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.
can you use this recipe to make other favored cakes. noticed no butter was used, but if I wanted to take out cocoa and espresso and add lemon, could that work too?
Kim, I haven’t tried making this cake with leaving out the cocoa and espresso to make other flavors like lemon except for a vanilla cake. For a vanilla cake based upon this chocolate cake recipe, just omit the espresso powder and replace the cocoa powder with an equal amount of flour. I hope this helps.
The cake was absolute hit for my son’s 3rd birthday party. Made it for like 25 people and they loved it .Nothing was left over . Thank you so much for an amazing go-to recipe ever 😍
Thank you, Shra. That is such a sweet age for little boys. I remember when my son was that age and it seemed like he learned something new every day. I hope your son had a very happy 3rd birthday and loved his cake.
Absolutely the best chocolate cake ever!.. I’ve made the cake in the layer cake and this morning made the sheet pan size for a picnic today..trust this recipe it’s absolutely delicious ..Thank you Robin for a fantastic recipe..
Thanks so much, Kathy. I love that this chocolate cake is a favorite of yours.
Hi Robyn
I would like to make this a three-layer cake if you think it will hold up. If so would I just increase the ingredients by 1/3? Thanks so much I’m looking forward to trying this.
Rose, three layers of this cake should hold up just fine. Make 1 1/2 times the recipe for 3 layers.
Hi, Can I make the cake without the espresso powder & will it change the moist or taste? I want to make this cake for kids to enjoy too.
Sam, you can certainly omit the espresso powder without any other changes to the recipe. The cake is still delicious without it. The espresso powder just enhances the chocolate flavor of the cake. Kids usually love this cake without the espresso.
hi! i have made this multiple times, it’s very delicious. my only problem is that the cake always sinks in the middle.. can you help me to understand why?? I’ve tried lowering my oven temperature, using more flour for the altitude I live at. I don’t get it! and i try my best to not over mix.
Pie, I don’t know if you live in a high altitude area but it sounds like you might. That can cause your cakes to sink in the middle if you don’t make adjustments to the recipe according to your altitude. The best information I have found for high altitude baking is the Colorado State University Extension.. Maybe they will have some tips to help. There are other reasons a cake will sink in the middle: the oven temperature is not consistent, under mixing as well as over mixing the batter, rotating the cake in the oven before they cake has baked 3/4 of the time in the recipe, opening the oven door before the cake has baked 3/4 of the way, and taking the cakes out of the oven before they are completely cooked. I hope some of these tips help and your next cake is successful.
I have made this recipe about 10 times the best chocolate cake ever. Whenever I serve this cake to my guests there is never any over. Simple and delicious. This is my go to chocolate cake 😋😋
Farida Mia, I love that this is your go to chocolate cake now. Thanks for telling.me.
Oh my gooodness! This recipe is absolutely delicious! It produced a perfectly moist and flavorful chocolate cake and the buttercream recipe with it was to die for. Now I know why it’s so highly rated and I’m so thankful I Googled “chocolate cake recipe” and chose the highest rated versus choosing one off Pinterest based on pictures and ingredients.
I’d also like to note I was feeling lazy and didn’t use my cake pan straps for flat, even cakes, so both cakes were pretty tall and I cut one to be able to layer evenly. I also had a decent amount of icing leftover as well since I didn’t do any ornate decorating, so I am going to make chocolate cake pops with the extra cake and icing.
Mona, thank you for letting me know how much you love this cake. I always appreciate hearing when someone likes a recipe I make. I hope you find many more recipes on this site that you love.
have you ever added any fruit (e.g. raspberry ) to the cake or as a filling between layers?
Katherine, I haven’t added a raspberry filling between the layers but several people have commented that they have and it was delicious. Hope you enjoy!
This is the third time I’m making this cake with the perfect buttercream frosting (I’m bringing it into the office tomorrow again). The first time I brought it in people asked what bakery I got it from. LOL It must have been the chocolate sprinkles I used on the top. Not really, it was really the luscious cake with that wonderful frosting. I haven’t tried any other recipe, there’s no point really. For this third time it was getting late in the night so I used a 12 x 12 cake pan because I wanted to try something different. I baked it for 15 minutes so hopefully the whole thing will come together.
Thanks, Cynde. I hope everyone enjoys the cake.
It’s been hard finding a good chocolate cake recipe. I made this and my mom told me she’s tried her entire childhood to make good chocolate cake but this one is delicious. Everyone loved it and they all wanted more!
Amber, I am thrilled that your and your mother loved this cake. Thank you.