Chocolate Cake Recipe (VIDEO)
A decadent and moist Chocolate Cake recipe with the easiest whipped Chocolate Frosting. This always gets rave reviews and makes for a stunning chocolate birthday 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 homemade chocolate cake is for you!
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THE Chocolate Cake Recipe:
My son’s first words when he saw the cake were “Wow that look’s just like the cake from Matilda!” We watched the Matilda movie recently, but I’m betting this one’s even better because it’s intensely chocolatey and satisfies the fiercest craving for chocolate cake without being cloyingly sweet.
We combined our most popular chocolate frosting with these tried and true moist chocolate cupcakes to create the best chocolate cake. You might be surprised to see coffee in the cake batter, and don’t worry, you can’t taste the coffee in the final product, but it really amplifies the flavor of chocolate. Feel free to substitute with decaf coffee if you prefer.
The Best Cocoa for Chocolate Cake:
We used 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.
Can I substitute with Dutch Process 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. Learn more about all the different kinds of cocoa here.
Tips for Smooth Chocolate Frosting:
The whipped chocolate cream cheese buttercream frosting is indulgently 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.
How to Make Chocolate Cake:
This cake doesn’t get any easier. It’s no more complex than a boxed cake as long as you know how to measure ingredients correctly.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients
- Whisk together the dry ingredients
- Combine wet with dry ingredients
- Divide into prepared pans and bake
How to Get Even Cake Layers:
When making a layered cake, it is important to make sure you are dividing the batter equally. Not only is this important for even heights for a prettier cake, but your layers will have 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.
More Chocolate Desserts (for Chocolate Lovers!):
- Chocolate Ganache – glaze cakes, cookies or whip into frosting
- Eclairs – dipped in chocolate ganache and filled with cream
- Chocolate Spartak – easily my favorite cake
- Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting
- Black Forest Cake – with cherries and kirsch
Watch Natasha Make Chocolate Cake:
I hope this Moist Chocolate Cake recipe becomes a new favorite for you. Homemade chocolate cake is way better than Costco’s (there, I said it).
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Chocolate Cake Recipe
A decadent and moist Chocolate Cake recipe with the easiest whipped Chocolate Frosting. Homemade chocolate cake makes for a stunning birthday 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)
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup light olive oil not extra virgin
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 Layers:
-
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, 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 piped onto cooled cake.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Is there anyway you could write the chocolate cake recipe into measurements for a 6 inch cake?
Hi Donna, This will work in a 6-inch pan, but you will need to decrease the amount of batter needed. I’ve only made it in a 9″ pan to advise on measurements.
I tried to bake this chocolate cake and the finished product is so yummy. Thank you for sharing this.
I will try another recipe on your blog.
Thanks 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe, Karla!
Hi Natasha – If I have to reduce your recipe by half, what would be the measurements for the chocolate cake recipe and frosting?
Hi Kanika, I would halve all the ingredients by half. You can also use the recipe slider (serving size) to adjust ingredients to half the recipe.
Hi natasha,
Can i use cream of tar tar instead of baking soda?
Hi Valerie, I haven’t tested that but baking soda is definitely a more effective leavening and makes the cookies rise. Baking powder is usually the best substitute for baking soda but soda is 4 times stronger than baking powder.
Love the recipe! It’s so easy and yummy! Can I substitute more cocoa powder for flour to make it more chocolatey?
Hi Lee, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I imagine that may work, but it’s hard to say without experimenting.
Hi how are u
Will I able to make this a vanilla Cake
I need to make an eggless white cake
Hi there A, I haven’t tried making an eggless vanilla cake. Here’s my recipe for Vanilla cake but it’s not eggless.
When I see the video, I see you put 5 Tablespoons powered sugar, yet the recipe calls for 5 cups 😟 Which is the correct amount? 5 cups of powered sugar sounds like a lot… I’ve noticed that on more than 2 videos already.
Hi Gigi, 5 cups is correct. I re-watched the video to be sure and I can’t find anywhere in the video where I say 5 Tbsp. Maybe you mis-heard? Can you tell me the time stamp where you heard it? At 3:02 I said use a sifter to sift in 5 cups of powdered sugar. The video and the recipe card match and 5 cups is correct.
Hi Natasha! This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it. I have a question tho; can I substitute the coffee for water? Thanks! 🙂
Hello Rose, I actually haven’t tried any other substitute to advise, and the coffee really enhances the flavor of the cake. But feel free to substitute with decaf coffee if you prefer. I have had readers try water only but I think you’ll have the best flavor with coffee because it amplifies the flavor of the chocolate.
