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
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Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Can I make this into a 9×13? How would this alter baking time?
Hi Lori, I think a 9×13 would bake up well but without testing that size, I wouldn’t be able to give you a specific baking time. If you test it out, please let me know how it goes!
Can you give this recipe to kids because of the caffeine ?
Hi Athanasia, We don’t have issues serving it because it’s a nominal amount of caffeine per serving but you can definitely use decaf if you are concerned.
i was Made this for my family get together and it was a hit!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Can this be made into cupcakes?Since there are only2 of us a whole cake is too much temptation
Hi Cathy, great question! That should work, we left some tips in the comments regarding cupcakes and pan baking, search “cupcakes”. I hope that helps
Hi,
Can we use butter instead of oil
Hi Samju, I have always made this particular cake with oil (vegetable oil would also work), but my only hesitation with butter sometimes cakes are more firm right out of the fridge while using oil prevents that problem. If you experiment, let me know how it goes.
OMISTARS! This is A.MAZ.ING. Yes – I’m yelling – yes – it’s that good. Followed the directions exactly except only had Hershey’s special dark cocoa, so I used that. It is moist to infinity and beyond. The frosting is perfect. So good. Thank you for a winner.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi there, for the 2 cups of coffee, any measurement for the coffee powder?
Hi Jenny, I haven’t tested this with instant coffee but here is what one of our readers wrote “Update for my cake. I made it again last Saturday for my son’s birthday and it turned out great! It was reach chocolate flavor (nobody noticed coffee). I used corn oil and for 2 cups coffee I used 3 tea spoons decaf instant coffee (light/medium roast).” I hope that helps.
Awesome recipe!! thank you so much for sharing! making it for the second time, but wondering if I can use less powdered sugar? personally I don’t like too sweet, the cake itself is amazing! not sure if I use less powdered sugar, the frosting texture is gonna change?
Hi Ava, 5 cups is correct. It may seem like a lot, but it is a lot of frosting and keep in mind that 1 cup of powdered sugar is actually 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. I tested this adding the powdered sugar to taste (and you can do the same), but I landed at 5 cups as the perfect balance of sweetness.
I was wondering about no eggs too. My husband just turned vegan so I’ll try to make this for him.
There are absolutely no eggs in this recipe! I hope you love it!
Delicious! I made a chocolate simple syrup and spooned over cake layers – it probably didn’t need it, but I just wanted to add it. The best chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made- thank you!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Rebecca!
Yummy!! I was looking for Oberweis chocolate cake recipe. This is exactly like that. Thanks Natasha.
You’re welcome, Raji! Thank you for that great review!
I have a question: can we skip the salt if we want our frosting to be really sweet? In my opinion, the sweeter, the better!
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Will do
Hi! Can I use milk instead of coffee?
Hi Ashley, coffee will provide the very best flavor because it amplifies the flavor of chocolate and does not taste like coffee. The next best thing would be water. I don’t know if it is an option for you, but decaf coffee would also work fine.
Hi Natasha
I love so much most of your recipes, but I am struggling to work out how much your cup is in grams.
Hi, if you click on “Metric” in the recipe card, it will convert the dry ingredients to grams for you.
Hi natasha. How many spoons of coffee and which brand do you use?
Hi Karen, it doesn’t matter what brand or the type of roast you use, we have notes in the recipe and in the comments on the kind of coffee. You can use, brewed, instant, or shots of coffee. It also depends on the brand and type of instant coffee. I would suggest following the instructions on the package of coffee which is usually a fairly strong cup of coffee. I hope that helps!
Top of the line! One awesome chocolate cake & frosting. Very moist. This is a keeper! Thank you Natasha! Patrice
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Patrice!
Hi Natasha! Can I use canola oil in place of the olive oil. Thanks
Hi Tracy, yes, canola oil would be the next best thing.
The coffee uve put is regular black coffee in water?
