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 have been baking this cake for 10 years now, and it has never failed me! Truly the best chocolate cake recipe ever.
Thanks so much, Jeanne. I love to hear from people like you who have been baking this cake for years.
My whole family LOVES this recipe and requests it for almost every occasion! I only have one issue, and it could be entirely on me. Every time I go to frost it after it’s cooled, the tops of both cakes are super super sticky to the point where I peel up pieces of the top if I touch it, it makes it a pain to frost. I’m waiting until they’re completely cooled, maybe I’m not baking them long enough? I’ve tried spraying the pans with Pam, but butter and flour worked way better for sticking to pan. Any tips would be welcome!
Emily, the two most common reasons the tops of cakes are sticky are overmixing the batter and covering the cake before it has thoroughly cooled. You may want to try mixing the batter by hand which is really easy to do. Make sure the cake cools no more than 10 minutes in the cake pan before setting the pans on a trivet or other surface that allows air to circulate on the bottoms of the pans. Once the cake has cooled 10 minutes, place a wire rack on top of the cake. Place your hands with oven mitt, one on top of the wire rack and one on the bottom of the cake pan like a sandwich and flip the pan over. The cake should easily slide out onto the rack. Let the cake layers continue to cool on the rack until they are completely cooled. This will make sure the layers are cooled on all sides. I hope this helps.
Hi! It’s me again! I left a comment a few days ago before asking for a solution because my cake was a bit dry, I baked it on the lower level of my oven for 35 minutes at 175 Celsious.
I did bake it again, on the middle as you suggested Robyn, for 170 Celcius 29 minutes in two batches (made seperately so the baking soda wouldn’t start working in advance). I just used a baking paper to save some time with buttering and flouring and I have a 9 inch tin that opens to remove the cake easily.
Robyn! This cake is the best I had! Delicious, moist and the frosting was just perfect and the exact amount needed! All children and parents ate it and I made it the day before! Thank you so much for the recipe and answering my comment!
I am so happy those changes worked for you and that everyone loved your son’s birthday cake. I hope he had a very happy 4th birthday!
Hi. I am planning to make this cake for a friend’s upcoming birthday. His specific request is an espresso chocolate cake. I am wondering if I can double the espresso in the cake or if it will be too much? Thank you!
Cortnie, I haven’t made this cake with double the espresso powder so I can’t tell you how it would taste. Since it is for a birthday, if you are going to try doubling the espresso, I would recommend doing a trial run and make the cake with the added espresso before the big day.
The cake is delicious! But 10 minutes was way to short to turn out from the pan and I ended up with a lot of cake stuck in the pan! Yes I buttered & floured. Next time I guess I will use parchment too. And wait longer? Any advice? Thanks. I’m hoping to fix it up with the frosting. We shall see!
Julianne, I always remove the cake from the pan after the 10 minutes cooling time. To get the cake to release easily from the pan, make sure to grease the pan really well, then coat the pan with flour or cocoa powder. When the cake has finished baking, place it on a trivet or cooling rack so that air can circulate on the bottom of the pan, too. Don’t let the cake cool longer than 10 minutes in the pan. Once the layers have cooled for the 10 minutes, place a wire rack on top of the cake. Place your hands with oven mitt, one on top of the wire rack and one on the bottom of the cake pan like a sandwich and flip the pan over. The cake should easily slide out onto the rack. Let the cake layers continue to cool on the rack. I hope this helps.
Hi! Could melted butter be used instead of oil?
Jasmine, yes, use an equal amount of melted butter as the oil listed in the recipe. I hope you enjoy!
Robyn, this cake is delicious! I’ve been using this recipe for a few years now and have a question…..why does the center of my cake look bubbly and sinks a bit? It doesn’t deter from the taste, I just would like to know why this happens. Thanks!
Jan, there are several reasons a cake could look bubbly in the center and sink. Some of these are overmixing the batter, oven temperature too hot, overfilling the cake pan and batter too deep in the pan, taking cake out of oven before it is completely baked, and opening the oven door before the cake has finished baking. I hope this helps.
Hi, Robyn! Would Hershey’s Special Dark 100% Cacao be too much for this cake?
Can’t wait to try the recipe!
Thanks,
Jan
Jan, you can use the Hershey’s Special Dark in this cake. Many people have commented that they also use this for their cakes. I hope you enjoy!
Hi!
I want to make this cake for my son’s 4th birthday and have the following questions:
-I did a trila bake and the cake was a bit dry. I baked it on the lower scale of my oven for 35 minutes. Should I bake it less or put it higher on the middle?
-The party is on Sunday, if I make it on Saturday and frost it how should I store it, in the fridge maybe due to the frosting?
-does it really serve 24 people when using a 9 inch form?
Thank you!
SVA, I place my cake pans on the middle rack in my ovens. I have never had this cake be dry. Did you use the full cup of boiling water? Maybe your cake baked too long if was dry so you may want to bake it for a shorter amount of time. You may want to look at my post on How to Tell When Your Cake is Done and watch for the cake to start pulling away from the sides and follow the other tips in that post. This cake and Buttercream frosting do not need to be refrigerated. I leave mine under a covered dome up to 3 to 4 days at room temperature. You can get 24 servings from this cake recipe in the 2 9-inch pans. For a party-sized serving, you would cut the cake in 1 1/2 inch wide x 2 inch length slices. You may want to look at How to Cut a Round Cake at the Wilton site.
Are the directions for a convection oven?
Amy, these instructions are for a regular oven, not convection. For a fan force or convection type oven, you can reduce the temperature by 25º F and cook for the same time as in the recipe (although I do check a little early when baking convection) OR you can reduce the cooking/ baking time by 25% and use the same temperature in the recipe (again, I check a little early for baking). I hope that helps you somewhat!