If you’ve been wanting to learn how to make chocolate cake from scratch, I am here to tell you that it’s so much easier than you think!
Whether this is your first time or you’re a seasoned baker, it takes very little time and effort to make a moist, rich chocolate cake that will wow your friends and family. You’ll never go back to store-bought chocolate cake.
No fancy ingredients or complicated steps. Simply whip up a no-fuss batter, divide it in two for a layered cake, make a fluffy chocolate buttercream, and frost the baked cake! Yes, it’s that easy. Plus, there’s one secret ingredient that will take your chocolate cake to the next level: Coffee. Brewed coffee adds nuance and amplifies the flavor of the chocolate. I highly recommend it if you are serious about chocolate!
If you’re looking for different kinds of chocolate cake, then I’ve got you covered with my chocolate lava cake recipe, German chocolate cake, flourless chocolate cake recipe, and many more!
What You Need to Make this Recipe
All-purpose flour — all-purpose flour gives you a moist crumb while also giving the chocolate cake structure.
Cocoa powder — as there is plenty of sugar in this cake recipe, be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder. You need cocoa powder for the cake batter and the creamy buttercream frosting.
Leavening agents — yes, you need both to help the cake rise well. Check the expiration date on these items before using them. They become less effective as time goes on.
Milk — I recommend using whole milk for a rich, moist chocolate cake and extra creamy buttercream.
Eggs — bring the eggs to room temperature before using them. Simply set them out 30 minutes to an hour before you intend to start baking.
Vegetable oil — A vegetable oil, like canola oil, adds moisture to the cake.
Boiling water — the water must be hot! Hot water helps to bring out more of that incredible chocolate flavor, as well as adding to the moisture of the cake. Or, use hot brewed coffee instead (more on that below).
How to Make Chocolate Cake
1. Sift the dry ingredients (flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) into a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (milk, egg, oil, and vanilla). Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk it all until well incorporated.
3. Pour in the boiling water and whisk again. You will end up with a runny cake batter. (It will be runnier than you expect, but don’t be tempted to add more flour.)
4. Grease 2 round 9-inch cake pans and line the bottom of each with parchment paper to make removing the chocolate cake easier. If you have them, use cake strips to help the cakes bake more evenly. Once the cake pans are prepared, divide the cake batter evenly between them. Bake the cakes for 35 minutes at 350°F or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Keep the cakes in the baking pans on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then carefully invert them onto the wire racks. Let them cool completely.
5. While the cakes are cooling, you can prepare the decadent chocolate buttercream frosting. You’ll need a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for this part. In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and salt and mix on low to incorporate them. Scrape the bowl.
6. Keep the speed on low and add a little powdered sugar at a time, alternating with small amounts of milk (up to 4 tablespoons total of whole milk). Once you’ve added all the sugar, add the vanilla extract and beat on medium-low speed for approximately 1 minute, until you have a fluffy buttercream.
7. Once the cakes have cooled completely, it’s time to assemble your chocolate cake! Place one layer on a cake stand and top it with 1 cup of frosting. Spread the frosting right to the edges before carefully placing the other cake layer on top.
8. Spread the rest of the frosting on top and around the sides of the cake. If you’re feeling fancy, you can save some of the buttercream frosting to pipe decorations. If decorating a cake is overwhelming for you, get some ideas in my cake decorating tutorial. Or just serve a simple frosted chocolate cake: It will get devoured regardless!
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
- Ingredient temperature matters. Use room temperature eggs and butter. Room temperature eggs give you a fluffier cake, and room temperature butter creams better for a feather-light buttercream frosting.
- Measure the flour correctly. One of the top complaints when it comes to baking cakes is that the cake turns out “floury”, and this is due to using too much flour. The best way to get the right amount of flour is to measure it using a kitchen scale. Alternatively, you can spoon flour into a cup and then scrape a knife across to level it out. Scooping directly from the flour bag or container will inevitably lead to using too much of it.
- Keep the cake moist for longer. For a cake that has even more moisture, substitute ⅓ cup of the whole milk for sour cream. This will give you a cake that will stay moist for longer, which is helpful if you plan to make it ahead or keep it for a few days after baking. Note that the batter will be a bit thicker than if you only used milk.
- Amplify the chocolate flavor. To take the chocolatey-ness to the next level, use hot brewed coffee instead of water. Or add 1 tablespoon espresso powder to the wet ingredients. The cake will not taste like coffee, I promise! Coffee simply amplifies the flavor of the chocolate for a richer, more decadent cake.
- Get perfectly flat layers every time. Cake strips are a must for flat, evenly baked, professional-looking cakes. If you don’t have any on hand, they’re really easy to make with some aluminum foil and paper towels! Check out my easy DIY cake strip tutorial for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cocoa powder is very absorbent and drying, which can lead to dry, crumbly chocolate cake. That’s why you make this chocolate cake recipe with oil, milk, and hot water (or hot coffee) — these ingredients help counteract that dryness, and will give you a moist, velvety crumb.
Yes, this is an ideal make-ahead recipe. Since cooling the chocolate cake layers can take a while, you can bake the cakes a night in advance, and then frost them the next day.
Or you can make everything well in advance and freeze it. Once the cakes are cooled, wrap each layer separately in plastic wrap. Then place them into freezer-safe bags and store in the freezer. Spoon the buttercream frosting into a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze. The cake and frosting can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting the cake and serving.