Hi Rabia, we have notes in the recipe and in the comments on the kind of coffee. You can use, brewed, instant, or shots of coffee. I hope that helps!
I have tried many of your recipes and the results are always very good. This cake is the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten. Moist and decadently chocolate, and the frosting is simply amazing! Easy to make too. Thank you!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review
Natasha, I watched this video and read the recipe. Are there really no eggs in this recipe?
That’s right, Maryann! There really are no eggs in this recipe.
I was also surprised to see no eggs in this recipe!
Can’t wait to try it out.
The mixture of baking soda and vinegar makes the cake rise. Make sure you get the cake in the oven quickly after you mix the wet and dry ingredients.
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!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Baked it last night. Turned out amazing. I replaced virgin oil by vegetable oil. Next time, I will use icing sugar for a smoother frosting texture. Finally, I used 3 cups of sugar for the frosting as it was getting too sweet to my taste. Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Rodaba! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi Natasha,
I want make a kid-friendly version of this cake, can I substitute the warm coffee with something else?
Many thanks!
Kr,
Adrian
Hi Adrian, The recipe would still work using warm water
Hi,
Can use a normal yogurt instead of greek yogurt in the coconut lime muffin recipe ?
Hi, I haven’t tested that to advise but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Ciao , vorrei tanto fare la tua torta.. ma ho difficoltà nella traduzione degli ingredienti, visto che qui in Italia ci sono i grammi.. per favore potresti aiutarmi? Ho appena fatto la tua ricetta del pollo ai funghi.. buonissimooooo
Hi Eliana, If you click “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post it will take you to our printable recipe where you have the option to view the ingredients in US Customary or Metric measurements. I hope that helps.
No eggs???or substitute???
That’s right, this cake has no eggs!
Hey Natasha!,
This recipe look delicious! I don’t have coffee at home but I have espresso powder..would this be a fine substitute? Maybe just do half? What do you think?
I appreciate your input and time:)
Hi Jessica, yes that would work great, just add it to the water until you have a strong tasting coffee.
Yummy.. the delicious recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha! Love your recipes! I was wondering what type of cake pans you use? Thanks!
Hi Lisa, that’s a great question. Our favorite kitchen tools can be found here.
Is this cake very sweet?
5 cups of powder sugar sounds sweet
Hi Oksana, 5 cups is correct. It may seem like a lot, but it is a lot of frosting and keep in mind that 1 cup of powdered sugar is actually 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. I tested this adding the powdered sugar to taste (and you can do the same), but I landed at 5 cups as the perfect balance of sweetness.
Hi Natasha! I just want to make the cakes but no frosting. Do the cakes taste good all by themselves?
Hi Tanya, we have always tested this with frosting. If you experiment it, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I do not like frosting for the most part because it’s usually too sweet. This frosting is not too sweet. I think it’s because the sugar offsets some of the ‘tang’ the cream cheese has. It is absolutely amazing frosting and easy to make.
Thank you for sharing that with us. We feel like we found the perfect balance with this recipe, we also don’t like overly sweet frosting.
I love the recipes
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, does it matter what kind of coffee brand I use? Any kind? Also, should be light, medium, or dark roast?
Hi Lupe, it doesn’t matter what brand or the type of roast.
Hi Natasha, my oven is small and can only fit one pan at a time. Should I:
a) bake one at a time
b) bake all at one time in one pan and then just slice the cake into two later on?
Which would be a better workaround?
Please help
Hi Janet, I haven’t tried baking this in 1 taller springform pan so I could only guess about that. It may work but I don’t know how much longer you would have to bake without testing it first. I think it would be ok to bake one at a time.
Thanks! Does that mean mix and bake half of the recipe at a time?
Or mix all at one time then divide and bake half at a time?
Sorry. This will be my first time to bake a cake my whole life. I am nervous!
I would mix all and then bake. I have not tried it that way but it seems like the easier option.