Ok! Oh and can you let me know how the other peoples cakes have turned out when thy used water because I want to make this for my daughter but don’t want any coffee. Thanks! 🙂
I’ve looked through the comments and I’m not seeing anything other than it worked for them. You’re welcome to reply to their comments also 🙂
Can you use canola oil? Thx.
Hello Joni≥ Yes, you may use vegetable or canola oil instead.
Does the coffee maintain the caffeine when cooked? I was thinking of making this for my 4 year olds birthday but they certainly don’t need the extra energy. lol
I was looking through the comments and saw the decaf option. Makes perfect sense when I read it. I love your recipes! They have gotten me through this last year. Thank you so very much. I wish you had a cookbook! I’m creating one by printing out so many of your awesome recipes.
I’m glad you found the answer and also that you enjoy the recipes! I have a cookbook that I am working on but it’s still a ways off. Thanks for the encouragement!
I have tried many of the recipes and they are fantastic and simple. Thank you
Thank you for that wonderful review, Doreen!
I don’t think I’ve seen a cake recipe that didn’t have eggs in it. Was there some kind of mistake?
Hi Joylene, that is no mistake, this recipe is eggless; we explain that in the recipe post.
I made this twice and it turned out great both times. It’s the right amount of chocolate and not too sweet. For my oven, the 1st time I left them in too long (35 mins) and it was starting to crisp at the edges. The 2nd time, I took the cakes out at about 31 minutes, much better. The frosting recipe makes a lot of frosting so you don’t need to skimp. BTW, it tastes even better on the 2nd day. Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Natasha I just want you to know that the chocolate cake is out of this world. I made it for Easter ant it was a huge hit. I thought there would be to much icing but it was perfect along with the amazing taste. This is definitely a keeper. Thanks for your amazing recipes
You are very welcome, Donna. I’m very happy to know that the recipe was a bit hit!
Hi.
Your cake really looks good and yummy. I would really love to try your recipe. But i have 1 question: can i use 1 bigger pan instead, since i dont have 2 of the same sizes, and double the baking time? Or is it a bad idea?
I haven’t tested that in one pan; I imagine you will need a tall walled pan like a springform pan, but without testing that, I cannot advise on bake times (it would overwhelm a single standard cake pan). I would make half of the cake batter, bake that, and then make the second half.
Good morning I have made 10+ of your recipes during this COVID year. I would like to make this one for Easter but as a bunny cake(cutting one round into ears and bow tie). Do you think this cake is too light and fluffy to withstand the cutting and hold up
Hi Patti, that may work! Without tested it it’s hard to say.
I loved watching your video! This is amazing! Any recommendations on how to just make this a one layer cake? How would I go about adjusting the ingredients?
Hi FN, I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes. You can make one layer by the recipe and follow this recipe here for the chocolate version.
In the video you use a whisk attachment for icing, but the directions say to use the paddle attachment…which do you suggest?
Hi Kerry, both work. What happened was I tested the recipe with a paddle, then spaced that and used a whisk attachment, and both worked out great. A whisk attachment will form the frosting a little quicker than the paddle, but as I found out. They work equally well.
I cannot have coffee what can I substitute?
Hi Mary, I actually haven’t tried any other substitute to advise, and the coffee really enhances the flavor of the cake. But feel free to substitute with decaf coffee if you prefer. I have had readers try water only but I think you’ll have the best flavor with coffee because it amplifies the flavor of the chocolate.
Hey Natasha 🙂
I was wondering if I can make this same recipe for a dozen cupcakes or would I have to reduce it?
Hi Gabriela, I have not experimented on that to advise but I have another recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes, you can check this too.
And sorry i have one more question, can i divide the recipe in two and bake it as a sheet cake?
Hi Rita, I haven’t tried this in a sheet pan to advise. If you happen to experiment, I would love to know how you like this recipe!
Hey Natasha, i lived this recipe. I made it for my brother’s birthday and everyone was mind blown. But i have a question, i wan to remake the cake but for fewer people (approximately 6 slices) what pan size do you recommend and how can i alter the recipe for it to make fewer slices?
Hi Rita, thank you for sharing. I’m glad it was a hit! I haven’t tried making a smaller version of this cake but feel free to check out the comments at the bottom of the recipe. Usually, others share it there if they have tried it. Also, if you click on the serving size in the recipe card, you can slide it up or down to scale the recipe ingredient lists. I hope that helps!
Can I use a hand mixer for the frosting?
Hi April, yes, that will work!
Hi Natasha
Would you recommend any other oil other than light olive oil for this recipe?
