Best Chocolate Cake Recipe (9×13 Recipe)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
An easy, rich 9×13 Chocolate Cake Recipe made in one bowl with minimal ingredients. Based on my popular best chocolate cake recipe, it is tender, moist, and delicious!
This is the easiest 9×13 chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made. From my Best Chocolate Cake that everyone loves, I’ve made the cake even easier and sized for a 9×13 sheet cake!
I love this easy 9×13 size cake for taking to potlucks, tailgating, baking, taking to friends or neighbors, and for making a quick and easy cake! It transports beautifully in the baking dish and I love that I don’t have to worry about a cake slipping or sliding on a cake plate! Another favorite version you may enjoy is my Chocolate Loaf Cake. So easy!
I originally shared this recipe in 2014 and have updated it to include the metric conversion to grams as well as updated the recipe sizing to make for a thicker cake based on reader feedback.
Best Chocolate Cake (9×13 Recipe)
What Makes a Chocolate Cake Moist?
This cake recipe includes the perfect ratio of oil, milk, and boiling water to make it moist without having to use melted chocolate. The combination of the fat, protein, and water temperature produces a moist and tender crumb.
Ingredients for Easy 9×13 Chocolate Cake
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- all-purpose flour – I recommend using a good quality all-purpose flour that works well in baking. You can also substitute with cake flour if needed.
- sugar – You’ll use granulated sugar.
- unsweetened cocoa powder – I use unsweetened cocoa powder.
- baking powder – used to leaven the cake.
- baking soda – also used to help the cake rise.
- kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you substitute with Morton’s Kosher salt, fine sea salt, or table salt, you will only need half the amount of the salt called for in the recipe.
- espresso powder – Espresso powder enhances the flavor of chocolate in recipes. The amount used in this cake does not give a coffee flavor to the cake or leave a bitter aftertaste that you may get from using brewed coffee or instant coffee in the cake batter. You can use homemade espresso powder or your favorite store-bought. Many grocery stores now carry it. You can also omit it if you prefer or are unable to find it.
- milk – You can use buttermilk, whole milk, or coconut milk.
- vegetable oil – the oil is key for a moist chocolate cake.
- egg – Make sure that your egg is at room temperature so that it combines more easily into the cake batter.
- vanilla extract – Use good quality vanilla extract.
- boiling water – helps release the chocolate flavor in the recipe. Please don’t skip it!
Chocolate Buttercream
I scaled the chocolate buttercream frosting to work perfectly in a 9×13 baking dish. The cake still rises nicely so that you have a lovely, thick cake that you then top with a generous amount of silky chocolate buttercream.
Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients: you’ll need butter, cocoa powder, confectioner’s sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and espresso powder.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep. Preheat the oven and prep the baking dish.
Make the cake batter. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder to a large mixing bowl. Whisk through to combine. Add the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the flour mixture and combine. Carefully stir in the boiling water until well combined. The cake batter will be thin.
Bake the cake. Pour the cake batter into the prepared 9×13 baking dish. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool the baking dish on a wire rack until cooled completely.
Make the frosting. Meanwhile, add cocoa powder to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to break up any large lumps in the cocoa powder. Add the butter and using a hand mixer, cream the butter and cocoa powder together until well combined. Add confectioner’s sugar to another large bowl and whisk through it. Add the confectioner’s sugar and milk to the cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After combining each addition, turn the mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added. Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well. Mix until the frosting is silky and smooth.
I put together a quick video to show you just how easy the cake is to mix together. Seriously, it’s the easiest and most delicious cake ever, I think! 🙂
As with any 9×13 cake recipe, you can cut the pieces as generously or as conservatively as you please. You can cut the cake into 2-inch x 2-inch pieces for 24 servings or 2-inch x 3-inch pieces for 18 servings.
Here’s my Easy 9×13 Chocolate Cake Recipe. I think you are going to love how simple it is!
Best Chocolate Cake Recipe (9×13 Recipe)
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Recipe (9×13 Recipe)
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (396 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (63 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (9 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (2.8 g) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (2.3 g) espresso powder
- 1 cup (227 g) buttermilk, whole milk, or coconut milk
- 1/2 cup (99 g) vegetable oil
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- 2 teaspoons (9.4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (227 g) boiling water
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (9×13 Recipe)
- 1/2 cup (42 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup (169.5 g) butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups (283.7 g) confectioner’s sugar
- 1/4 cup (56.7 g) milk
- 1 teaspoon (4.7 g) vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.57 g) espresso powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare one 9×13 baking dish by brushing with homemade chocolate cake pan release (chocolate cake goop), spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large mixing bowl.
- Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together until well combined. Carefully stir the boiling water into the cake batter and pour into the prepared 9×13 dish.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. You can follow my tips for how to tell when your cake is done.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (9×13 Recipe)
- Add cocoa to a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through to remove any lumps.
- Add the butter and cream together butter and cocoa powder until well-combined.
- Add sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added.
- Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.
- If frosting appears too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears to wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
- Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake. Cover and keep on the counter for up to 3 days for best taste.
Notes
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 cup whole milk, buttermilk, or coconut milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Made this recipe for my mom’s birthday and it was a hit with everyone. I did do a layered half sheet cake with peanut butter buttercream between the layers and cream cheese frosting on the outside. Let me tell you 🤤🤤🤤🤤
Brittani, this cake sounds amazing with the peanut butter buttercream filling with cream cheese frosting. I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it.
Made this wonderful cake for Easter. Everyone enjoyed it, tasted delicious! Easy to put together. I’m usually not very good at the frosting part but was very happy at how the frosting turned out. Very fluffy and light. Will definitely be making again. You took the stress out of the experience for me-Thanks for that!! Am planning on checking out your website for other recipes.
I have to make this cake gluten free. Do you recommend I use cup 4 cup or Bobs 1-1 gluten free baking flour? Am making this for Good Friday. Thanks so much for your input. Sorry can’t give you a rating as have never made before but will afterwards.
Karen, either of those gluten free flours should work just fine in this cake. I hope you enjoy!
Was looking at your newest version of chocolate cake(9×13) for Easter. Was wondering if it would fit in a standard 9×13 or do I need to put it into a deep dish 9×13? Looks excellent!
Karen, you can use a standard 9×13 pan for this cake. Hope you enjoy!
This cake is wonderful and so simple to make. My almost 5 year old and I made it this weekend and it was easy enough for her to do most of the work, I just helped. It was so delicious, I have had to bring the rest to work so I won’t be tempted. We will definitely make it again!
Meredith, I’m thrilled you and your 5 year old enjoyed making this cake together. I loved baking with my son when he was little, too. Thanks so much for letting me know.
Hello! i have made this delectable cake before and loved it! I’m going to make it again here soon for my son’s birthday. Have you ever tried adding semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter? Would that work out well or maybe it’s not necessary or maybe it would ruin it?
Diane, I’m thrilled you love this cake. When I added chocolate chips, they just sank to the bottom of the pan even after they were coated with flour. I hope your son has a very happy birthday.
could I substitute special dark cocoa prefer for the regular?
Angela, you can use special dark cocoa powder in this cake recipe. It is delicious with that cocoa powder.
I’m confused; which is the recipe for 9×13? You list two recipes, one is half the size of the other one. Thank you!! 🙂
Rose, the original 9×13 recipe is in the Notes section of the recipe card. It is half the size of the other one. Although, I and many others liked the original size cake, many others thought it was not thick enough so I doubled the recipe. You can make whichever version you want.
If this is a scaled down version of the 2×9″ round cake tins, how is it that the ingredients weigh the same?
love the recipe. I am attempting to make a large 19×11 tray bake with a 2.5inch depth.
If the amounts are correct and your cake trays are 2.5 inches deep, I can upscale the recipe.
any suggestions on the baking temp and time?
Thank you.
Beircheart, this recipe now has the same ingredients as the 2 9-inch round cake for a thicker cake. The original recipe with half the ingredients for a less thick cake is in the Recipe Notes section. For the 19×11-inch pan, you would need to make 1 2/3 times the full recipe. I haven’t made this cake in that size pan but I would bake at same temperature and start checking for doneness in about 25-30 minutes.
Thank you for the upscale.
So I would times the original recipe for the 9inch round cake tins by 1&2/3 (1.67) to fill a 19 x 11 inch rectangular tray. Would it be enough batter to make make a 2 inch or taller cake or would I need to double it?
The recipe should make a 2 inch cake in the 19×11 inch pan if you multiply the ingredients by 1.66.
Help! I liked the thin, previous version and made it dozens of times for YEARS; however, I always just came back to this post anytime I needed to make it—I didn’t save the recipe for myself! Could you share the “thin” version for those of us who like it? If memory serves me, it looks like everything is just doubled, except for the cocoa powder? Seems like it was half a cup before??
Julie, I have updated the recipe Notes to include the original recipe. You half all the ingredients except the cocoa powder which is 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa and the baking powder which is 1 teaspoon baking powder. I hope this helps.