This Chocolate Cake is beyond moist. You could LITERALLY leave out it on the counter for several days and it would still be luscious. The surprise favorite for me on this cake were the cacao nibs.
I’ve been making a lot of cakes and desserts using fresh fruit. There has been quite a bounty at the market, and I love a seasonal treat. That being said, I heard the siren’s song of chocolate calling my name. At first, it was a whisper, then it became more of a drum beat; urging me to make the most decadent dessert possible!
I don’t use the term ultimate lightly so if you are a chocolate lover I HIGHLY encourage you to make this cake!!
Steps to Make this Chocolate Cake
How do you make a homemade chocolate cake?
- Butter and flour three 8-inch cake pans. I highly recommend using cake strips for a more even bake. Sift together the dry ingredients (including the sugar) into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.
- Add the wet ingredients the dry ingredients. Whisk to combine then mix on level 2 for two minutes. Distribute batter evenly to the three pans and bake for about 35-40 minutes at 350F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I recommend rotating the pans halfway through the bake. Allow time to cool for 10 minutes then invert onto wire racks to cool fully.
- In a small bowl combine the semi-sweet chocolate with 2 tbs of cream then microwave for 40 secs on half power. Stir to combine then set aside. Whip the butter for about 5 minutes using a paddle attachment (in a stand-up mixer). Beat in the confectioner’s sugar slowly. Add the cream.
- Slowly mix in the ¼ cup of cocoa powder. Add the salt, as well. You may add the optional vanilla and espresso at this step. Mix until you have a fluffy, even consistency. Beat in the melted and cooled chocolate ganache.
- Pipe chocolate buttercream between each layer.
- Pipe the buttercream on the outside of the cake. Smooth with a bench scraper and offset spatula.
- Press cocoa nibs to the bottom of the cake (or the entire side, if desired).
- Use an 869 tip to pipe dollops on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a simple chocolate cake?
- Sift and whisk dry ingredients together.
- Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Add wet to dry mixture and mix until combined.
- Bake in prepared pans until centers are springy to the touch.
What makes the cake moist and fluffy?
- Adding the right amount of fat gives chocolate cake a moist crumb. Using oil, as I did in this recipe lets you chill the cake without having to worry about it hardening. Fluffiness comes from using the right amount of leavening agent; too much and the cake will collapse, too little and it will be dense.
- If you head over to my German Chocolate Cake post you will see another way to get a moist and fluffy crumb; creaming the butter and sugar coupled with whipping egg whites until they reach the soft peak stage then folding them into the batter.
How do you make a chocolate cake moist from scratch?
Use a nice quality cocoa powder, fresh ingredients and remember to balance the sweetness with a bit of salt. Follow the recipe below for the most moist and fluffy chocolate cake imaginable.
Don’t over bake your layers! Watch the batter and remove from oven when the centers spring back when pressed lightly and the edge starts pulling away from the pan.
Why do People Put Coffee in Chocolate Cake?
Coffee brings out and amplifies the chocolate flavor in baked goods like cake and cupcakes. Add ing a little bit will make things taste more “chocolatey” without giving a coffee flavor. Adding a LOT of coffee will create a mocha flavor. If you would like to omit the coffee from this recipe just substitute for warm water or milk. I’ve done this and the cake still tastes great! Just a little toned down in my opinion.
What’s the Best Frosting for Chocolate Cake?
- I love an chocolate American buttercream. The cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate along with a nice dose of salt really balances out the sugar and creates a decadent flavor explosion!
- If you like things less sweet and maybe a bit more subtle then you should try a meringue-based frosting like Swiss or Italian buttercream. The consistency is VERY light and creamy with not too much sugar. If you haven’t made Swiss meringue buttercream before check out my FULL tutorial with a how to video that walks you through all the steps and shows you what to do when things go wrong!
What kind of cocoa powder should you use?
I love using a high-quality Dutch processed cocoa powder. Dutch processed cocoa powder is darker, less acidic and fudgier in baked goods. You’ll usually get less rise out of it though. My go to company is Valrhona but there are lots of great brands out there, including Guittard, Callebaut, Ghirardelli and lots of organic and fair trade options too!
On a personal note — I have to share that my husband and I ate EVERY PIECE OF THIS CAKE and have NO REGRETS! Let me know if you have as much difficulty keeping your hands off this cake as we did!
PRO Tips for Making the BEST Chocolate Cake
- If you find cake decorating to be a bit intimidating then check out my How to Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.
- To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set on the shop page or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a whole blog post on it so check it out if you’re interested!
- The batter is very liquidy so while it will be AMAZINGLY MOIST the cook time will be longer than your average chocolate cake.
Ingredient Substitutions
- If you are not a coffee fan then sub in milk, or water. The coffee, which you really don’t taste, helps bring the chocolate taste out but I know lots of people either can’t stand it or have dietary restrictions.
- If you don’t have sour cream handy then plain whole milk yogurt will work just fine!
- Buttermilk can be annoying to keep on hand as it expires quickly and most recipes use very little. I often use powdered buttermilk reconstituted with water or add a tablespoon of lemon juice into some whole milk to curdle it.
