Best Chocolate Cake Recipe (9×13 Recipe)
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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 yesterday to take to a friend for after lunch. I poured it into a bundt pan and cooked for 30min. It worked and tasted great. Very happy as it was my first chocolate cake from scratch. Thanks for the recipe ??
I’m so happy this worked out for you Kim! I’m glad to know that amount of time worked in a bundt pan. Thanks so much! xo
I made this cake for my dad’s birthday and it turned out amazing! I doubled it and put a second 9/13 layer on top with the buttercream filling in the middle. The espresso powder definitely makes this a keeper! So moist and yummy my kids devoured it which is a tell all for how delicious it is! Thank you for the great cake recipe it’s a keeper for sure!!!!
I hope your dad had a wonderful birthday, Courtney! I appreciate you letting me know how much you all enjoyed this cake!
Thanks so much! xo
Not good for a reg 9×13- my cake literally turned out to be 1/2″ thick- and I followed the recipe to a T. Way too small- would literally feed 4 people maybe- are the baking soda/baking power measurements correct? Cant I just do the reg choc cake recipe and put the batter in a 9×13? Going to try that now- why would this cake not rise 2″ like pictured? Baking soda & powders are nowhere neat the expiration date-
I’ve used the regular recipe for a 9×13 twice and it turned out fine. I just tooth-pick tested it a few times to make sure it was done.
I have never made a cake before, and I decided to try this out for Father’s Day (my dad is a big chocolate fan). Followed the recipe exactly as written, and it was perfect! Everyone loved it! Absolutely delicious and the perfect cake-to-frosting ratio. Thank you, thank you!! This will now be made for future special occasions!
Thanks so much, DC! I’m so honored that this was your FIRST cake!!! Thrilled that everyone loved it!
So glad to hear that you like the cake to frosting ratio as well!
Thanks so much! xo
I just made this cake followed directions precisely and it didn’t rise as I expected it would have…should have (only about 1/2 the size of the pan) disappointed as I needed this for a potluck tomorrow.
Do you have any advice if I don’t have espresso powder on hand? Will it be flavorful without it or should I put in some instant coffee?
Marie i always make my choc cake with 1 cup of hot coffee and omit the cup of boiling water. I love how amazing it turns out. Making it right now as a matter of fact. ☺
Is the cocoa unsweetened?
Yes, it is unsweetened cocoa. Enjoy! Thanks!
Greetings from Hungary!
I made this cake last weekend and it turned out perfect! I didn’t use baking soda, only baking powder and it rose as tall as in your photos. When I poured the rather thin mixture into my 9X13 pan, I was skeptical because it came up about 1/3 of an inch in it, but it rose beautifully and after about 40-45 minutes it was ready.
(Since I am an editor, and cannot help noticing and mentioning errors, I want to let you know that the “Ingredients” for the frosting do not have cream whereas the “Instructions” do, so it is not clear what exactly has to be done. I improvised (I did not start baking yesterday 🙂 ) and the frosting was also heavenly. I do hope you don’t mind this comment.)
I have also made your strawberry cobbler, and it was so good, it was gone in 15 minutes. I will make sure to leave a comment there, also 🙂 .
Thank you for this recipe! I will keep returning to your site for more ideas, that is for sure.
Hi Judit,
I’m so happy you enjoyed the cake and the frosting! I love that strawberry cobbler as well – it doesn’t last long when I serve it either! 😉
I do appreciate your input and I am sorry that part of the instructions were not clear. I used “cream” as a cooking term and not an ingredient, so I will correct to make that read more clearly.
I’m honored to have you visit the site for recipes and love hearing from you! I hope you enjoy all the other recipes you try!
Thanks so much! xo
With one cup of flour and one cup of sugar this cake turned out VERY short. I think the recipe should be doubled for a 13 x 9
I agree, I just made it (it’s cooling) and it’s quite thin ☹️. So, either double the recipe or use a 9” pan.
I’m making this for a kids birthday. Can I flip cake out of the pan and put on a cookie sheet so frost the whole cake top and sides?