighter, sweeter, and more buttercream-esque.
I included a few additional ideas below if you are looking for more. Chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream, coffee frosting, or even Oreo frosting would also be good…so many options!
You absolutely can, but my preference for cupcakes is my easy chocolate cupcake recipe instead; it yields a light, springy texture that just suits the cupcake form so well.
However, if you want to make this cake as cupcakes, know you’ll get approximately 24 cupcakes. Fill your liners โ
of the way full and bake for 16-18 minutes.
I perfected this recipe years ago, before I’d developed weight standards for using a kitchen scale across my website. Back then, I would measure everything into my measuring cups and then I would check those measurements on the scale and record them. As I’ve developed a standard, I’ve updated my older recipes to reflect that standard. Weights are the most accurate, so I have kept the weight the same but updated the cup measurement to reflect the standard.
This recipe has already earned lots of 5-star ratings, but I’d love to hear what you think! Leave me a comment and a rating once you try it out (please!).
Enjoy!
Letโs bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find my free recipe tutorials on YouTube ๐
The BEST Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 โ cup (208 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ยพ cup (75 g) natural cocoa powder
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons baking soda
- ยพ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
- ยฝ cup (118 ml) neutral cooking oil (use avocado, canola, or vegetable oil)
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (236 ml) buttermilk
- ยฝ cup (118 ml) hot coffee or hot water
- 1 batch chocolate frosting see note
Recommended Equipment
- Kitchen Scale recommended
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare two 8" round cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly greasing and flouring the sides. Set aside.ย
- In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) stir together flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.1 โ cup (208 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ยพ cup (75 g) natural cocoa powder, 1 ยฝ teaspoons baking soda, ยพ teaspoon salt
- Add melted butter and oil, stir well. Batter may be thick, this is fine, just stir until all of the dry ingredients are moistened.ยฝ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ยฝ cup (118 ml) neutral cooking oil
- Add eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until well combined. Pause occasionally to scrape sides and bottom of bowl.2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gradually add buttermilk and stir well.1 cup (236 ml) buttermilk
- Add hot coffee or water, stirring carefully until ingredients are well-combined (be sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl to ensure batter is uniform).ยฝ cup (118 ml) hot coffee or hot water
- Evenly divide batter between prepared pans. Transfer to center rack ofย 350F (175C) and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto cooling rack to cool completely before frosting with your favorite frosting (I recommend the one linked in the recipe above, or one of my favorites linked in the notes below!).1 batch chocolate frosting
Notes
Frosting
In the video I used my favorite chocolate frosting (linked in the recipe card) but for the photos in this post I used my chocolate fudge frosting (I love both of these options!). Here are some other frostings that work really well with this cake:- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Peanut Butter Frosting
- Coffee Frosting
Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.ยFreezing
You can freeze the completely cooled layers by wrapping them very well with plastic wrap and then freezing. You can also freeze the fully frosted cake. To do this, place your cake in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes or until the frosting is firm. Remove it, wrap very well with plastic wrap, and freeze for up to a month.Different sized pans
Two 9″ pans: Cakes will need to bake for less time, start checking at 27-30 minutes. Please keep in mind that if your pans are dark-colored the cake may need less time to bake. Three 8″ pans: Bake approximately 23-26 minutes. Three 9″ pans. Cake layers will be quite thin. Bake approximately 20-23 minutes.Cupcakes
You’ll get about 24 cupcakes, evenly divide into two lined 12-count cupcake tins and bake for 17-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Gluten-free
Readers have commented that they have successfully made this recipe by substituting Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour for the flour called for in this recipe.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Recipe originally published 02/27/2017.
Gloria
Hello, I made this chocolate cake recipe for my grandsonโs birthday and everyone loooooved it, especially my grandson. I used vegetable oil like you said we could substitute. I also used your vanilla buttercream recipe for the frosting. Wish I could share the pics. I love the addition of the hot coffee, I used a coffee alternative though. It is a delicious recipe, this will be our staple recipe for all the birthdays weโll celebrate in our family, oh and the best birthday cake recipe as well, Iโve made that one too, thank you ๐.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that your family enjoyed the cake and I hope that your grandson had a nice birthday, Gloria! Thanks for using my recipe. ๐
Summer Nickerson
I want to make this cake, but I only have a springform pan. Can I adjust bake time and oven temperature to make this work?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Summer! I have never caked this cake in a springform pan, but I think that it will work fine. Having not tried it myself, I am not certain of the bake time so I reccomend keeping an eye on it. Please also keep in mind that the cake will rise you you only want to fill the pan 3/4 of the way full. If you have a 9″ x 13″ baking pan this fits nicely in that. Keep me posted on how it turns out. ๐
Michelle
What temperature do I set it at if I am at 4,000 ft altitude?
Do I have to use parchment paper?
Thanks
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Michelle! I am sorry but I do not have experience with baking at high altitude so I can not provide you with any recommendations. I am hoping that someone else who has used this recipe under the same conditions will chime in. Again, I am sorry that I can not be of more help to you. As far as the parchment paper goes, you do not need it, however, it helps when removing the cakes from the pans that they don’t stick and also makes clean-up a breeze. ๐
Melissa Williams
I am planning on making this cake today, I will be using a 13×9 pan. My question is will I need more batter and when should I begin checking the cook time?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Melissa! This recipe will fit nicely in a 9″ x 13″ baking pan. The only adjustment needed is the bake time. I recommend keeping an eye on it. Enjoy! ๐
Laura
This is now my go to chocolate cake!