Hi Julie, yes, you may use vegetable or canola oil instead
My cake always rise in the oven and fall after removing from oven….. Please suggest any tip
Hi Maryam, Thank you for sharing that with me. It might help to review our post on how we measure wet and dry ingredients to see if there were any variances there. Also, make sure to bake right away in a preheated oven in the center of your oven on the regular bake mode (not convection). I hope that helps! Also, if no other substitutions were made, be sure your baking soda is still active (it should fizz when you pour vinegar on it). If you haven’t already, be sure to watch the video to see where something may have looked different.
Thankyou so so much Natasha….that really helped alot…so so thanks again
Hi Natasha
I’m definitely going to try out your recipe. Would you please guide on how much coffee (ground) should I use to prepare 2 cups of coffee
Hi Sadaf, I would follow the instructions on whatever machine you are preparing it with. Usually, your coffee maker will provide instructions for making a good, strong cup of coffee. There are also some online coffee calculators that can help.
My cake layers came out paper thin. What went wrong here?
Hi Kylie, it’s hard to say without being there. Was anything possibly altered in the recipe? From ingredients to processes?
Hi Natasha,
Does this cake freeze well after frosting?
I’m thinking of making slices, flash freezing for a few minutes (maybe not since it may dry out) and cling wrapping each slice.
Hi Suganya, I haven’t tried freezing the full assembled cake (it does keep in the fridge for up to 5 days), but I think that would work fine to freeze, but I would cover the sliced portion with plastic wrap, so it doesn’t dry out or get freezer burn.
Hi Natasha, thank you for all recipes and videos. Can you please share the cake pan info that you use. I don’t have any cake pans 😅
Hi Migi, you can find the cake pan and our favorite kitchen tools in our Amazon Affiliate Shop HERE.
Can this recipe be used for cupcakes?
Hi Genesis, I actually have a separate recipe for the Chocolate Cupcakes.
Hi Natasha,
Can I use Instant Coffee?
Hi Rashmi,I haven’t tried this with instant coffee. I would make the coffee based on your package instructions.
Hi Natasha, as I’m making this for kids, can I replace the coffee with something else? Apologies if you have answered this before.
Hi Christiana, no worries. Coffee really amplifies the flavor in this recipe but feel free to substitute with decaf coffee if you prefer.
Hey Natasha, thankyou soo much for such an amazing chocolate cake recipe! this really is the one i wanted!! but can u please tell me that if i could use a subsitute for cream cheese as i don’t have it?? Thanks! lots of love
Hi Faryal, I haven’t tried any substitutes yet and I always make the recipe as written, so I’m not sure how that would work.
Hi Natasha,
I am a big fan of your all recipes. I am planning to bake 12 inch cake for my daughters birthday. Can you please provide me measurements for 12 inch pan since this recipe is for 9 inches pan.
Thank you!
Hi Anjali, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise of the adjustments. I recommend checking out the other comments below if others have tried and have made the adjustments.
Hi Natasha, can I make this recipe in a 7inch springfoam pan?
Hi Dips, It might work with two 7-inch pans, but I haven’t tested it, so I won’t be able to give you precise baking instructions.
Hi, Natasha! I made the cake today, but I ran into some trouble. The icing came out delicious (except I too can feel the sugar crunching – I guess my powdered sugar was not good quality).
The layers, however, I had to remake. The first time, I followed the recipe exactly (except using sunflower oil), and the layers looked great, but when I tasted them, there was a really strong baking soda taste and smell.
I made a new batch, using only slightly more than 1 tbsp of soda, and they taste good now, but they came out domed and uneven. I should have trimmed them, but I decided to try fitting them together… and when I put the icing on top, the upper layer broke into three big parts and one small one at the center, so now it looks like it exploded lol. I put it in the fridge and will try to use some whipping cream to make it look a bit better tomorrow, and I’m quite sure it will taste great. But do you have any idea what was wrong?
Hi Polina, I recommend making sure your oven is calibrated and that your baking soda and powdered sugar are not expired. Sifting the sugar also helps to make sure any big chunks are gone.
As I suspected, the cake tasted really good, even if it looked a bit funny 😛
My sugar was brand new, and I did sift it, but the soda had been put in a jar some time ago, so it’s possible that it might have expired..
I really loved the icing! I’ll probably be making it as a standalone desert as well, with a bit less sugar.
I’m glad you were able to follow the recipe and liked it!
I just realized you said you used 1 Tbsp of baking soda. That is too much. There is only 2 tsp baking soda in this recipe. If you use too much baking soda, the taste and smell of baking soda will come through because there aren’t enough acidic ingredients to neutralize it. 2 tsp should be just right.
