One of my all time favorites, this is my moist, fudgy, and completely from-scratch best chocolate cake recipe. It comes together in one bowl and pairs well with any frosting! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Perfect as is no changes needed! This cake yields a tender, moist crumb packed with flavor. I used the hot coffee as suggested and it really helps the flavor pop. I topped it with the oreo icing and and even our picky eaters came back for seconds. Thank You!
– Elayna
I think Elayna pretty much covered it, but here’s what sets this chocolate cake apart from the rest, and why you should try it now:
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Ridiculously moist, even days later: Most cakes dry out by day two. Not this one! Thanks to a strategic combo of buttermilk, oil, butter, and an extra egg yolk you’ll get a moist, tender crumb that stays soft, fudgy and rich–even straight out of the fridge!
- Bold chocolate flavor. No flat cocoa flavor here. By blooming the cocoa with hot coffee we unlock its full intensity–no actual coffee flavor just deeper, more complex chocolate in every bite.
- No mixer, no fuss, no fail! Made in one bowl with no special equipment required, this cake comes together so easily (though of course feel free to use your stand or hand mixer, if you feel so inclined!).
- This is the chocolate cake recipe you’ll come back to. This is the one I make for birthdays, holidays, or any time I need a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It’s reliable, richly chocolatey, and just plain better than the rest (if I do say so myself).
What You Need
Each ingredient in this chocolate cake recipe was carefully chosen to make for a moist and flavorful chocolate cake. Let’s go over the key players:
- Buttermilk gives my chocolate cake recipe intense 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!
- Oil 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. I recommend using natural cocoa powder for best results.
- 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 (which is why I prefer it to water). 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)!
Remember, this is just an overview of some of the key ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
SAM’S TIP: The best way to keep this chocolate cake recipe (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.
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.
- Decorate with your favorite frosting. 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
The secret to a truly moist, fudgy chocolate cake recipe comes down to a few key ingredients and techniques. Buttermilk (full-fat, and better if it’s the real deal and not a substitute) gives the crumb a soft, tender texture while a combo of oil and butter gives you the bet of both worlds — lasting moisture and rich flavor. An extra egg yolk adds a luxurious fudgy bite, and most importantly don’t overbake it! Pull the cake out of the oven when there are a few moist crumbs on your toothpick (but no wet batter), that’s when the magic happens.
Final tip: I recommend if you haven’t already, learn how to use a kitchen scale to consistently have best results with all of your baked goods.
I typically use chocolate buttercream or 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 “favorite” 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 ⅔ of the way full and bake for 16-18 minutes.
Perfect Frosting Pairings:
This recipe has already earned hundreds of 5-star ratings, but I’d love to hear what you think of it! Leave me a comment and a rating once you try it (please!).
Enjoy!
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The BEST Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cup (208 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (75 g) natural cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
- ½ 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
- ½ 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.
- 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 ⅔ cup (208 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ¾ cup (75 g) natural cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ¾ 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.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ½ 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).½ cup (118 ml) hot coffee or hot water
- Evenly divide batter between prepared pans. Transfer to center rack of 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, or for the simplest option try my chocolate buttercream (I love all 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.Freezing
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.
Raven Battle
Hi Sam! I absolutely LOVE this recipe, best tasting chocolate cake ever. but everytime i bake it in the middle seems really fudgy/or oily/ or not quite done yet…..idk. its literally like a hole of undoneness. i always just level it off to get rid of that part but then i lose alot of my height. is there anything i can do to troubleshoot this?? im not opening the oven until the end so it isnt a falling issue, i doubt im overmixing because of the thinness of the better. could i be undermixing? idk what im doing wrong. this also happens when i make your red velvet recipe too. is it a liquid batter thing?? please help!
Sam
Hi Raven! It sounds like it may just need an extra minute or two in the oven. Do you use the toothpick test to make sure they are done?
Maria B Rugolo
This chocolate cake recipe is everything it promises to be! My layers baked up beautifully even flat tops! Moist, light, fluffy and rich in chocolate taste! Another perfect recipe by Sam!
Sam
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it so much, Maria! Thank you so much for trying my recipe!! 🙂
Megan Mollett
Should I double the recipe to get three 8” layers?
Sam
You would only need to increase it by 50% to get 3 layers. 🙂
Yuka
Hi, I’ve tried this recipe as a single tier cake, and the vanilla one as a cupcake. They are delicious! Would like to make a 10” chocolate and a 8” vanilla tiered cake. Would your recipes support the tiers?
Sam
Hi Yuka! I’m not sure how many layers you are going for, but I would think they should work for 3 layers. I would probably use dowels just to make sure there are no issues. 🙂
Ann
Thank you for this recipe. Instead of buying whipping cream, could I use coconut milk?
Sam
Hi Ann! Coconut milk could work for the frosting. You may not need as much. 🙂
Sherri Ristow
Hi Sam I wanted to ask can I use Greek yogurt in place of the buttermilk ?