- I’m OBSESSED with cacao nibs, they’re pure, unprocessed chocolate aka they’re very crunchy and chocolatey but not sweet! They contrast the buttercream nicely and prevent the cake from cloying. DOn’t worry if you can’t find them, you can totally skip them, or sub in chopped nuts. Use your favorite nut and never forget to toast them!!
- If you don’t like coffee just use water or milk instead. Both will still make a tasty cake
If you love this recipe try these cakes out!
If you’ve tried this chocolate cake 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
Simply the best chocolate cake I've ever had. Rich, ultra moist, fluffy and that chocolate buttercream is just divine!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1/2 cup sour cream (120mL)
- 1 cup buttermilk (236mL)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cup strong hot coffee (355mL) (Use a Moka pot so it's basically espresso)
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil (177mL)
- 1 tbs vanilla extract (13mL)
- 3 cup all-purpose flour (360g)
- 2 2/3 cup granulated sugar (533g)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (50g)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (4.8g)
- 1 tbs baking soda (14.3g)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (5.7g)
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1 1/2 lb confectioner's sugar
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter (338g) room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (60mL)
- 1/4 cup Cocoa powder (25g)
- 1 tsp vanilla (5mL) optional
- 1 tsp espresso (5ml) optional
- 1/4 tsp salt (1.5g)
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate (45g)
For the Decoration:
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs (about 60 grams)
Instructions
For the Cake:
Butter and flour 3 eight inch cake pans. I highly recommend using cake strips for a more even bake.
Sift together the dry ingredients (including the sugar) into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.
Add the wet ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.
Add the wet ingredients the dry ingredients.
Whisk to combine then mix on level 2 for two minutes.
Distribute batter evenly to the three pans and bake for about 35-40 minutes at 350F (176C) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I recommend rotating the pans halfway through the bake.
Allow time to cool for 10 minutes then invert onto wire racks to cool fully.
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
In a small bowl combine the semi-sweet chocolate with 2 tbs of cream then microwave for 40 secs on half power. Stir to combine then set aside.
Whip the butter for about 5 minutes using a paddle attachment (in a stand-up mixer).
Beat in the confectioner’s sugar slowly.
Add the cream.
Slowly mix in the ¼ cup of cocoa powder. Add the salt, as well.
You may add the optional vanilla and espresso at this step.
Mix until you have a fluffy, even consistency.
Beat in the melted and cooled chocolate ganache.
For the Assembly:
Pipe chocolate buttercream between each layer.
Pipe the buttercream on the outside of the cake. Smooth with a bench scraper and offset spatula.
Add a smooth coat of chocolate buttercream to the surface of the cake.
Use an 869 tip to pipe dollops on top.
Press cocoa nibs to the bottom of the cake (or the entire side, if desired).
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- If you find cake decorating to be a bit intimidating then check out my How to Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.
- To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set on the shop page or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a whole blog post on it so check it out if you’re interested!
- The batter is very liquidy so while it will be AMAZINGLY MOIST the cook time will be longer than your average chocolate cake.
I made this cake for my little brothers birthday and it was da-bomb! It’s the second time that I make a cake from scratch and I must say that you are very clear and thorough with your recipe, if it wasn’t because of that I think I would have failed, hahaha. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful and delicious cake recipe! I wish you nothing but success. =)
P.S. I wish I could attach a picture of the cake because you would be proud.
-Erica Garcia
Hey Erica,
Thank you so much for the positive feedback! So happy the cake was a hit and I bet it looked WONDERFUL! 🙂
Best,
John
Hi John,
I love watching your dessert videos! You say the cake is soft and moist, would it be to soft to stack and put fondant over?
Thanks John for replying.
Please tell me what is the quantity of buttermilk we have to take instead of egg.
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday and we both absolutely LOVED it! It’s the best chocolate cake either of us have ever eaten. Our 2-year-old son loved it too. 🙂 We didn’t have cacao nibs, so we used Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips, and they worked really well. The cake looked great and tasted amazing! I’m making it again for my mother’s birthday this weekend. Thank you for this delicious recipe!!
I hope she enjoyed it just as much!
Do you use Dutch process cocoa or natural (Hershey type)? I have both but heard you can’t interchange them. Is that true?
Hi Cristina,
I use dutch process cocoa. You can interchange them, I just prefer not to.
Let me know what you think of the cake!
Best,
John
I just made this chocolate cake and it’s DELICIOUS!!! I made two 9 inch pans. One by the book, and another one with 1/4 cup of chocolate chips mixed with a little flour. The first one turned our great, just as you described it… super moist! The second one: great flavor but the chips sank! It was worth trying though. John, thanks for sharing awesome recipes :)
Happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Hi John, in my country We only have hersheys cocoa powder. Can I use this one? What brand do you use?
Hi! If I make the buttercream a day earlier before decorating what is the best way to store the buttercream?
Thank you!
Hi Maggie,
Store it in a ziplock bag. Try your best to make sure there is no air in the bag. When you’re ready to use it, let it come to room temperature then give it a quick whip.