I followed the recipe as written but my batter was much thicker then yours in the video…did i overmix? Or not have enough liquid?
Hi Annemarie, it’s hard to say without being there. It may be too much flour. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon, then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.
Hi Natasha,
Love your recipes,they are easy and i have heard of the ingredients and I can find them in the store! LOL
Sorry, my question is can i use coconut oil instead of EVOO.
Hi Karen, I haven’t tried using coconut oil yet, but you may use vegetable or canola oil instead.
Hi Natasha,
My husband is a big fan of chocolate cake and i just can’t wait to bake this amazing cake for his birthday this month. Love all your recipes! Also please do post more eggless cake recipes.
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it! Thank you for that suggestion!
Hi Natasha,
Can I use this chocolate cake with strawberry cream?
Hi Ilze, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe“
How to u frost it. Only with the
Pipe or can I use another tool
Hi Phyllis, we use an off-set spatula to frost. Piping tools are not necessary for this one. Watch the video tutorial to see how I frosted this one.
dear Natasha, I’m looking for a chocolate cake recipe.. and found this one cake with no egg?
Yes, that’s right. This is an eggless chocolate cake recipe.
Sorry ive got another question! what this cake tastes like, is it bitter or sweet?
Hi Schola, we believe we found the perfect balance! It’s not bitter, but it’s also not overly sweet. We don’t care for overly sweet desserts.
I agree, I’ve made this cake and it was so delicious!!! The recipe was easy to follow too, even for someone inexperienced like myself. also, I replaced the flour with 1:1 gluten free self raising flour, and added no extra baking powder or baking soda and it came out great.
I’m glad it was a hit! Thank you for sharing that with us.
Hi Schola
Can I ask a couple of questions
1. What make of Gluten free Self raising flour did you use?
2. Did you GF SR Flour contain baking powder & baking soda hence why you omitted them
Jane – Australia
How many teaspoons of coffee should I use?
Hi Schola, I recommend following your coffee package instructions.
I made this cake this weekend for my daughter’s birthday and it was so good. Thank you. I love all of you recipes. I have a lot of leftover frosting. Do you have any recommendation what to do with it?
Hi Avi! I’m so happy you enjoyed that! The frosting will work great on cupcakes!
Hi Natasha, is it possible to use three 6 inch pan for this recipe?
Thank you !
Hi Yurico, I haven’t tested that but I suspect it would work. It might bake up slightly faster in 3 smaller pans.
Thank you so much !!
I just made this cake! Can I leave it on my counterto until were ready to eat?? its frosted and done
Hi Esther, I would refrigerate after frosting the cake.
Hi Natasha
I tried this recipe yesterday. I had a few questions.
1. my cake rose well but it was hard for me to balance them. They were not flat as shown in the video. I had a hard time balancing them.
2. After the cake was ready I could smell the olive oil in it. Even if I put eggs, I smell them too which I don’t like.
3. I used granulated sugar for icing. This made the icing not very fine.
Please provide me with the solutions for my problems.
I was very excited to make this cake but my excitement didn’t end well.
Hi Raman, Make sure to measure ingredients correctly and use the same leavening in the recipe without substitutions. Also, you shouldn’t notice the olive oil and this recipe does not call for eggs. I highly recommend making it as written including the correct sugar listed in the recipe.
Hi Natasha, i have made this cake yesterday, it is really amazing recipe, i always try your recipes and always they turn out awesome….. I have used powdered sugar for the frosting (2 cups less from the original recipe), and even though the frosting turned out over sweet….. i can’t imagine whats wrong, because all your recipes are always incredible…. thank you❤️❤️
Thanks for sharing your comments and feedback with us, Aya. Good to know that you liked it!
Could you please tell me why the frosting turned out sooo sweet, even though i didn’t put the whole amount of powdered sugar??!!
Hi Aya, did you make sure to add the cream cheese, salt, and vanilla – this helps to balance the frosting so it isn’t overly sweet.
Love your recipes!
How long will this last if stored in the fridge? Or can the cake(without frosting) be frozen?
Hi Fiona, You can make the entire cake ahead of time. This cake does store well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving so the frosting and cake can soften. It does keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. If making just the layers wrap them in an airtight wrap or container and refrigerate.
Sorry could not see your reply earlier so i posted this comment again! Thankyou for the suggestions!
This is my favorite recipe ever. I’ve been selling this cake, my vegan customers love this cake. Its just amazing 🙂 Thank you. I wonder if I can substitute the coffee for other kind of beverage (orange juice maybe !)
Wow, that is so great to hear! Thank you so much for your wonderful review. I actually haven’t tried any other substitute to advise and the coffee really enhances the flavor of the cake.
