A decadent, moist Chocolate Cake recipe with the easiest chocolate frosting and a soft, tender crumb. This cake always gets rave reviews and makes a stunning, tall chocolate birthday cake.
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Chocolate Cake Video
I hope this Moist Chocolate Cake recipe becomes a new favorite for you. This cake is intensely chocolatey with an ultra-moist crumb and rich whipped chocolate frosting.
Chocolate Cake Recipe
My son’s first words when he saw the cake were, “Wow that looks just like the cake from Matilda!” (We watched the Matilda movie recently). My chocolate cake is intensely chocolatey and satisfies the fiercest chocolate craving without being cloyingly sweet. It really is the best chocolate cake recipe.
I paired my favorite Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting with the soft crumb from my Moist Chocolate Cupcakes to create the ultimate chocolate layer cake. The warm coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. P.S. This recipe also happens to be an eggless chocolate cake (bonus if you are egg-free).
Why This Chocolate Cake Is So Moist
- Don’t overbake — pull the cake out of the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Oil instead of butter keeps the crumb soft and moist even after refrigerating the cake.
- Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee.
- Vinegar activates baking soda for a light, airy texture.
- The batter is thin on purpose to create a softer, fluffier crumb.
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt make up the base of the cake.
- Cocoa Powder – The best cocoa for chocolate cake is natural unsweetened 100% cocoa or “cacao”. You can use a variety of brands such as Hershey’s, Nestle, or Ghirardelli, but be sure to use “unsweetened” cocoa.
- Coffee – Use very warm coffee to create a complex chocolate flavor. If you add some espresso or espresso powder, it will have even more flavor. You can substitute with decaf coffee if caffeine is an issue.
- Wet Ingredients – Vinegar activates the baking soda, vanilla extract for flavor and aroma and I use light olive oil to make the cake super moist, but you can sub with vegetable oil.
Can I use Dutch Processed Cocoa?
When a recipe calls for baking soda, it is best to stick with Natural cocoa powder because it has a higher acidity level than Dutch process. You should use the cocoa called for in a recipe for the right chemical reaction to happen. You can read more about that in our Red Velvet Cake post.
How to Make Chocolate Cake
Making a chocolate cake from scratch doesn’t get any easier. It’s no more complex than a boxed cake, so long as you measure ingredients correctly.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients
- Whisk together the dry ingredients
- Combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients and stir. Do not overmix. The batter will seem thin — that’s normal and creates a super moist crumb.
- Divide into prepared 9-inch cake pans and bake.
How to Get Even Cake Layers
When making a layered chocolate cake, here are our best tips for even cake layers:
- Divide the batter equally – Even heights will make for a prettier cake and even bake times. I always double-check for accuracy with a digital kitchen scale. Zero out the cake pan and weigh how much cake batter is in each pan. Your cake layers will be flawless every time.
- Test your leavening – make sure your leavening is not expired so it has enough rising power for the cake layers to rise evenly.
- Preheat the oven – ensure your oven is fully preheated before baking the cake layers.
- Bake Immediately – as soon as you add baking soda to a recipe, it starts reacting immediately so bake right away.
Tips for Smooth Chocolate Frosting
The whipped chocolate cream cheese buttercream frosting is indulgent, chocolatey, silky smooth, and one of the easiest frostings you will make. To get the smoothest chocolate frosting, be sure to:
- Cream together the butter and cream cheese first to prevent lumps
- Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa since cocoa tends to clump.
If you prefer a frosting that doesn’t have cream cheese in it, another favorite is our Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or even Vanilla Buttercream for a delicious contrast. Both are terrific on Chocolate Cake.
Natasha’s Tip for Frosting a Cake
It is critical to fully cool the cake layers to room temperature before applying frosting. If the cake layers are still warm, it will cause the frosting to melt and slide off the cake.
Chocolate makes everything better, from Chocolate Chip Cookies to Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, and let’s not forget Chocolate Mousse! If you are a chocolate lover, this recipe is for you.
I can’t help but smile when I have a generous slice of frosted Chocolate Cake on my plate. I hope this recipe brings joy and food memories wherever this recipe travels. Let me know if you’ve served it in any creative ways? We’ve done everything from sprinkles to princess themes on top, which my daughter has loved.
Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chocolate Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (natural)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups warm coffee, (not hot), or use decaf
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup light olive oil, (not extra virgin), or Canola oil
Ingredients for Chocolate Frosting:
- 12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter , (16 Tbsp) room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (natural)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
How to Make Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter two 9" cake pans and line the bottoms with a ring of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk together your dry ingredients: 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 2 cups sugar, 2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt until there are no more cocoa lumps (a few tiny lumps are ok; it also helps to sift the cocoa before using it).
- In a separate bowl, mix together your wet ingredients: 2 cups warm coffee, 2 Tbsp vinegar, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and 2/3 cup olive oil.
- Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until they come together. Your batter will still be slightly lumpy. Divide equally between prepared cake pans (a kitchen scale helps for even portioning), and bake in a preheated oven at 350˚F for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
How to Make the Chocolate Frosting:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer using paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer with a large bowl), beat together 12 oz cream cheese with 1 cup butter on medium/high speed until creamy (3 min), scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Sift in 5 cups powdered sugar with 1 cup cocoa powder, sifting in batches as needed to ensure there are no lumps. Then add 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on low speed until well combined. Thoroughly scrape down the bowl, then increase to medium/high speed and beat until smooth and whipped (1 min).
