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 8” cake or 9” 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…a 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!
- 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. 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 cake (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 “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.
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!
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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 (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.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.
Sarah
Hi Sam. Wow thanks so much for your cake. I found your site by googling cakes for Zach… and it popped up. This is the best cake I have ever made (normally my cakes turn out dry but this was so moist) and I love that along with being easy I could do it by hand because Zach crys at the sound of the mixer. Thanks so much. Can’t wait to try other recipes too.
Sam
Thank you so much, Sarah! I am so glad you enjoyed the cake so much! I hope you love everything you try. 🙂
Isra
hi! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. The cake turned out super moist and soft, and everyone loved it.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed the cake, Isra! 🙂
Dana Berte
Hi! I’m so excited to try this cake, but my pan is a different size. Can you tell me roughly how much the dough rises, so I know how much to fill (or avoid over-filling) the pan? Does it stay more or less the same, does it double in height?
Sam
Hi Dana! I wouldn’t fill the pan more than half way full. 🙂
Nebiyah
Best chocolate frosting ever !! I paired it with your vanilla cake recipe and it was so good. My only critique is that the chocolate frosting is too salty, other than that it’s perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Sam
I am so sorry your frosting was salty. Did you happen to use salted butter? It shouldn’t be an overly salty frosting. I’m glad you were still able to enjoy it. 🙂
Shauna
Hi Sam,
I made this recipe as a cake and cupcakes and they were both beyond amazing, every single person that tried them absolutely loved them.
I was just wondering what the difference between this chocolate cake recipe and your chocolate cupcakes recipe is.
Sam
Hi Shauna! I am so glad you enjoyed the cake. The cupcakes are a lighter cake. The cake is a little more dense, without being dry, and is a little more sturdy. Personally my favorite is the cake, but they are both great. 🙂
Shauna
Hi Sam,
The cake is my favourite too! 🙂
I was also wondering if is it possible to cut the recipe in half?
Sam
I’m so glad you like it, Shauna! Yes, this recipe works just fine cut in half. Enjoy! 🙂
Dana
Hi there! So I’ve made this cake about 3 times and it’s absolutely amazing! The icing is the BEST I’ve ever made, and I’m not a chocolate cake person 🙂
I do have a question. I am making my son’s first birthday cake, and I’m making a half and half sheet cake. I want to use this recipe but I’m nervous that the cooking temp and time compared to my vanilla cake recipe, will be a problem since I am making them both in the same 12×18 sheet cake pan. Do you have any suggestions? Would this cake do well in a 12×18 sheet without the vanilla cake?
Thank you!!!
Sam
Hi Dana! I’m so glad you like the chocolate cake! So it would of course be quite thin and the baking time would be much less, but other than that it should be fine. Does that help? Let me know if I didn’t quite answer your question.
Natalie
Just wanted to say I have discovered your site and it is now my go-to for recipes. This cake is just as amazing as all your others! Thanks so much.
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you for letting me know how you liked the chocolate cake, Natalie!! 🙂
Diane
Hi! Do you think this cake can work with 3 or 4 tiers? I wanted to make a 3 tier cake and I was wondering how much I should times the recipe by.
Sam
Hi Diane! I haven’t tried it, but this cake is pretty sturdy so I think it would hold up. It really depends what size cakes you are making as to how much you would need to increase the batter. 🙂
Christine
Hi Sam, I’ve tried the chocolate buttercream frosting for Easy Chocolate Cupcake and the one for this cake. I preferred this one as this one seems less sweet. To make the frosting slightly less sweet, can I use dark chocolate chips, instead of semi-sweet ones, for the frosting?
Sam
Absolutely, that will work just fine. Enjoy! 🙂
Bernadette M Hall
The best Chocolate cake ever! Thank you so much for the recipe.
Sam
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed! Thank you so much for commenting, Bernadette!
Elizabeth
The cake was super moist and delicious.
Going to try the marble and carrot cake too
Thank you Rachel
God bless you abundantly.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cake, Elizabeth! 🙂
Nadia hassan
I love this chocolate cake
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy the cake so much, Nadia! 🙂
Charlotte
Hi! I tested this cake out to see if it we liked it for a birthday party, and we do! It’s delicious! We taste-tested one and froze the other one. I am planning to take the frozen one out the night before, unwrap it so it doesn’t get soggy, and thaw at room temperature. Is this a good plan? Will it dry out from thawing uncovered?
Sam
Hi Charlotte! I would recommend taking it from the freezer to the refrigerator for a day, leaving it wrapped. Then, transfer it to the counter at room temperature for about a day. 🙂
Judy
the cake looked so moist Hubby will like it.
Sam
I hope everyone loves it, Judy! 🙂
Rachel
Delicious!! I love it!
Sam
Thank you so much, Rachel! 🙂
Sarah
Hi! I want to try to use this recipe for the top layer of a 2 tier cake for my son’s birthday. Would it hold up to stacking and fondant?
Sam
Hi Sarah! I think this cake will hold up just fine. I hope you love it! 🙂 Let me know how it goes.
Larvendah
Hie can I double the recipe
Sam
Yes you can. 🙂