Best,
John
I’m trying make this Cake eggless what should I do? Maybe a commercial egg replacer or buttermilk or just skipping the eggs entirely? If I use buttermilk how much should I use for the 3 eggs.
Hi John! I love your tutorials – they are so thorough and you are adorable! I’m planning on making this as a two-layer in 6″ pans and use the rest of the batter for cupcakes. How long would you say the cupcakes should bake? I haven’t made cupcakes or cake in a long time, so I’d like to know from a pro!
Thank you! About 15 minutes!
I surreptitiously discovered this recipe last summer and now it’s my go to for chocolate cakes – for birthdays, family gatherings, or my own personal chocolate cravings. Has never let me down! I shudder to think of the richness and indulgence my life would have lacked without it…
THat’s the sweetest compliment! Thanks so much Rachel!!!
I’ve made this cake twice and both times it was a big hit. I used Swiss Meringue Buttercream the first time and Ermine frosting the second (I didn’t realize I only had two eggs). Both times I frosted the cake then froze it in the pan like Christina Tosi. I took it out of the freezer the morning of the event, removed the cake from the pan and let it thaw. I had reserved a little frosting in the freezer too so I could decorate a bit more. No one could believe it had been frozen. It was super moist and delicious. Thanks for such a great recipe.
I’m so glad you liked it and I might need to try that freezing trick out!
I just made this chocolate cake for my nephews birthday cake. He wanted a chocolate cake, so I decided to try this one, and I’m glad I did. It was so moist and tender. It was a hit, everyone loved it. I doubled the recipe and made 4 9” layers and 10 cupcakes with the extra batter. I made it a piñata cake, cutting a 4” circle from 2 of the center layers and filling it with candies. I frosted it with the chocolate frosting and a skirt of chocolate sprinkles instead of the cocoa nibs because it was a cake for a five year old. I was a little nervous it wouldn’t be sturdy enough to be a piñata cake as it was so tender, but it worked and was delicious. I would definitely make this again. Thank you for such a great chocolate cake recipe, I’ve tried many and this one is the best.
Hi Debra,
Thank you so much. I’m glad to hear you made this cake for your nephews birthday and that it was such a hit.
I LOVE this cake myself.
Best,
John
Is there a substitute for kosher salt because in Australia that doesn’t exist.
Thanks
Jazzy xx
Hi Jasmine,
Using regular salt will work. I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do.
Best,
John
Thanks for this awesome recipe. I used it to make tiered naked cake for my nephew’s first birthday. Looks good and tastes even better!
Hi Agustina,
I’m happy to hear that! I love this cake so much.
Best,
John
Excellent! I’m looking for an excuse to make it again soon! Lol It’s a 10 star!
Hi Joyce,
That is so sweet, thank you! If it helps, I don’t think you need an excuse to make something delicious!
Happy baking,
John
Hi John, I only have 8in x 3in pans, would they be too deep or would 2 9in x 3in work better. So want to make this delicious looking cake. Love your channel .Martin.
I would go with the 8in pans and just make sure you distribute the flour evenly
Hi John
This recipe was a winner. So moist and easy to make. It will go into my all time favorites to be used again and again. I decorated the cake using Russian tips fir sister in law birthday cake. Love your recipes, videos and tips. Tina
Just made this with Trader Joe’s all purpose gluten -free flour…came out perfect
I would like to try this on a 10 square. Would I double it to make 2 10 inch squares? Baking time?
I made this cake a couple weeks ago, although I used SMBC because I prefer it to american buttercream. Everyone loved the cake. It was very rich and moist. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better chocolate cake. My daughter can’t stop talking about it and asking when we will make it again. (She was particularly amused when we poured coffee in, and now thinks she’s a grownup because she’s “ate coffee”).
Hi John,
Great recipe that is on point!
I recently made one where I cut the sugar by 2/3c, with no change in the quality of the result, save not quite as sweet.
Speaking of sugar, I have a question, Regarding caster/bakers/fine sugar as a substitution for regular granulated.
It’s definitely not a 1-1 substitute, & it seems I can’t find it on the interwebs, nor have my adjustments necessarily worked, so was curious if you’re familiar with it?
Thanks,
Dennis
This is by FAR the BEST chocolate cake I’ve ever made! I made the cake for my daughters’ wedding reception and after trying a few recipes, I used yours and EVERYONE absolutely loved it! Even those who don’t like cake! I’m now seriously considering starting a cake business, as there is a need where I live.
So now, I’ll be taking on several of your other recipes for an open house we’re having for her this week. I’m looking forward to trying them and having fun with cakes!
I will never use another chocolate cake recipe.
Can I use Swiss meringue butter cream and flavour it chocolate? American buttercream is just too sweet for most people I know and myself. Or should I just put in less powdered sugar for the icing used in this recipe? Also would decaf coffee be ok to use?
Love your recipes!
Kim
Yes you can definitely make chocolate SMB- its delicious! That would be a nice alternative if American buttercream is too sweet for you.
I’m from the UK and made this for my husband’s 40th and got so many compliments! What a deliciously moist cake. You have truely inspired me to start baking celebration cakes. Thank you!
Happy birthday to your husband!