The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever}
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The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe – A one bowl chocolate cake recipe that is quick, easy, and delicious! Updated with gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free options!
The best chocolate cake recipe. Ever? There are plenty of claims for the best chocolate cake recipe. I get that. But with one bite of this decadent, moist chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, every single person around the table commented that this was the best chocolate cake they’d ever tasted.
So as for my house, this chocolate cake recipe now holds that honor.
As the compliments continued, I didn’t begin to tell them how easy it was to make.
In all honesty, it is probably one of the easiest cakes I’ve made in a long time, really, but I just smiled and thanked them.
As we continued on gobbling up the cake, drinking our coffee or iced cold milk, the compliments just kept coming.
Then the requests for the recipe started.
That’s generally when you know that folks really like what you’ve made if they ask for the recipe and tell you for what event they plan to serve it.
As a cook, that really is one of the highest compliments you can receive – well, at least in my book.
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever
It was great to hear that they thought the cake was just as good after their last bite as they thought it was with their first.
Here’s another great thing about this recipe. The cake batter really can be made in a bowl without the use of a heavy duty mixer. Of course, that just makes things easier, but this is easily a recipe my Grandmother would have enjoyed making in her tiny kitchen with a whisk and a bowl. And I’m sure it would have turned out perfectly, too.
I’m not going to kid you, this makes a very rich, moist chocolate cake recipe. So if you are a faint of heart chocolate cake person, this is not the cake for you.
Based on the Old Fashioned Hershey’s recipe, I sort of went a bit heavy-handed with some changes testing cake after cake until I got it just the way I wanted it, but the end result was oh so worth it. The crumbs left on the plate gave that away.
Ingredients
For this chocolate cake, you’ll need the following ingredients.
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- espresso powder – I give more information on the espresso powder below
- milk – you can also use buttermilk, almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk
- oil – you can use vegetable, canola or melted coconut oil
- eggs – when baking, I like to use room temperature eggs
- vanilla extract
- boiling water
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying them with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring them. You can also spread the pans with my homemade chocolate cake goop (pan release).
Whisk dry ingredients. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
Mix in wet ingredients. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.
Bake. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
Frost. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Espresso Powder
One of the ingredients that really made this cake recipe come to life, in my opinion, was the addition of espresso powder in both the chocolate cake and in the chocolate frosting.
If you’ve not tried a bit of espresso when baking with chocolate, you really should.
The espresso works to elevate the flavors in much the same way as vanilla extract and I now think of it as an essential part of my spice cabinet.
Espresso powder is easy to find at the grocery store or even online if your grocer doesn’t stock it normally, but I use it fairly frequently and it can become a little pricey. I’ve started making my own homemade espresso powder and since I have I’m not looking back! It is so easy to make and have on hand!
Believe me when I say, it is very much worth the effort to have just for those times you are baking with chocolate!
So my friends, if you have a chocolate cake lover in your midst, make them this cake. If they’ve had a bad day this is certainly something that will brighten it for them. If they’ve had a great day, then this chocolate cake is a great way to celebrate with them!
Let me just say again, this amped up classic chocolate cake + this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe = the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had!
How to Make Ahead and Store the Homemade Chocolate Cake:
Both the cake and the chocolate frosting can be made ahead. Allow the cakes to cool completely, wrap them well in plastic wrap and place each layer into a gallon zip-top freezer bag. Freeze the cake layers for up to one month.
To frost the cake, simply remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator with wrapping intact. Then, frost the cake once it has completely thawed.
Store the cake at room temperature on the counter. I like to store under a cake dome to keep the cake fresh.
Chocolate Cake Modifications You May Be Interested to Know About:
Note that I have updated the recipe to include some additional ingredients that I have tested through the years. I have found that this chocolate cake is even more versatile than I originally imagined! I’ve listed some of the modifications I’ve tested that I think may be of interest to you.
As a Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe:
To make the cake as a gluten-free chocolate cake recipe, I’ve successfully used an equal amount of gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour listed in the recipe.
As a Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe:
To make the cake a dairy-free chocolate cake recipe, I’ve used almond milk as well as coconut milk in place of the dairy. While not dairy-free, I’ve also used buttermilk in place of the milk with great results.
As an Egg-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe:
To make the cake an egg-free chocolate cake recipe, I’ve used 2/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce in place of the 2 large eggs in the recipe. You will note that you may have to bake the cake just a few minutes more. Be sure to check with the skewer for doneness.
I’ve also used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer with great success.
To Use Butter and Other Oils:
I have tested the chocolate cake recipe with additional oils, as well as butter. I’ve tested using an equal amount of melted coconut oil to the vegetable oil called for in the recipe. I’ve also tested using the same volume of melted butter in place of the oils in the chocolate cake. While it does make the cake texture slightly different, it is still delicious and worth trying if you’d prefer to use butter in place of oils in your chocolate cake.
Whew! See what I mean! This is the chocolate cake of everyone’s dreams, I think!
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever}
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (396 g) 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, homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup (227 g) milk, or buttermilk, almond, or coconut milk
- 1/2 cup (99 g) vegetable oil, or canola oil, or melted coconut oil
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- 2 teaspoons (9.4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (227. g) boiling water
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray, buttering and lightly flouring, or brushing them with homemade chocolate pan release.
For the chocolate cake:
- Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
- Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.
- Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.
- Frost the cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Notes
1. 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. 2. Milk – The grams in the recipe are for whole milk and buttermilk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do let me know how you like it.
Here are a few additional ways I like to make this cake!