- Add 2 tsp vanilla and beat on medium/high until smooth (1 min). Now it's ready to be spread or piped onto the cooled cake layers.
How to Frost Chocolate Cake
- Set a cake layer onto a serving platter. Apply 1/3 of the frosting over the first layer then cover with the second layer, placing it top-side-down for an even top. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Enjoy or store it for later*
Notes
- Short-Term Storage – store covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
- Cover Properly – Use an overturned bowl or pot to cover the cake and keep it from drying out. If the cake is sliced, press a piece of plastic wrap directly over the cut portions to prevent drying out.
- Refrigerating -Cover as directed above and refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freezing – to freeze unfrosted cake layers, wrap individual layers in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze up to 3 months then taw wrapped at room temperature. To freeze a frosted cake, freeze for 1 hour to harden the frosting then wrap with plastic wrap and foil and freeze up to 3 months.
- To Serve – Thaw a covered frozen frosted cake overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. You may need to fix up the frosting with a spatula.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Chocolate Desserts (for Chocolate Lovers!)
- Chocolate Ganache
- Chocolate-Frosted Eclairs
- Hot Chocolate Recipe
- Chocolate Lasagna
- Chocolate Souffle
- Black Forest Cake
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
I can make this in a 9×13 pan. Love your website!!
Hi Teri! I haven’t tried this in a 9×13” pan. It should work fine, but you’ll have to keep an eye on it in the oven.
I don’t keep coffee in the house since I don’t drink it. So water is the only other substitution?
You can also use warm milk.
Hi Natasha👋 I baked your Chocolate cake on Sunday’s after dinner pudding and I must say how easy the recipe was to follow and make, my 2adult children and my Grandaughter loved it. Thank you so much for sharing. Mrs Wildridge from the UK
You’re very welcome, Wendy! Glad to know it was enjoyed.
I just make this cake today ( wish I could share the picture🤭) no occasion just a little sweet tooth, hehe… The taste of this cake is ” OF THE CHAIN” so moisty, delicious rich chocolate taste and the creamy frosting! I don’t need any other chocolate cake recipes! This one is perfect. Thank you, Natashka !🤗
You’re very welcome, Iwona! I’m so glad yo loved it.
This recipe is amazing. I didn’t use all my frosting. Can I save it? If so how and how long will it last. Thank you for sharing this with everyone. It’s absolutely delicious!!!
Hi Sylver, I haven’t tested storing the frosting alone to advise, the entire cake can be frozen up to 3 months if it is stored properly. I imagine you can leave it for a day or two, but you may have to re-whip. It’s hard to say without trying it myself!
The cake itself is great but the icing is way too sweet and taste like it’s missing something. This is an extremely decadent cake.
Hi Angela, did you make sure to add the salt to the frosting – that is important to balance the sweetness.
Hi Natasha, Could you make this into sugarfree using splenda ?? Thank you for this yummy receipt. 😀
Hi Tammie! One view reported using Splenda and the cake did not rise. The sugar does more than just sweeten, it helps the texture and structure too. If you test it, make sure to use a Splenda products that is a baking blend.
Can this recipe be used as a sheet cake?
Hi Donald! I’m sure it could, but I don’t have those exact measurements.
Could I use Carob Powder in the cake and/or the icing?
Hi Joanne, without trying it I can’t say for sure but it may work. If you experiment, I would love to know how you like it.
I just came across this recipe, and it looks FANTASTIC! Do you by chance have another chocolate cake recipe with less sugar?
Hi Chris! I’m afraid not but I saw one of our readers shared this comment “It was very moist and the frosting was so good! I only used 3cups and half power sugar for the frosting but it spread beautifully on the cake. I will make this again.” Hope that helps.
What can I use in place of the coffee? I don’t like the taste.
You can’t taste the coffee in the final product, but it amplifies the flavor of chocolate. Feel free to substitute with decaf coffee if you prefer instead of water but it might be a bit different.
This looks fabulous and I will be making it soon. I’m wondering if you have a chocolate raspberry cake recipe?….could I put raspberries in this cake. If so I wouldn’t know the measurements.
Hi Maggie! I have not tried that so I’m not sure how the batter will hold up with raspberries. It’s a moist cake, I would start with a small amount if you test it.
This is essentially a “wacky cake,” also known as a Depression cake because it has no eggs; I’ve been making wacky cakes for roughly six decades now—my grandmother’s recipe—but never thought to use coffee, which I will going forward. And I’ve always baked it in a 9×13-inch pan, no problem there. Thanks for the frosting recipe, it sounds like a winner!
Can I use avocado oil or butter for the cake batter?
Yes, avocado oil would work too since it’s a neutral oil and has a high enough smoke point.
Can you make this using a 9 x 12 pan versus the cake pans? Any changes?
Hi Beth! It should work fine, but will take longer to bake through since it will be thicker. Keep an eye on it in the oven.
How much Expresso powder should be added? I’ve baked with it and love the intense flavor it creates in chocolate.
Hi Nicki! You can use it to your preference mixed in the warm water.