Hey Natasha! I loved this video and the recipe! I just had one question though, can i make this cake a day earlier and store it in the fridge? Will it still be soft and moist the next day!?
You can make the entire cake ahead of time. This cake does store well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving so the frosting and cake can soften. It does keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. If making just the layers wrap them in an airtight wrap or container and refrigerate.
I’ve made this cake before – the best ever!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Question… can I use gluten free flour next time…. I think it’ll be less than 3 cups required…. any ideas?
Hi Tracy, thank you for your awesome feedback! I haven’t tried a substitute for gluten. Here’s what one of our readers wrote “I made this cake gluten-free, and the only thing that I change was the flour, and it turned out great. Once the frosting was all on I put chocolate chips on the sides and made some decorations out of chocolate almond bark to go on the top. This cake is a chocolate lovers dream. It was so amazing and moist, even after being in the fridge for a day! Thank you, Natasha! My family and I love your recipes!”
Hey Natashas I was wondering what is the serving size of this cake like 1/8 of a slice? I noticed this in most of your nutrition posts you mention the amount per serving but not what per serving amount is.
Hi Anna, if you click on the serving size in the recipe card, we have a note that this makes for 14 servings (14 slices) A serving size will be one slice. I hope that helps.
Where do you buy the parchment rings?
Hi Rose, I don’t know that they are sold in rings. We line the bottoms with a ring of parchment paper that we cut ourselves.
Loved the decadent chocolate cake. It was to die for. Amazingly good. The choc frosting – the best I have ever tasted.
Love it! Thank you so much for your awesome feedback.
Why does this cake doesn’t have eggs? What is binding agent here?
Hi Sravani, that’s right, no eggs! The vinegar activates the baking soda to help the rise.
I have made this recipe for the cake and cupcakes. It’s always a winner! This is now my go-to chocolate cake since I first watched the video on YouTube. It’s so moist, airy, tender and delicious. The frosting is really the bomb. Everyone has told me they love how perfectly balanced it is and how they appreciate it’s not an overly sweet frosting. It makes it perfect for the cakes and pipes beautifully on cupcakes too. Try it now, you won’t regret! 🙂 I love all of your recipes, Natasha! Love from Guatemala ❤️
Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful review with me, Jackie!
Hi Natasha, I have 8’inch cake pan . Do you have measurements for 8’inch cake? I need to bake tomorrow for my son’s 4th birthday.
Hi Vandana, if you have a tall enough pan that should work.
Hi when v prepare 2 cups of warm coffee how many spoons of coffee v should add?
Hi there, we used brewed coffee but I suggest following the package instructions which will usually give you a fairly strong coffee.
This makes the best cake and is also extremely easy (I’m not a natural baker). I’ve made it many times and have had several comments about how someone normally doesn’t like chocolate cake, but loved this one. I think it has something to do with the delicious cream cheese frosting. About to make it yet again for hubby’s birthday 🙂
I only have 1 9” spring pan, so the baking takes twice as long for me, but I just use the digital scale to make sure they’re even, and cook them exactly the same time, and they turn out great each time.
That’s a good one to do! I hope your hubby will love his birthday cake, and everyone else who will get to try it will love it too!
Hi!so my family doesn’t eat cheese can I just skip the cream cheese?thank you
Hi Grace, I always make the recipe as written, so I’m not sure how that would work.
Are there no eggs in the recipe? What makes it rise?
Hi Laura, that’s right, no eggs! The vinegar activates the baking soda to help the rise.
Maybe you will answer me quickly…if not I’ll do my best. I’m right in the middle of making this chocolate cake and I don’t have light olive oil. I have grape seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil and butter. Any recommendations?? 🤦🏻♀️
Sorry for the late response, you can use vegetable oil as a substitute.
Hi Natasha ,
I just love your recipes .
Can you tell me the measurement of the cup? Is one cup 250 g ?
Thanks
Hi, if you click “metric” in the recipe card, you will see the gram measurements.
Hi Natasha..thank you for the explanation about measurement of the cup..and im happy now…totally confusing me…heheheh..again thank you so much..
Hi Namrata, 1 cup of liquid is measured in ml, and dry ingredients are measured in grams. If you click metric in the recipe card, you will see the estimates in metric.
I made this cake and lt was fabulous! Love your site. Thanks
I’m so happy you enjoyed this, Susan! Thank you for that wonderful review.
So moist and tasty !!
I’m happy you enjoyed that, Anna!
Hey Natasha! I plan on giving this cake a try for my son’s second birthday. I was wondering about the coffee. Would it be okay to use a prepackaged cold brew? I think it would work, but thought I would ask the expert. BTW I have cooked many of your recipes and I have enjoyed all of them.