Chocolate Cupcakes
If you are looking for cupcakes from this recipe, I’ve shared my recipe for the best chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting. This recipe makes a perfect dozen so that you can scale the recipe to make as many chocolate cupcakes as you need! Talk about easy! 🙂
9×13 Chocolate Cake
I love this version! It is a delicious, scaled-down version that is just the thing for potlucks, reunions, tailgates, and travels perfectly! I’ve also scaled-down the frosting so that has the frosting to cake ratio that my family prefers. It is a definite winner!
Large Chocolate Sheet Cake
Scaled for a crowd, this recipe bakes beautifully in a rimmed half sheet baking sheet and is perfect for all sorts of get-togethers. Think of it as the 9×13’s big brother! 🙂 This recipe features Fudge Icing, but you can definitely substitute the icing for whatever you fancy!
And there you have it. There are so many ways to enjoy this delicious cake. Practically one for whatever need you might have. But, if I’ve missed one, be sure to let me know and I’ll work on it for you! 🙂
Many of you have asked if there is a way to make a Vanilla Cake Recipe that is just as delicious. Well friends, I’ve tested and tested and tested and now can proudly say – YES! I’ve shared the best Vanilla Cake I’ve ever tasted, too! 🙂
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.
I´ve just made this recipe and it is awsome! The cake tourned out so moist, dark,easy and spongy that all my family loved it. I´ve been looking for a cake like this forever, thank you so much Robin. I love it and from now on it´s goint to be my number one recipe for birthdays. Sorry if my english it’s sloppy, i´m from Argentina. Best chocolate cake recipe ever.
I found the cake had a nice consistency, but was a little too sweet. Next time I’ll keep that in mind. The recipe was easy to follow, quick and delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, I’m looking to make this cake for my childrens’ birthdays coming up next month. I want to make the cake with decaf espresso, but I don’t think there is any available in the city I live in. Is it possible to substitute the espresso for instant decaf coffee? Please let me know as soon as you can! Thank you!
You can even omit it, Melanie. Happy birthday to your children!
Thank you! I have one more question: what differences can I expect from the cake without the espresso powder? I want something rich and decadent, will it still be this way?
Instead of boiling water, I made espresso and added it. made for a rich tasting cake!
I’m making this today, and that’s a great idea!
Robin – does the cake taste like coffee ??? I am planning on making it for my bunco/birthday group and some of the ladies dislike the taste of coffee? Help I need to make this cake tomorrow. Thanks
Hi Margaret,
It doesn’t! It just tastes like a really rich chocolate cake. I hope everyone enjoys it!
Robyn – sorry I misspelled your name the first time – anyway – thanks for answering so quickly but I now have a problem – I can’t find the expresso powder – can instant expresso coffee be used instead especially if I grind it up to make a powder or can something else be substituted??
Hi, Margaret! I actually used the instant espresso powder made for the Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine because it’s the only espresso I had at the time, hahaha. And the cake turned out awesome! So I think using instant powder is totally fine. Hope that helps!!
I used Starbucks decaf instant via…yum!
I used decaffeinated Starbucks Via (I think it was French Roast). I now prefer the decaff. so I won’t be up at 3am! Hahaha! It was still rich and delicious. Didn’t taste odd at all.
I made this cake for my birthday and it was fabulous. It truly is an amazing cake. I put it in a 325 degree oven so it wouldn’t dome on top, and it still domed drastically. Any suggestions on how to get perfectly flat rounds?
bake even strips. ..keeps cakes flat 🙂
Please explain. What do you mean by “bake even strips”? How do you do that exactly?
You can buy cake strips at Michaels, amazon, or really any other place selling baking supplies. You can Google “cake strips for baking” and it should be in the results. I bake often and I found it is effective. I hope this helps!
Hi Melissa, apparently, you need to leave the batter for 10 minutes on the table for the ingredients to settle, which would give you a flat cake –> no dome, yey!!! I’m doing Robyn’s cake for the 2nd time to bring to my kid’s school. I know it will turn out amazing once more. thanks Robyn for sharing this recipe :=-)
Can you use butter instead of the oil? I’m in Australia and I’m wondering what type of sugar you’re using (brown, caster)?
That is what is called caster
I’m in Australia too and I use Castor Sugar. It works absolutely fine.
Can you use butter instead of the oil? I’m in Australia and I’m wondering what type of sugar you’re using (brown, caster)?
White granulated sugar 🙂
I was looking for recipes for an easy chocolate cake for my husband’s birthday to make a special day for him instead of just buying a cake and I’m so so glad I came across this recipe. This is the first cake I ever made and it is delicious! So easy to make as well. Really delighted with how tasty is is and will be making it again for sure. Great, thanks!
Hi Robyn,
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have made this cake a bunch of times now and it always comes out fantastic. My husband requested it for his fortieth birthday last year, I made one large square and a smaller one to go on top and using the buttercream frosting recipe that you have I covered the entire cake and had enough to pipe onto it as well! I should point out that my husband loves chocolate! Everybody commented on how amazing the cake was and asked where I bought it from!
We are a sugar free family now but the one indulgence that we have is this wonderful cake that I make only on special occasions. I will try cutting the sugar down to the 1.5 cups and see how that goes, we also have made cupcakes in the past and froze them and find that they are perfect defrosted in the microwave nice and warm and the frosting melts into it for an amazing dessert. Thanks again Robyn from sunny Australia!!
If I am frosting the cake at nighttime is it necessary to refrigerate if not eating til the next day. Or should I wait to frost ?
Haven’t tasted the cake yet but the batter was amazing!
Hi Katie,
You shouldn’t need to refrigerate the cake. I hope you love it!
I have to admit, any time I see a cake recipe described as “moist”, I’m a bit of a skeptic. Only because they usually aren’t all that moist, and I’m forced to like a box better. This one proves to be truly moist! I love it! I have to wonder though, if I were to omit the cocoa and espresso powder, would it make a good vanilla cake? I’m just so happy with how this one turned out!