This is the best chocolate cake recipe that is rich, moist and made from scratch in one bowl! Two layers fudgy cake with chocolate buttercream frosting is a classic perfect for any occasion.
If you love chocolate desserts, you will also want to try my recipe for the best chocolate cupcakes, these chocolate cake pops or my gluten-free chocolate cake recipe!
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Simple and Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe
If you’re like me, a lover of all things chocolate, but were under the impression that making the best chocolate cake recipe from scratch was reserved for special occasions, then this recipe is what you’ve been waiting for!
This moist, homemade chocolate cake has a soft light crumb layered with a velvety smooth chocolate buttercream frosting. It comes together in one bowl and is perfect for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, and special occasions just like my yellow cake recipe or homemade vanilla cake.
Why We Love This Chocolate Cake
- Texture and taste. It’s an incredible feat to be able to produce something light and fudgy all at once, and this recipe does it!
- Homemade. Making the best chocolate cake recipe from scratch and not from a box is something to be proud of!
Ingredients Needed
- All-purpose flour: A great flour to use for the structure. It’s light but sturdy enough to hold up to the remaining ingredients.
- Granulated sugar: For the sweetness need to take bitter cocoa to sweet chocolate.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use natural (not Dutch Processed) that way it will react the way it needs to with the baking soda giving it a light and airy texture. Using Dutch-processed will lead to a denser crumb.
- Baking soda: Reacts to not only the cocoa powder but the acidity in the buttermilk. This is the secret to amazingly soft textures!
- Hot water: Dissolves the cocoa powder and sugars nicely leaving behind no granules. It also brings out the flavor of the cocoa powder.
- Buttermilk: A tangy milk that’s got the necessary acidity that regular milk doesn’t have. If you don’t have any it’s super simple to learn how to make buttermilk using regular milk and vinegar or lemon juice!
- Vegetable oil: Great for added moisture. It’s a fat that doesn’t dry out or become solid at room temperature.
- Large eggs: Bring these out ahead of time. You want all your ingredients to start at room temperature for even baking.
Frosting Options for Chocolate Cake
- For the best chocolate cake recipe, I use a chocolate buttercream frosting but his chocolate frosting would work well, too!
- Some fruity options could include raspberry buttercream or strawberry buttercream.
- Decadent options include peanut butter frosting, caramel cream cheese frosting or coconut pecan frosting from German chocolate cake.
- Other frostings that go well include cinnamon buttercream and coconut frosting.
- Simple chocolate icings to try include chocolate ganache or cooked chocolate icing.
How to Make Chocolate Cake
- Sift dry ingredients. In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. This will help to remove any lumps, make it easier to blend with the other ingredients, and result in a light textured crumb.
- Add wet ingredients. Use a hand mixer or whisk to mix or stir in the hot water, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Pour batter into 2 9-inch cake pans that have been lined with parchment paper.
- Bake. Place cake pans in a preheated 350-degree oven on the middle rack. Bake for 28-35 minutes or until the center comes out clean. This is one time where you may notice that the toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, and that’s ok too!
- Decorate. Once the cakes have completely cooled place one of the cakes on a serving platter or cake stand. Spread the frosting over top in an even layer. Top that with the second cake and spread the frosting all over the top and sides. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before diving in. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Coffee and chocolate. Espresso powder helps to intensify the chocolate flavor. I’m not a coffee drinker, but if you are you can add 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder or replace the hot water with 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee.
- We’re baking a cake! So that means taking extra precautions to measure everything exactly right. Learn how to measure flour correctly and bring ingredients to room temperature for the best chocolate cake recipe.
- Single-layer cake. You can switch to a 9×13″ pan and make a sheet cake rather than a layered cake. If you’re using an aluminum pan, keep the same baking time. If it’s glass, reduce it to 325 degrees. Don’t stray too far, you’ll want to keep an eye on it!
- Stand mixer. Yes, you can use one if you have one and would prefer it to an electric mixer.
- The oil. Stick with a neutral oil that doesn’t have an overpowering flavor. Canola oil or vegetable oil work great, as does sunflower oil. After all, it’s the chocolate we want to taste.
More chocolate cake recipes to try include yule log cake, chocolate lava cake, flourless chocolate cake or recipe for chocolate dump cake, too!
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Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (410 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (65 grams) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (225 grams) hot water
- 1 cup (245 grams) buttermilk , at room temperature
- ½ cup (100 grams) vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs , at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Chocolate buttercream frosting , to frost
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Center an oven rack in the middle position. Line the bottom of 2 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup cocoa, 2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Wet ingredients: Using a handheld mixer or whisk, mix in 1 cup water, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until well combined. Spread the batter evenly between the pans.
- Bake: Bake 28 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Let cool 2 to 3 minutes before running a knife around the edges and turning out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely.
- Assemble chocolate cake. On a cake stand or serving platter, place 1 cake layer. Spread the frosting evenly over the top. Place second layer on top and spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Refrigerate at least 30 to 60 minutes before slicing. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can absolutely use this recipe to make chocolate cupcakes from scratch! You could even make a cake ball using this recipe!
Some people might say it’s fat. It’s not really. Fat is definitely needed to give the batter added moisture and great consistency, but it’s really the amount of liquid used that contributes to the level of moisture in the cake.
A proper liquid-to-dry ratio is needed which is why it is important to measure your flour properly as well as the liquid ingredients you’re using.
Once both baked cake layers have cooled, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Make the chocolate buttercream up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge too. Bring both the cakes and the frosting to room temperature before assembling.
This cake will go fast, believe me! If you happen to have more self-restraint than I do when it comes to a chocolate dessert, then keep any leftover pieces of cake covered in an airtight container. This cake stays fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge.
This cake will keep in the freezer also for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before slicing and serving. I prefer to wrap each slice in plastic wrap before freezing to prevent freezer burn.
Categorized as: American, Birthdays, Cake + Cupcakes, Chocolate, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Nut-Free, Valentine's Day, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I’ve made this before and it was wonderful! I’m making a layered cake for a birthday that’s both chocolate and vanilla, so I only need one layer of the chocolate cake. Will this recipe work if I halve all the ingredients and just bake one round layer?
Hi Caroline, Yes you can cut the recipe in half and bake one layer :)
Easy and AMAZING!!
So, I went to the store and wanted to buy a chocolate cake. They were all out so I came home and decided to make this instead. It was INCREDIBLE!!!!! I did a layered cake with the chocolate glaze from the flour less chocolate cake in the middle and on top/sides. Holy cow. It was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. Thanks for another great recipe!
I’m so glad to hear you loved the chocolate cake recipe! Great idea to use the glaze on top -yummy!!
I made this for my daughter’s birthday and it was delicious! Very easy to follow and the texture was moist & tender perfection. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks!❤️
There is nothing better than a chocolate-y, moist, delicious cake! We make this for so many occasions! Everyone loves it!
This is really the best chocolate cake we’ve tried! It is seriously amazing!
I love this basic cake recipe, its so amazing! thank you for sharing!
Why did you refer to this recipe as a basic cake? Which ingredients changes it from basic to a different level?