Hi Jeanny! I imagine that will work! I hope you love this recipe.
Can I substitute something for coffee? What? Hot chocolate? Can’t do coffee or espresso.
Hi BethAnn, I have always made it with coffee. I have had readers try water only but I think you’ll have the best flavor with coffee because it amplifies the flavor of the chocolate.
Hi Natasha,would love to try your chocolate cake.what is the measurement of cofee powder for a 2 cups of coffee?can i use instant coffee?Thanks
Hi Amy, I haven’t tried this with instant coffee. I would make the coffee based on your package instructions.
hello there. can i use this cake as fondant base? thank you.
I think fondant could work well with a crumb coat of frosting underneath it.
Hi Natasha,
can I use vegetable oil instead of olive oil? and by the way I am currently making your Choco Crinkles recipe can’t wait to bake them tomorrow since I prefer resting them overnight.
Hi Ella, that should work fine to use vegetable oil.
Hi Natasha,
Can I substitute with Dutch Process Cocoa? I guess I’ll also have to substitute baking soda with baking powder then. Anyways please let me know if this will work?
Hi Munzu, I haven’t tested that through to make that suggestion, but you are correct that dutch process cocoa is alkalinized so other adjustments would have to be made since the dutch process is typically paired with baking powder. To be safe, I suggest using natural cocoa powder as recommended in the post.
The cake was very good but after I iced it it fell apart. What did I do wrong?
Hi Donna, I have never had that happen before and it’s difficult to say without being there. Did you make sure to cool your cake before icing it? Also, I suggest watching the video to see where things started to look different and consider if any ingredient substitutions were made which could be culprits?
Hi Natasha, if I use a 9″ springform pan instead of two 9″ pans..then just divide the thick cake in half, will it make a difference? I have a small oven and 2 9″ pans would not fit. And how many minutes instead of 35mins at 350F? I really want to try this. Hope to receive a response. Lots of love from the Philippines 🙂
Hi Sher, I honestly have not tested it that way so I can’t give you exact instructions on that.
Hi, I would like to know if it’s OK to pour all the batter in one pan so I get a higher cake, later to be cut in 3 later? I just do not have 2 same size cake pans
Hi Rodica, I haven’t tested that in one pan; I imagine you will need a tall walled pan like a springform pan, but without testing that, I cannot advise on bake times (it would overwhelm a single standard cake pan). I would make half of the cake batter, bake that, and then make the second half.
Hi Natasha, I have 1 8′ baking pan so can I still use the same measurements? I need to bake tomorrow for son’s 4th birthday so hope to see your reply sooner.
Thanks
Vandana
Hi Vandana, I haven’t tested that in one pan; I imagine you will need a tall walled pan like a springform pan, but without testing that, I cannot advise on bake times (it would overwhelm a single standard cake pan). I would make half of the cake batter, bake that, and then make the second half.
W-o-w me encantó la receta por qué no lleva huevos! Podrías poner subtitulado en español gracias, amo tus recetas!!
Hi, I won’t be able to translate them into Spanish, but you can use a program to translate the recipe. Thank you for visiting. I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Is cooking olive oil ok to use?
I haven’t tried that yet but you can use vegetable or canola oil instead.
How can I alter this recipe for gluten intolerance?
Made this cake for a birthday and it was one of the best!
Hi Phoebe, I haven’t tried a substitute for gluten. Here’s what one of our readers wrote “I made this cake gluten-free, and the only thing that I change was the flour, and it turned out great. Once the frosting was all on I put chocolate chips on the sides and made some decorations out of chocolate almond bark to go on the top. This cake is a chocolate lovers dream. It was so amazing and moist, even after being in the fridge for a day! Thank you, Natasha! My family and I love your recipes!”
Hi Natasha just made the choco cake I hoping it freezes well for a week?
Hi Marie, I haven’t tried freezing the full assembled cake (it does keep in the fridge for up to 5 days), but I think that would work fine to freeze, but I would cover the sliced portion with plastic wrap, so it doesn’t dry out or get freezer burn.
Can I cut the cream cheese in half for the frosting?
Hi Margarita, I always make the recipe as written, but I think that could still work.
Hi Natasha,
Want to make this recipe into cupcakes. How long would you recommend baking them for or just follow baking directions for the cake.
Thanks
Hi Deb, that will work! I also have another recipe for that. Here’s my Chocolate Cupcake recipe.
Hi Natasha, I printed this recipe to accommodate for 21 slices, would you suggest 10″ pans or 12″? Thanks!