Sugar Spun Run
Hooray! I am so glad that you have now found a new favorite, Laura! Thanks for commenting. ๐
Gloria
Hi,
Iโm using 9in pans and trying to make a three layer cake. Can you give me the measurements for a cake like that?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Gloria! This recipe fills (2) 8″ pans. If you wish to make a 3 layered cake using 9″ pans, I would recommend that you make one batch + 1/2 of a second. I hope that it turns out perfect for you! ๐
littlebee
Hi, I donโt have whole milk at home for the frosting.. are there any substitute I can use? Thanks!!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi! The chocolate frosting that is shown uses 2 Tablespoons heavy cream. In the notes section, I also provide a list of other frostings that you could try. Which frosting are you trying to make?
Sam
Hi, can I bake 1 tin at a time & let other wait outside? I have a small oven. cannot stack them. Can only do 1 at a time.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Sam! That should be fine. Keep me posted on how it turns out. ๐
Mary M
Can this be baked as one layer in a 13×9 pan?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Mary! Yes, it can! Please keep in mind that the bake time will be different than what is listed so I reccomend keeping an eye on it. Enjoy! ๐
Princess
Hi! Thanks for the recipe. I’m a beginner baker so I wanted to know, can I use this recipe and half it to bake on 4.5 inch cake pans? I have a small oven so that’s the size that fits for me. I wonder if that’ll negatively affect the result of my cake.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Princess! You can most certainly reduce the amount of batter to accommodate your size pan, however, I want to be certain that we cup it enough and you don’t have too much batter left over. This recipe yields two 8″ cakes for a 2 layered cake. How deep are your 4.5 inch cake pans? Are you planning to bake two to create a 2-layer? What type of small oven are you planning to bake in?
Princess
Thanks so much for your reply! The cake pan is 2 inches deep. If possible, I would like to try baking two cakes and layer them. I live in Japan so I have a Japanese convection oven. The chamber is pretty small that’s why I only use small pans. I would truly appreciate your help!
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for clarifying, Princess. I am not familiar with baking in a convection oven so you will want to keep an eye on it while it bakes. Since you are using smaller pans, it will take a lot less time than what is indicated in the directions. To create two cakes, I think that halving the recipe will work fine. Keep me posted on how it turns out. ๐
Debby
This cake is awesome! I printed out this recipe for my 12 year old daughter and the instructions were so detailed she was able to make it almost without any extra guidance. We did have to tweek it to make it vegan because of food allergies but the cake is so delicious. The buttercream frosting worked amazingly well even though we live at a high altitude. If you are looking for the perfect cake then you have found it. Thank you Sam Merritt for this awesome recipe!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that the directions were easy to follow and your cake turned out delicious, Debby. Thank you for trying my recipe, I hope that your daughter had fun making it. ๐
Sally
Could this be baked using a 9×13 pan?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Sally! Yes, you can! Please keep in mind that the bake time will be different. I hope that you enjoy the chocolate cake. ๐
Susan
Hi Sam. After having great success with your vanilla cake which is now my staple for my baking business (IG: @suzyqscupcakes), I had to try your chocolate recipe as well. I have been using the cake recipe on the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa container for YEARS , which is delicious, but I was finding it hard to stack and decorate my buttercream cakes because it was so moist and crumb-y. I also live in Australia and it is an hour drive each way to the Costco to buy Hershey’s cocoa – too far. SO….I tried your recipe and it is PHENOMENAL! The cake is somewhere in between a chocolate cake and chocolate mud cake – moist. rich, chocolaty but not too sweet. I was concerned it might be too sweet with the brown sugar in it but luckily it wasn’t. (By the way, I hate brown sugar because it always gets hard so you can use 1 cup white sugar with 2 tbsp liquid molasses to make brown sugar). Anyway, another winner and I am glad I can use cocoa from my local grocery store to make this. I am so happy to have found your baking blog and look forward to trying more recipes.
Sugar Spun Run
What an amazing comment to wake up to, thank you, Susan! Coming from a fellow baker, I am so glad that you have enjoyed both my cake recipes. I am happy that you found this chocolate cake delicious and that it saves you the 1 hour trip to the store. Thanks for the feedback, I can’t wait to hear what recipe you try next! I post recipes daily on social media so feel free to join me on Instagram (@sugarspun_sam) or on Facebook. ๐
Heather
HI,
I have made this cake for the third time now. its fool proof! My only question is my buttercream looks darker than yours
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you have enjoyed the chocolate cake recipe, Heather! As far as coloring of the buttercream it could just be the lighting used. It should be rich in color. Thanks for commenting. ๐
Heidi
I plan on making a 3 layered cake (using 6 inch pans) with this recipe. Do you think the recipe will yield the correct amount, or should I double it? ๐
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Heidi! I haven’t tried it myself, but I think that you will be fine. The layers might be on the thinner side. ๐