Chocolate buttercream frosting is an easy, classic choice for a chocolate cake, but you have a bunch of different options! If you’re looking for something a little different, try chocolate ganache, vanilla buttercream, cream cheese frosting, strawberry buttercream, or even mocha frosting!
You can store homemade chocolate cake at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you plan on eating it within 2 or 3 days, simply keep it on your kitchen counter under a cake dome. To store it for a little longer, refrigerate it instead.
If you’ve tried this recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chocolate Cake
Video
Equipment
- 9" round baking pans
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric mixer
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (50g)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup milk (240mL)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil (180mL)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water (240ml)
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1½ cups unsalted butter room temperature (338g)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 cups powdered sugar (680g)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk (45-60mL)
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with butter or baking spray and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. (I highly recommend using cake strips for a more even bake.)
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture and whisk together until well combined. Pour in the boiling water and whisk until well combined. (The batter will be runny.)
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the cake layers onto the wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and let cool completely.
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the bowl down.
- While mixing on low speed, gradually add in the powdered sugar alternating with a little bit of milk on occasion up to 4 tablespoons. Once the sugar is added, beat in the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and beat on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
For the Assembly:
- Place a cooled cake layer on a cake stand. Top with 1 cup of frosting and spread it out the edges in an even layer. Place the remaining cake layer on top and spread the rest of the frosting all over the outside of the cake. You can reserve some of the frosting to pipe decorations if desired.
Notes
- Ingredient temperature matters. Use room temperature eggs and butter. Room temperature eggs give you a fluffier cake, and room temperature butter creams better for a feather-light buttercream frosting.
- Measure the flour correctly. One of the top complaints when it comes to baking cakes is that the cake turns out “floury”, and this is due to using too much flour. The best way to get the right amount of flour is to measure it using a kitchen scale. Alternatively, you can spoon flour into a cup and then scrape a knife across to level it out. Scooping directly from the flour bag or container will inevitably lead to using too much of it.
- Keep the cake moist for longer. For a cake that has even more moisture, substitute ⅓ cup of the whole milk for sour cream. This will give you a cake that will stay moist for longer, which is helpful if you plan to make it ahead or keep it for a few days after baking. Note that the batter will be a bit thicker than if you only used milk.
- Amplify the chocolate flavor. To take the chocolatey-ness to the next level, use hot brewed coffee instead of water. Or add 1 tablespoon espresso powder to the wet ingredients. The cake will not taste like coffee, I promise! Coffee simply amplifies the flavor of the chocolate for a richer, more decadent cake.
- Get perfectly flat layers every time. Cake strips are a must for flat, evenly baked, professional-looking cakes. (If you don’t have any on hand, they’re really easy to make with some aluminum foil and paper towels! Check out my easy DIY cake strip tutorial for more details.)
Bethney says
There has never been a truer statement than the name of this cake. It literally is the best chocolate cake ever!
Jessica says
I have never found a good white cake recipe until i made your Oreo cake. So i finally decided to try your chocolate cake. This is the best chocolate cake recipe on the internet. I have tried a few, but they all seem to be a bit bland. I highly recommend using coffee in this recipe, even if you don’t like coffee. The batter will taste/smell like it, but the cake will not after it bakes. This cake will stay moist for days! The frosting was also amazing. Out of habit, i like to mix it with a “the best chocolate fudge frosting” recipe. It gave the perfect taste & consistency! Thank you SO much for your recipes!
Sabrina says
I’ve been searching for my go-to chocolate cake recipe and WOW I have now found it!! I made this for a friend’s going-away party and everyone loved it. Even people who didn’t usually like chocolate cake said it was delicious. I’m about to make it again today!
Bea says
You’re my Chocolate Cake hero! It’s so moist and delicious! The frosting is just right, I’m a coffee hater so I used boiling water instead and EVERYONE wanted me to make it for an upcoming event again in 2.weeks. Finally the perfect chocolate cake without being dry …thank you so much.
Deevia Manirajoo says
Hi John, I tried your chocolate cake recipe. The cake was so delicious but I faced couple of problems. First, my cake was not flat and top of my cake cracked. Second, the buttercream too smooth until I couldn’t pipe those buttercream on my cake. I couldn’t figure out my what was my mistake and please suggest me substitute for sour cream.
Bhagyashree says
Please tell me the substitute for eggs.
jkanell says
you can try 1/2 banana mashed per egg or use ground flax seeds mixed with water.
Kesi says
This is the greatest…I was really afraid to make a cake with oil until now. Its really spongy and moist. Im really happy I tried this recipe. I love your videos and recipes. Cant wait to try out the one for the Italian Meringue Buttercream.
Susan says
Just made this cake for my Dad’s 60th birthday, he loves chocolate cake.
He said it was the best her had, so next week I am planning on making it for my daughters 6th Birthday.
Easy to follow, fab recipe.
John Kanell says
So happy to hear he liked it!
jocelyn says
hi John.. thanks for sharing your talent….your cake so yummy and everyone love it…..
John Kanell says
Thank you!
Dominika says
The cake was soooooo gud but the frosting wasnt something for me but i love the cakethanks for the recipe
Dixy says
Hi John, I just discovered your YouTube channel last week and I’ve been obsessed since! I tried your vanilla cupcake recipe and I have literally thrown away all other vanilla cupcake recipes! My family absolutely love it and 3 days later with 1 cupcake left, my husband said they’re “better with age”….lol
Anyway, I want to try your chocolate cake for my son’s 6th birthday and I was wondering if I could substitute sweetened cocoa powder for the unsweetened? I’m a bit concerned that the kids won’t like the bitter cocoa taste.