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.
Sarah
Thanks for your recipes Sam….this chocolate cake is a hit each and every timeโค
Jessica
Hi Sam! Love this recipe & have made it several times! Curious how long you would recommend refrigerating it (unfrosted)? Could I make the cake 2 days ahead of when serving and frost on the day off without compromising it?? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Jessica! I’m so glad you have enjoyed the cake! Honestly I generally don’t recommend refrigerating cake if you can avoid it. The refrigerator dries out cakes, even if they DO have frosting on it (which can help prevent some moisture loss). If you want to make it 2 days in advance I would either freeze and then thaw and frost or just keep wrapped on the counter (I don’t really like to do this more than a day in advance generally myself). I hope that helps!
Eliza Jane
Hey Sam! I was wondering if I could mix this batter with your Best Vanilla Cake recipe batter to create a swirl cake. Let me know what you think!
Sam
Hi Eliza! You could do that, but I would recommend checking out my marble cake instead. ๐
Vidisha
My mother made this cake last year for my sister’s birthday, and it was just amazing! Our whole family swears by your blog now, and here I am, one year later, looking for a cake I can bake for my sister’s birthday this weekend! Thank you, Sam, for all the work you put in to perfect your recipes! ๐
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Vidisha! ๐
Sarah
Hey Sam, just made this cake (still cooling) and it is SO moist. Falling apart moist. Can I back off the oil a little, or butter, or both next time? I don’t think it’s under baked… toothpick test came out perfect.
Sam
Hi Sarah! I wouldn’t recommend cutting the oil or butter or anything like that. Did you cut into it when it was still warm? It seems odd that it’s falling apart if it was finished baking. ๐
Sarah
This was after I’d let them cool in the pan. They came right out but just started to fall apart as I adjusted on the cooling rack once they were out of the pan. The icing hid everything and they tasted amazing, so I’ll definitely make again, regardless!
Sam
I’m glad it was still really good! ๐
Cat
Hello Sam,
I’m looking for a recipe for chocolate cake, and this one sounds devine. My question is, can I use decaf coffee? I’m allergic to caffeine, but the small amount in decaf baked into a cake should be okay. I don’t know if the caffeine content would alter anything about it. I assume not? I also was wondering about maybe using a hazelnut flavored coffee or if that would alter the final flavor too much? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Cat! The decaf coffee should work just fine. The coffee really helps to bring out the chocolate taste here. Adding a hazelnut coffee would definitely alter the flavor so to be safe I’d probably just stick to the decaf. ๐
Yazmin
Hi. Thank you for this. I have one huge important question. Can I make one cake and keep it in the fridge to frost it the next day??? Will it taste ok? Does this ruin the cake? Help.!
Sam
Hi Yazmin! I would just let the cake cool completely at room temperature and then wrap it with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out over night. There’s no need to place the cake in the refrigerator. ๐
Michael
Have you used cake flour for this recipe??
Sam
Hi Michael! I have not, but I know others have with success. ๐
Judy
Would I be able to use a 13 x 9 pan for this cake? Cooking time?
Sam
A 9 x 13 will work here but I’m not sure on a baking time. Enjoy! ๐
Shirish Sen
Can caster sugar work instead of normal sugar
Sam
That should work fine here. ๐
Keerthana
Sam, this is the second recipe of yours I’ve tried out! I naturally gravitate towards those who specifically weigh out their ingredients as opposed to volumetric measurements ๐
I love love loved it. I’m going to use a whipped chocolate ganache as the frosting, and this chocolate cake, I feel, is the perfect vehicle for it. Not too sweet, not too intense. I look forward to attempting more of your recipes ๐
Best,
Keerthana
Keerthana
Erm, there was a total moment where I fully licked the batter. I normally scrape the whole bowl and get all the batter into the cake tins, butโฆ this time, I didn’t. Stood over the sink and just went for it. Salmonella be damned!
Sam
๐คฃ I can’t say I haven’t done the same thing. ๐คฃ
Sam
Thank you so much, Keerthana! I’m so glad you have enjoyed everything so much! ๐
Satya & Aiyana
This cake is definitively the best chocolate cake EVER! it is most and perfectly sweetened! and the frosting is AMAZING!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! ๐
Rebekah
Another winner from Sam! I did a lot of experimenting and made a chocolate sponge recipe from the Great British Bake Off and this recipe before I committed to my cake for a special occasion. Hands down the best chocolate cake and way way better than the other recipe I tried. This is now my go to Chocolate Cake. My brother who is not a big fan of cake in general could not stop eating it, what a hit! Highly recommend this recipe, tested and approved!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Rebekah! ๐
Saba
Hi Sam!