Hi Shayla, a 12″ pan would probably be better but you would definitely have to scale the recipe up. I haven’t tested it that way so I cant say what the bake time modifications would have to be.
Hi Natasha, i loved all your recipe. I will try to make this chocolate cake. I’m sure my daughter will like it. Thank you for sharing all your recipes.
You’re welcome, Remy! I hope you both enjoy this recipe!
Hello Natasha, I always like your recipe and your website if my favorite!
I want to make this cake for my husband’s birthday and I am wondering if I can reduce the amount of sugar. Do you have any idea?
Hi Chika, I haven’t tried that yet to advise but feel free to check out the other comments below the recipe if others have alreadt tried doing that.
Hi Natasha… I am following your recipe but since I dont have olive oil at home so I substitute to coconut oil and the result is the cake quite hard 😄. Is that the reason? Thank you!
Hi Marisha, oh no. Was there anything else that you changed in the recipe? I haven’t tried using coconut oil yet but you may use vegetable or canola oil instead.
Hi Natasha ,
Tried the chocolate cake turned out amazing ….did not have olive oil substituted with the cooking oil .. one question the frosting has that sugar which we can feel while eating how to minimize that should I rest the frosting for sometime ??
Hi Sumaya, did you make sure to you powdered sugar? YOu shouldn’t feel powdered sugar; it incorporates well, but maybe try sifting it in to make sure you didn’t get chunks of sugar?
This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made and I’ve made a lot! Love your recipes Natasha and love your videos too!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Evi!
What kind of coffee do you use dark, medium or light?
Hi Mychel, any of those should work. Dark roast just has less caffeine, but they should all work fine.
Made the cake for the first time. Removed it from the oven; waited 15 min.then removed to a wire rack for complete cooling. Both layers cracked into four pieces. Do they need to cool in the pans to avoid this?
Hi Pam, it’s hard to say without being there, but it is best to let it cool completely in the pan.
Hi Natasha
Firstly, I love your recipes. I had tried your strawberry and blueberry lemon cakes and they were superb.
I had two queries:
1. Can we use apple cidar vinegar instead of white vinegar in this recipe
2. I am looking for a chocolate cake recipe with icing as fondant. Do you think this recipe can be used for fondant as I was told the cake shall be a bit firmer to withhold fondant weight. I am a naive baker and your inputs will be valuable to me
Thanks a ton
Looking forward to hear from you
HI, I think fondant could work well with a crumb coat of frosting underneath it. I haven’t tested with cider vinegar but one of my readers reported great results using 1 Tbsp of cider vinegar.
I just made this cake for the first time and it broke all up. Can I get a reason/remedy on this please
Hi Shelia, Sorry to hear that. I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you butter the sides of the pan and also use the ring of parchment on the bottom? I haven’t had that happen, but it sounds like it could have been underbaked if it was splitting. Did it pass the toothpick test and seem cooked in the center? I hope that helps to troubleshoot. With this one, it’s pretty easy to cover up with frosting even if your cake completely broke in half since that frosting is very forgiving and holds the cake together once it’s on.
Making this now, but my cakes came out domed quite a bit. Cakes split when I put them on the cooking rack, due to the dome. What could I have done differently to prevent the dome? I let cool for 15-20 in the pan before taking them out and removing the paper. Still delicious!!
Hi Kimberly, I haven’t had any issue with that, and these bake up fairly flat without needing any trimming. Did you have that experience with this recipe? Was anything possible substituted?
Wilson cake pans are the best for cakes to come out flat. I also use a pan strips to make moist cakes like this to be sure they do, also it will need to bake a few minutes more if you use pan strips.
Can I use instant coffee for this?
Hi yes, just make it according to package instructions.
Hi natasha this cake so delicious I try to make a month ago my friends really like it, thank you so much natasha, your a great baker ever.. 😘😘😘😘
You’re welcome, Maria! Thank you for sharing that wonderful feedback.
Cake are in the oven but batter was so good🤤
I was in the middle of making the icing when my pretty new mixer broke (overworked it I guess) So I continued to mix by hand and it is by far the best chocolate buttercream frosting I’ve ever tasted . Worth a broken mixer. 😂
Oh no, sorry to hear about the broken mixer! But so good to know that you enjoyed this recipe, Yasmine!
Hello, I want to know how many grams of flour, sugar and cream cheese.
Hello Katya. Our new recipes can be converted to grams, just click on Jump to recipe and click Metric. I hope that helps!
What! I never thought I could cook a cake this good and that my craving for chocolate could be satisfied. Thank’s to you for this amazing recipe. (I think I’m addicted to your blog: 2 recipes for today and another one tomorrow!) Keep up the good work xoxo
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed our recipes, Carina!
