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.
My 9 inch cake pans are 1.5 inches tall. Is this tall enough or will they overflow?
Kelsey, fill the pans no more than 2/3 full of batter and you should be fine. If you live in a high altitude area, you will need to make adjustments according to your altitude. Hope you enjoy the cake.
Hi Robyn, I want to make a 3 layer 10 inch cake, do you think I need to make a 1.5x recipe or 2 x? Also, how tall are the regular 9 inch layers and how full are the pans when you first fill them? Thanks!
Monica, I haven’t made this cake in 3 10-inch layers but would double the recipe. You may have a litle bit of batter left over. My cakes are about 2 inches tall and I fill the pans 2/3 full. Hope you enjoy the cake.
can you use dutch processed cocoa powder with this?
Marissa, I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder primarily, but dutch processed works well, too.
Thank you so much Robin! Truly the best chocolate recipe. I have been using this for a long time and I get great feedback from family, friends, and every customer . One question how do I get an even cake instead of having domes?
Angelina, I have never had a problem with my cakes doming. You can try using cake strips or lower the temperature and bake the cake a little longer. I hope this helps.
Best chocolate cake ever indeed !! I am generally a terrible baker but with this recipe i made extremely delicious cake, i am so shocked and at the same time proud of myself. Thank you for the Recipe ☺️
I added coffee powder instead of espresso and added only half a cup of boiling water, as i was afraid of runny batter.
Anamika, don’t be afraid to add the full cup of boiling water. The batter is supposed to be really thin. The cake is more moist with the water added. So glad you enjoyed the cake.
the best foolproof recipe ever! thank you
Thanks so much, Emma! So glad you love this cake.
Sooo good! I used a bundt pan and baked for 40 minutes. Turned out perfect! I’ll definitely make this again.
Thanks, Amy. I’m glad you liked making this cake in a Bundt pan. I love it, too.
If I don’t want to use espresso (making for a childrens party) should I replace it with something or just leave it out? I get that it won’t taste the same but I don’t really want to have caffeine on it.
Just omit the espresso powder with no substitutions, Sarah. The cake is still delicious without it.
I only have one cake pan. Should I half the recipe? Or bake half and store the other half in the refrigerator until the pan is open? Or can I cook the whole batter in one pan and just cut it in half at the end?
If I wanted to try to add fruit to this, do you have any suggestions of the best way to do that?
Emma, there are several options for this recipe. I’m not sure what size pans you have but you can make this full recipe in a Bundt pan or 9×13 pan or you could make half the recipe in a 9×2-inch pan. You could also make one 9×2-inch layer and then make the other layer. This is a really tender, moist cake so I don’t recommend making one layer to slice in half. I have not added fruit to this cake.
Loving the recipe, if I want to store it overnight, without the icing on it, would I put it in the fridge or pantry?
I don’t refrigerate the cake, Jasmine. You can store it overnight under a covered dome so that air won’t dry it out. Hope you enjoy the cake.
Hi Can i make this into three layers using 8 inch round tin? How much will i need to increase the ingredients by?
Kelly, I haven’t made this cake in 3 8-inch pans.You would need a little more batter to fill the pans. However, several people have said they use this recipe to make the three 8-inch layers. The layers are just a tiny bit thinner than in the 9-inch pans. Hope this helps.
How deep is your 9 inch pan? I used three & inch pan and it looks like I need to times the recipe by a half or double it. I don’t have enough deep pans and don’t want to get new ones as i just bought them yesterday … but can i bake it one at a time? Will the batter be okay left to sit for a few hours?
I use 2 9×2-inch pans for this recipe, Kelly. You can make this cake one layer at a time if you need to.
Also how long will this stay fresh? I’m baking it for my daughters birthday and need to plan ahead for the frosting and decorations. Thanks.
Kelly, it would be fine to frost the cake 2 days ahead and leave out at room temperature. Just be sure you leave the cake under a covered dome to prevent it drying out. However, I would recommend making the cake and freezing it, then frosting on the day you are serving it. 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.You can freeze the cake layers for up to 2 months. 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. If you have frozen the buttercream frosting, just whip it again until fluffy after it has thawed. I hope this helps and that your daughter has a very happy birthday.