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.
Bitsie
Hi Sam,
I know I am always asking this, or a similar question, how much is a cup of buttermilk?
Thank you for another lovely looking cake recipe!
Bitsie
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Bitsie! One Cup of Buttermilk is equal to 8 oz. I hope that you enjoy the Chocolate Cake! ๐
Barb
Hi Sam- want to make this today. I donโt have coffee but I do have espresso powder. Can I use hot water and maybe 1/2-1 tsp. expresso powder? Thanks Sam!
Sugar Spun Run
Hey, Barb! I have never made it was expresso so it’s hard to say. I think it will work fine mixed with hot water. I hope that you enjoy the Chocolate Cake. ๐
Cheryl
I use espresso powder, just mix it with your dry ingredients and then use hot water as Sam says. No need to try and mix the two together
Karen
Hi, can I slice the layers on half to make a 4-layer cake or would the layers fall apart?
Sam
The layers are pretty sturdy so I think you should be fine to slice them in half. I would probably chill them (wrap in plastic wrap first so the cake doesn’t dry out) before slicing, though.
Nidhi
Hi…
Can you please suggest me a replacement for eggs?
Sam
I’m sorry, Nidhi, but I’m not sure what would work as a good replacement for the eggs in this recipe. I’m hoping someone else can chime in, though!
kinga
Made this chocolate cake and the fam loved it. Smothered it in ganache and salted caramel. The only thing I changed was I just added three eggs instead of 2 + yolk. This will definitely be my go to reipe. Thanks.
Sam
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!! Thank you so much for commenting, I appreciate it ๐
Joy
Good morning! Would this recipe be good for mini-cupcakes? I will be using baking cups and a Wilton pan.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Joy! Yes, it will. I would just keep an eye on the bake time. Enjoy! ๐
Katrina Huntley
How could I use self raising flour instead of regular flour? I have so much in the pantry I need to use up!
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Katrina! I don’t recommend it for this recipe.
Connie
Hi Sam I made your chocolate cake on my birthday its turn very nice everyone like it. It was mouth watering thank you for sharing your recipe.
Sugar Spun Run
Happy Birthday, Connie! I am so happy that you enjoyed the Chocolate Cake. I hope that you had a nice birthday celebration! Thanks for commenting. ๐
Brooke
Can I use something besides coffee?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Brooke! Yes, you can! You can use hot water instead. However, it is important that you use hot liquid, whether coffee or water. The reason for this is that the hot water will โbloomโ your cocoa powder, fully developing the chocolate flavor in this cake. I hope that you enjoy it! ๐
Roxy B
This is a great cake – I just made it and it is delicious.
Sugar Spun Run
Hooray! I am so happy that you enjoyed the chocolate cake, Roxy! Thanks for your comment. ๐
Susie
I am looking forward to trying this recipe but my oven will not fit both pans on the same level. Can I put one pan in and then once that has baked put the second pan in?
Sam
Hi Susie! That should work just fine. I hope you love the chocolate cake. ๐
Kurt Verbruggen
How large are the eggs that you use?… different locations have different egg sizes. In the UK a large egg is e.g. about 64 grams without shell, while in europe mainland those eggs would be extra large eggs. In europe mainland the large eggs are around 50 grams without shell.
Sam
I will have to weigh them and see.
Chetana Shetye
Standard weight is 55grams
Maria Zammit
Thanks for the lovely recipes!
I plan to cook all the batter together rather than split in two.
How long should I keep it in the oven for?
Thanks.
Regards.
Sam
Hi Maria! It will fit in a 9 x 13, but I am not sure how long it would need to bake. I would just keep an eye on it. ๐
Jean
This chocolate cake is very good, and has a nice rich chocolate flavor. Iโve tried several of your cake recipes and each of them is fantastic! ๐ I havenโt tried making the vanilla cake yet…but that cake recipe is next on my list! Thank you Sam, for all the great recipes.
Sam
Thank you so much for the kind comment, Jean! I am so glad you are enjoying all of the cakes. ๐
Deloris Dale-Kitson
Hi Sam, Iโve just ran out of unsalted butter, if I use salted butter should I just omit the salt from the recipe pls?
Del
London UK
Sam
Hi Deloris! I would cut the salt by about 1/4 teaspoon here. You don’t want to omit it fully since you are only using 1/2 cup of butter. ๐
Poulami
Hi. Such a lovely recipe. Came out good every time. If I use a 6 inch round pan, should I take 4 pans?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Poulami! Yes, you can use 6″ pans. The bake time will vary, so just keep an eye on it! You may find this baking guide helpful. Let me know how it turns out! ๐
Poulami
Hi. It turned perfect. Love your recipe so so much.. I m again baking it today.. thank you for such a perfect recipe. Much love to you. ๐
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Poulami! I am so happy that you liked it that much! This chocolate cake is a favorite of mine too. Enjoy! ๐