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.
Hi! I’ve made this cake a half dozen times and it always comes out beautifully – such a great recipe. I’m trying it to today with the cup4cup flour as I’m baking for someone with a gluten allergy. Question – when I poured it into the pan, the batter was much thicker than usual. I’m used to that really thin consistency, but this was more like what you would expect from a box cake mix. Is that because of the GF flour? I did everything else just like normal. They are in the oven now, but if that’s a sign that I screwed something up, I should probably pitch it and start over!! Thanks so much!!
Emmy
This has become our go to recipe for chocolate cake and my 8 year old daughter just requested it for her birthday. It’s moist and has a spectacular rich chocolate flavor. We’ve made both the regular and dairy free versions and both were great! I’m so glad we found it, thanks for sharing.
So happy you enjoy it Carrie! Thanks so much!
THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE I HAVE EVER MADE!! The batter was very thin once the water was added, but as the recipe says, this makes no difference to the finished product. Made it as an engagement cake for friends and they loved it! Used chocolate cream cheese frosting. Thanks for this amazing recipe!
So happy you enjoyed it, Lisa! Thanks!
THANK YOU for the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had! I love chocolate cake and yours is amazing! It made my daughter’s b-day extra special. She has requested I make this EVERY b-day from now on! Thanks again for this truly wonderful recipe. I would give it a “10” but only can give it a 5 star.
Aww, thanks so much April! I’m so glad your family enjoyed it and it was special for your daughter’s birthday! Thanks! xo
My husband and I made this recipe for a date night. After the end result … I am left wondering if this recipe is a joke and all of the comments are people who never actually made the recipe but just love the idea of the cake?
First – the amount of cocoa in the buttercream frosting is truly absurd. The buttercream became so thick – my kitchen aide mixer almost locked up. I doubled the amount of cream – and then still added milk to loosen the concrete fudge like concoction.
Second – upon making the cake batter … adding in a cup of warm water made our batter the consistency of thin hot cocoa. We dumped the first batter and attempted a second with a quarter cup of water … and still our cake was just a mess.
I’ve been an avid baker for years. I’ve had my fair share of wins and fails … but this is all out a fail in my book. I would absolutely LOVE to know how many people have had successfully baked this recipe.
Hi Kelsey,
Sorry you had a hard time with the cake recipe. You’ll notice that I say in the recipe that the cake batter will be extremely thin but will bake into a moist, tender cake. You should not have reduced the amount of boiling water in the recipe as that would result in the cake recipe not working as it should have.
As to the chocolate buttercream, I’ve not had an issue with it being too thick for my Kitchenaid mixer or any of my other handheld mixers. I’m so sorry that you did.
xo
I’ve made this cake for the second time round, I think it’s absolutely great! I didn’t split the cake batter into two pans, I kept it in a single pan, and I think it’s one of the best cakes I’ve ever made
Thanks so much Anica! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! It’s one of our favorites! xo
Hi Robyn,
I followed the chocolate cake recipe and the chocolate buttercream frosting recipe exactly as it is written and I had no problems at all.
IN FACT! This recipe truly yields the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. The cake is unbelievably moist , so rich and chocolate-y. My friends and family beg me to bring it to all our gatherings.
I really suggest you try to bake the cake again. I promise you wont be disappointed. 🙂
Good luck!
Thanks so much, Brianni! So glad you enjoyed it! xo
You should have gone with the cake batter recipe I too was concerned to see how runny it was but I baked it as the recipe shows and it is fabulous, moist, chocolate heaven one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever baked.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Lorraine! xo
Actually, I am pretty sure many of these positive comment made the cake successfully, just as I did. Your mistake was to doubt the ‘thin’ hot chocolate consistency batter after adding in the hot water. If you haven’t discarded it and remade one with a quarter of hot water instead, you would have succeed.
It wasn’t the recipe, it’s your failure to follow it faithfully.
Do try again 🙂
Hi,
I’m looking for a recipe to make a 3-4 layer drip cake and wondered if this would be suitable. I only ask as it’s a ‘moist’ cake but obviously would need to be solid and sturdy enough to be stacked and decorated without just crumbling.
I also was thinking of using 8inch pans.
Any suggestions would be most appreciated, can’t wait to try this recipe!
I’d like to second this question as I was just wondering this myself! 🙂
Hi Emily,
This is a very moist cake. I’ve not made it as a 3 layer – I always make 2 layers like in the recipe.
The recipe is sized for two 9 inch pans so if you decide to use 8 inch pans be sure not to overfill.
You may want to bake a “test” cake before your special cake to check the moistness and those different size pans. I always advise that if you are doing something different than the recipe instructions that I’ve tested.
Hope this helps! Thanks!
Thanks!
I made this a two layer and substituted with what I had; instant coffee, and coconut milk. I am not fond of baking but since watching lots of cake shows the kids and I started craving, I found this recipe to be easy and it came out so moist and better tasting even the 2nd day! I should have made a 3layer but was not sure if I had enough ingredients to fill the center. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
So happy it turned out well with substitutions and that you enjoyed it so well! Thanks so much for sharing with me Karen! xo
I usually only ever make this as a 6 inch 3 layer cake, works perfectly ever time! great for stacking. Have once made it as a 9 inch cake 5 layer cake too! (multiple batches)
Hello,
I just have a question regarding espresso powder- do you think I will be able to replace espresso powder with 1 cup of Nespresso capsule coffee instead of mixing espresso powder with 1 cup of boiling water?
Also, I am wanting to decorate the cake with buttercream, would you recommend freezing the chocolate cake before frosting to make it more moist and also to make it easier to decorate?
Thanks in advance!
If you are having trouble finding espresso powder, I would recommend omitting it rather than replacing with coffee as I found that coffee left a bitter aftertaste when I tested the cake with it.
If I don’t have any instant on hand, I’ll use Nepresso for this cake – key is to used a lower intensity one – around 4-6 intensity and only use a ristretto shot and top the rest up with the boiling water!
Hello, loved the cake but I decided to put all the batter into one cake tin and cooked it for 35 mins (I need a tall cake so was hoping to bake 2 batches to layer for one cake). The wire skewer came out clean and the cake was definitely done on the outside however it collapsed in the middle after cooling for 20 mins. I cut the top off to level it and it’s very gooy (undercooked) in the middle. do you think this will be ok to serve as is or should I scoop out the middle? Any suggestions for my second attempt for the other layer? Thank you!
Hi Emma,
I definitely wouldn’t recommend baking it as you described. You’ll want to divide the cake batter between pans for baking. I would not recommend serving the cake if it is not cooked throughout.
This cake is absolutely DIVINE. it’s exactly what it says – rich and moist and gorgeous, and easy to make. however, because it is such a runny mixture, you cannot use those tins with the removable bases… i found that out the hard way with cake mixture all over half the kitchen amd coating the oven!
Best I have ever tasted. Family loved it!
Thanks so much, Susan! xo