Made this cake for my sister yesterday and it was absolutely AMAZING!!!
Used a different vanilla frosting instead, but absolutely phenomenal!!! Thank you so much Natasha!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Can I add chocolate chips to this cake?
I imagine that will work too!
Nancy, Tell your husband he just got a whole lot of new friends for his big day!! Happy Birthday to him…what time is the party?? 🙂
Can you use canola oil if you don’t have light olive oil? I only use EVOO.
Hi Janine, yes, You can use vegetable or canola oil too.
H. I wonder about the size of your baking pans. Were they the 9 inch ones? Also, what brand are they? There are so many options out there, it’s hard to choose. Thanks! 🙂
Hi Yulia, yes, they are 9″. You can find our favorite baking tools in our blog shop HERE or our Amazon Shop HERE.
👍
Thank you!
Hi Natasha I am a huge fan of your YouTube channel and a watch a video everyday! Your chocolate cake is so amazing and my family loved it I am going to make it again
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Wonderfully easy chocolate recipe to make and follow and so delicious. My husband’s 60th birthday cake is a success! Thank you Natasha!
Happy Birthday to your husband, Nancy! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Thanks for the birthday wishes. Tomorrow’s the big day but we wanted to dig into some cake a few days before to extend the celebrations. Btw, I love following your channel!
Hi Natasha I think your chocolate cake is amazing. I made the cake and it was delicious
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha i really love your yt channel i always watch that. And i wanna try your chocolate ckae recipe but i don’t have yet oven. Can i use Turbo boiler or microwave for the cake?
Hi Joanna, I have only tried this in an oven; I can’t advise you on making this in a microwave if you happen to experiment though, I would love to know how you like that.
Okayy i will try for my birthday. But thank you 😊
Happy Birthday, Joanna!
Tried this out yesterday for someone’s birthday and the results were stunning. Previously, whenever there were no eggs in the recipe, my baked goods would just not hold up, that was not the case with this. Enjoyed Natasha and her goofy smile while watching the video, and enjoyed baking it more. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Ayesha!
Hi Natasha, I want to make two different cakes, one chocolate base and top a sponge. Which two recipes would go together to have a consistency in both sponges?
Hi Steve, have you tried our sponge cake? You can make one layer by the recipe and follow this recipe here for the chocolate version.
Hello!!! I was just curious could I make this cake in two 8” cake pans? Would that be ok? Also it looks so so yummy (^•^)
Hi Anne, It might work with two 8-inch pans but I haven’t tested it so I won’t be able to give you precise baking instructions.
Hi Natasha,
Check checking to ask if this cake has no eggs? Is that correct? It looks delicious!
Hi Mary, the recipe is correct and there are no eggs.
This recipe is truly amazing! I made it for my daughter’s birthday and it was a huge hit. My family has now urged me never to lose this recipe. I subbed the light olive oil with corn oil and it worked well. Seriously if you’re looking for a great and easy chocolate cake recipe. Try this one!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi Natasha
Your recipes are amazing…what can we substitute the oil with?
Thank you! You can use vegetable or canola oil too
Hi natasha, i want to make this cake today. But can you replace the extra virgen olive oil by sunflower oil?
Greetings from the netherlands
Hi Finn, sunflower oil can impart a different flavor I would probably go with avocado instead if you have it.
I used almond flour and my cake flopped. It was still boiling after 1hr. 👎🏿.
CAN ALMOND FLOUR BE USED.????
Hi Ann, I haven’t tried that substitution, so I can’t say how that would taste or affect the cake’s rise. We do recommend trying the recipe as written before making any substitutions.
My oven will fit only 1 ( 9” pan ) at a time. What can I do?
Hi Tanuja, I haven’t tested that in one pan; I imagine you will need a tall walled pan like a springform pan, but without testing that, I cannot advise on bake times (it would overwhelm a single standard cake pan). I would make half of the cake batter, bake that, and then make the second half.
If I bake half batter first, after 35 min rest batter will rise as same as first one?
Is the cake a bit heavy or spongy?
I always bake this right away so I’m not sure what effect it would have on the cake if it sits out for awhile before baking. I would say it’s both soft and spongy but it does have some weight to it.
Hi Natasha, is this frosting firm, and can it be out of the fridge and stay that way, for a reasonable time please?
Hi Joanne, I haven’t kept this out of the fridge for more than a couple of hours as it will really soften.
Hi Natasha! Just wanna ask if ok to use instant coffee? And if yes, what should be the measurement?
Hi Doris that should work; I would follow package instructions.