I made your vanilla cakepop recipe it was amazing so moist and delicious I wanted to know is it possible to use that recipe and add cocoa powder to make it into chocolate flavor ? My granddaughter is turning 4 and she request chocolate cake pops .
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Sherri! You will probably need to water it down a bit to thin it out, but it could work. We actually have a chocolate cake pop recipe you can use instead 😊
Brian Klotzbach
Just made this today and so much better than store bought. Moist and rich and not too sweet.
Susan Avery
I stumbled across this chocolate cake recipe a few years ago. I will say it is the best chocolate cake that I have ever had. I constantly receive request to make this cake for friends and family. I have even made it as a wedding cake, for my best friend.
Recently my husband was diagnosed with celiac’s disease and can no longer have gluten.
I made the cake swapping out the flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. I was concerned about taste, texture, and if it would rise correctly.
Surprisingly, it worked great! My family never knew the difference.
Sam
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it so much, Susan! I’m sorry to hear about your husband’s diagnosis, but thank you for the feedback using the gluten free flour. 🙂
Tammy
Hello!
So I love the flavour of this cake it’s so amazing – but I have CONSTANT trouble with sinking….im not new to baking and can’t figure out why?? BS is fresh and using pure cocoa powder but it’s almost everytime…I even reduced the heat and cooked longer and still sinking….ideas?? It’s dynamite so I want to make it work! Ps tried with gluten free flour one for one and bakes beautifully….
Sam
Hmmm that is really odd. Are you at high altitude by chance?
Tehila
I love you sam like literally lol. Your recipes make me look like a professional baker when I have family and friends over.
Erica
Can this recipe be doubled?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Absolutely! Enjoy, Erica 😊
Tina
Hi sam! Is your flour measurement correct? Doesn’t 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour weigh 220 grams?
I just want to be sure 😊
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Tina! For this recipe we would use the grams as written. Sam has since standardized all of her measurements, so you won’t see that discrepancy in newer recipes. This cake has been done both ways and does work 😊
Jules
Hi Sam,
Can this recipe be made in 3 x 6inch pans?
Thanks 😀
Sam
Hi Jules! This well make more than enough batter for 3 6 inch pans so make sure you don’t overfill your pans. 🙂
Makenzie
I make thus chocolate cake every year for my daughters birthday! The best chocolate cake ever!!
We are making one together tomorrow after watching the original Matilda 🙂 can’t wait for chocolate cake
Thank you for sharing your recipes every one I have tried turns out amazing! You are my goto for a lot of recipes and not just deserts ❤️
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We love that, Makenzie! Thanks so much for commenting. Enjoy your cake! 🥰
Jasmyn
This was absolutely amazing!
I made this for Easter and it was phenomenal!
I did tweak the recipe just a bit. Instead of using all brown sugar(which I couldn’t find, I had light brown), I used some dark brown as well! And I added cacao powder with the cocoa powder I had. I only did because I didn’t have enough cocoa powder.
I don’t know if it made a difference, but the raving reviews of my family made me glad! I thought the cacao would ruin it!
The cake was smooth and decadent! One person said it tasted like I added caramel, but I didn’t.
To sum it up, this cake is amazing!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jasmyn! Thanks for letting us know how it went for you 🥰
Lynette
This choc cake IS absolutely 100% the BEST choc cake I have ever had! I just made it yesterday for my foster daughters 12 birthday bcuz thats what she wanted along with choc frosting. I had a different recipe picked out for the cake and the frosting but chose this recipe instead and I’m so glad I did!! We all couldn’t get enough of it and we just had it again a few mi utes ago. I seriously just want to keep eating it lol! My grandmother use to make choc mayonnaise cake which I thought was the best but I would take this choc cake over it any day! All your hard work for 5 months of trial and error definately paid off! Awesome job! I’ve also tried many different choc frosting recipes and have not liked them at all and this silky choc frosting is SOOOO good! This entire recipe is a perfect balance…neither the cake or the frosting are too sweet! Ty..Ty for this! 😁
Rhonda Ledbetter
Can this be made in a 13×9 cake pan? If so, how long would it need to bake?
Sam
Hi Rhonda! It will work in a 13 x 9 but I’m not sure on a bake time. I would just keep a close eye on it while baking.
Theresa Miller
Love this cake recipe, its the best! Question how do you store your cake after making it? Does go into refrigerator or stay on the counter top?
Sam
Hi Theresa! It will be fine on the countertop in an air tight container for a couple of days. 🙂
Shelly
So, I’m not the biggest fan of dark chocolate, and I see in your chocolate frosting recipe for the cake you use semi-sweet chocolate chips. Will using dark chocolate make the frosting have a dark chocolate flavor. And if so, can I use milk chocolate instead? Thank you, and sorry if I didn’t make any sense, I understand 🤣
Sam
Hi Shelly! Milk chocolate will work here. 🙂
Julian
Hi there! Do you know the height of this cake in inches? Thank you so much, I am SO excited to try this recipe!!
Sam
Hi Julian! I haven’t measured it, but I think it’s around 5 inches tall. The cakes are approximately 2 inches then a bit of frosting.