So I love this recipe, but sometimes it comes out a bit crumbly. I measure all my ingredients in grams, and I compared some of your recipes and found a little bit of discrepancy. For example, in your german chocolate cake, you have written 1 3/4 cup flour to be 215g, but in this recipe 1 3/4 cup flour is written as 205g. Same with oil. here, 1/2 cup oil is 118ml, wheras in your german chocolate cake recipe 1/2 cup oil is 120ml. Please let me know which measurements are the correct ones. As I really want to perfect this cake because I love the taste!
Sam
Hi Saba! For this recipe I would use the grams as written. I have since standardized all of my measurements so you won’t see that discrepancy in newer recipes. This cake has been done both ways and does work. I think your cakes may be slightly over-baked if they are too crumbly. I’m glad you enjoy the cake. ๐
Yazmin
Hi. I have a three year old party coming up and i sincerely don’t feed him any white sugar or powdered sugar. We do honey and in desserts have done brown sugar or natural cane sugar. Will your cake recipe work with any of those alternatives? I would really love to try it, it sounds great (without coffee). I’d really appreciate your feedback. Same goes with the cream cheese frosting on your other recipe and the frosting on this one! Thank you!
Sam
Hi Yazmin! I haven’t tried it but I think the cane sugar or brown sugar could work. The brown sugar will make the cake a little more moist. ๐
Diandra Cocco
Hey! I am hoping to make this cake with 2 layers so that it is tall but i only have one 8″ pan that is 4″ high. can i put all the batter in one pan and cut it in half once it cools? I know it will take longer to cook. I have done this with some vanilla cakes but not sure if the. chocolate cake is too soft for this? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Diandra! I haven’t tried it, but I think it could work here. ๐
Juliana
Amazing! Made cupcakes using this and paired it with cookie dough frosting. It was a hit!
Sam
That sounds like the perfect pairing! So glad you enjoyed, Juliana, and thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you! ๐
Karen
This was the best chocolate cake ever. I made peanut butter frosting since it was my daughters birthday. Every one loved it. Itโs 5 stars.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Karen! ๐
Raine
Greetings! I had a sourdough chocolate cake that was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made or eaten. No others, be they sourdough or not, ever turned out as moist (except my Texas sheet cake–but that’s not quite the same–lol). I’m no longer messing around with sourdough, and I haven’t been able to find a replacement chocolate cake recipe. However, your recipe looks similar…but not sourdough (yay!). I can’t wait to try this. I don’t do layer cakes unless it’s for a special occasion–and those are rare. lol If I bake this in a 9″x12″ (or is it 13″?) baking dish, would the bake time need to be altered? I feel like I’d need to add maybe 5-10 minutes. Does that sound right? Thank you for sharing your fantastic recipes (I’ve made several and have enjoyed them all).
Sam
Hi Raine! I hope you love this cake! I haven’t personally baked it in a 9 x 13 but I’d imagine it would need a few minutes longer. I would just be sure to keep an eye on it while it bakes. ๐
Michelle
I found this recipe on your site last year and have made it several times. It is my favorite chocolate cake ever. It’s really simple to make and yields incredible results. I had been looking for a chocolate cake recipe for the longest time that tasted like a chocolate cake I remember from my childhood and this fit the bill perfectly. Thank you so much Sam for this recipe and all the other wonderful recipes you share with us.
P.S. I just took “my favorite chocolate cake” out of the oven and will be frosting it with your silky chocolate buttercream in a few minutes!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Michelle! I could go for a chocolate cake with some chocolate frosting right about now. ๐
Idania
Hello I had a question would I be able to use this recipe for a Bundt shape cake pan? Thank you
Sam
Hi Idania! This will work in a bundt pan, but probably won’t make as much batter as your typical bundt cake. Enjoy! ๐
Raine
Hi Sam!
This really is the best chocolate cake! I’ve made it 3 times since originally messaging you–it’s that addictive. It works out brilliantly in the 9×13 baking dish. As it happens, I don’t really have to add much baking time (maybe a minute, and I think that’s just me being a little “extra” because the toothpick comes out clean at 35 minutes). I love this with a simple white, buttercream frosting. The last time I made it, I got my frosting recipes mixed up in my head and added some cream cheese as if I were making cinnamon rolls. What a happy accident! It cut down on some of the sweetness of the buttercream, and the slight tang of the cream cheese was perfect with the cake. So thankful I found your recipe (though my waistline isn’t at all happy with you). LOL
Sam
That is so awesome! I’m so glad you have enjoyed it so much. Sometimes a little mistake can lead to great discoveries. I apologize to your waistline. I feel your pain. ๐คฃ
Kat
Hi!
I just wanted to comment that Iโve been using this recipe as my go-to chocolate cake recipe since I found it two years ago!!! Itโs by far my favorite chocolate cake recipe Iโve tried! Iโd say itโs foolproof, but I have some cakes in the oven right now and I donโt want to jinx them! Thank you so much!
Sam
I’m so glad you have enjoyed it so much, Kat! Thank you for taking the time to comment. ๐