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
Decided to pick up baking again, and made this cake for a group of friends. No espresso powder, not something I’ve seen in this country, but I might order some online for the future.
Cake turned out fantastic though. I came home empty handed.
So happy you and your friends liked it, Zelda! xo
Hi Robyn,
Should I use a pan or glass dish? Is one better than the other? Would I have to adjust the temperature?
Thanks!!
Hi Robyn,
My 8 year old daughter selected your recipe for her birthday cake, she just googled it, read me the ingredients and I told her I have everything we need, lets do this.. And the cake turned out awesome.. I had to switch the espresso powder to espresso instant coffee both in the cake and frosting. I reduced the frosting ingredients as I was not too keen to have so much butter and sugar but still awesome!! Thank you for making my girl’s day fabulous with this easy no fuss recipe.. And the cake was ready in 30mins :))
Thank you again. Tasneem xo
I’m so excited that she picked my recipe for her birthday cake, Tasneem! So happy that you all enjoyed it too! I hope she had a wonderful birthday – give her my best birthday wishes!!!
Thanks! xo
Amazing! I’ve tried the original and this one. Perfect size.
So glad you enjoyed them both, Michelle! Thanks! xo
I knew this chocolate cake would be a winner because your white cake recipe KILLS every time. This cake was super moist and yummy- made extra special with mexican chocolate buttercream frosting. (I used your Nutella frosting recipe but used the Trader Joe’s almond/chocolate spread and added cinnamon.Delicious!) Thanks for your amazing recipes!
Oh wow, Krista, now you’ve made me have a chocolate – nutella craving like no other! 🙂
I am so excited you enjoy the White Cake and this cake too! Thank you so much! xo
Hi,
I’ve used the full Best Chocolate Cake recipe with great success, That recipe calls for the batter to be poured into two 9-inch round pans. If I want to use the full Best Chocolate Cake recipe for a 9 x 13 cake, do I put all the batter into TWO 9 x13 pans and create two layers — or should ONE 9 x 13 pan and pour all the batter into that? Will a single pan create a cake that’s too thick and undercooked? Will two pans yield cakes that are too thin and overcooked?
Thanks!
Hi Joanna,
You can pour the full batter into one 9×13. It does fill the cake pan, but still leaves enough room for a thick, yummy layer of frosting! 🙂
I love this cake recipe. It has been a hit at family Birthday parties!
I don’t see an answer about making it ahead and freezing? I’ve heard of wrapping cakes in plastic wrap then foil to freeze. What do you think.
Thank you.
Hi Mary!
I’m so glad you love this cake. It is one of our absolute favorites as well!
To freeze, I do recommend letting it cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap, followed by foil as you mention. Then, you should be able to freeze for up to 3 months. To serve it, just remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for frosting.
Hi Mary,
I’m so glad you love the cake! Yes – it does freeze well. Just let it cool, wrap it in freezer safe wrap, store in airtight container. I hope this helps! Thanks Mary! xo
Hi there,
Please help How do I change your 9×13 chocolate cake to a vanilla one Please and if I needed to convert chocolate cake and vanilla cake to 8x 13 rectangular, 13 x 8 rectangular (not sure what way it goes), What would be the recipe PLEASE, I HAVE SEARCH EVERY WHERE.
Thanks
Angelique
Robyn, you’ve truely outdone yourself with this recipe! I made it last night (at around 10pm) and by morning there was only half left 🙂
The cake was perfect – super decadent and rose wonderfully in my slightly smaller baking pan. Was a little skeptical about how soupy the mix was, but it was fine once cooked. I used unsweetened almond milk as a replacement which wasn’t strong in flavour at all, brown sugar instead of white, and I made up half a cup of hot coffee because I didn’t have espresso powder. Worked a treat! I also mixed in some unsweetened blackberry jam into my chocolate icing which was pretty delicious too. I would highly recommend this excellent recipe to all!
x Liv
So, I’ve just made this cake now. It is absolutely divine. Sooo moist and soft and springy. I absolutely love the texture. And the crumb and colour also look beautiful. I made a couple of changes. I doubled the recipe because in a 9×11 pan, this would have been way too thin. I baked it at a slightly lower heat but fan forced and for 50 minutes to allow the higher cake to cook through. As I said, absolutely perfect. As filling I made a swiss meringue buttercream that has 2 ounces of pureed raspberries folded through. The contrast of the rich and chocolatey cake and the bright and zingy raspberry buttercream is out of this world. This way it will please the chocolate lovers and also those who are not all that into too much chocolate. I can’t stop eating the offcuts!
Well that raspberry buttercream sounds divine! I will need to try that!