Has anyone used this cake recipe to make Black Forest Cake? Do you think it would be nice? thanks
Hi Sarah, I’m not seeing anyone trying that in the comments. Have you given our Black Forest Cake recipe a try? You can find the recipe following this link here.
Absolutely the best. I made cupcakes and frooze most of them for a quick desert to enjoy at a later date. When making cupcakes you only need half the frosting recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi, Natasha!
Do you think, one day in the near future, you’ll create and post a Nutella / Ferrero Rocher cake recipe?
Hi Victoria, I haven’t tested with that cake yet but thank you for that suggestion!
Hi, regarding your chocolate cake recipe. The recipe says 5 cups of powdered sugar for the frosting, but in your video it looks like you are adding 5 tbsp. Which is correct, because I don’t want to make it too sweet.
Hi Majbritt, we sifted in all 5 cups of powdered sugar, for the sake of video length you say the beginning process of that but we did you all of it.
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday. It was easy and tasted amazing! I can’t wait to make this again.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
I have a question really, is there anything you can substitute for the coffee in this cake?
Hi Terri, coffee will provide the very best flavor because it amplifies the flavor of chocolate and does not taste like coffee. The next best thing would be water. I don’t know if it is an option for you, but decaf coffee would also work fine.
Hi..I cannot find light olive oil,I only have extra virgin olive oil what should I use instead?
Also is classic Philadelphia cream cheese is ok for frosting?
Planning to bake this cake for my daughter’s second birthday:)
Hi Richa, extra virgin olive oil is not ideal for baking because it imparts its own flavor. Canola oil would be the next best thing.
What about Coconut Oil?
Hi Donna, I honestly haven’t tried coconut oil, so I could only guess on that one.
Hi Natasha..
Can I use Philadelphia cream cheese..
Hi Richa, yes that is our favorite brand for the frosting.
Can I use vegetable oil instead of light olive oil? thank you in advance
Hi Jojo, That oil substitution should work.
Hi Natasha,
How do you get your cakes to bake flat? Mine not only dome, but sometimes dome to one side! Thanks!
Hi Lorrie, 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?
No, not with this recipe (haven’t made it… yet!!) Just noticing how beautiful your cakes look, and feeling a little envious !
Hi Natasha,
I must say I love your recipes, they are easy to make and delicious 🙂
Congrats for all your work!
I would like to try this amazing chocolate cake but don’t have the kind of mixer you have, yet. I only have a regular mixer, a hand blender and a Vitamix. Do you think I can use one of those for the frosting? Thank you!
HI Anisia, a high powered hand mixer would also work for the frosting. I haven’t tried in a Vitamix but I think a hand mixer will give you the most consistent results with less frustration.
Hi Natasha. This cake looks absolutely delicious. I am about to make it but I was wondering.. about the coffee preparation.. how much coffee granules to put in for every cup of water? Thanks in advance!
Hi, it depends on the brand and type of instant coffee. I would suggest following the instructions on the package of coffee which is usually a fairly strong cup of coffee.
Hi Natasha!
I’m baking your chocolate cake right now, but the inside does not seem to be cooking even though 35 minutes passed. How long should I bake it longer?
Should I lower the temperature and bake longer because it might burn, or is it ok to just continue baking without changing anything?
Hi Eileen, yes, that should be fine.
Natasha how much coffee u put in two cups of coffee.how many spoon i mean?
Hi Syeda, I would recommend following the package instructions on your coffee.
Is the total carbs on this cake for the whole cake with frosting or is is per peice?
Hi Trista, the nutrition label is always per slice or per serving and we have the number of servings towards the top of the recipe card.
Can this recipe be made in 6inch cake pans?
Hi Inyat, I haven’t tested that way so I won’t be able to give you precise baking instructions.If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi Eileen, does your oven run a little cooler with most recipes? Be sure to double-check for doneness with the toothpick test and if it comes out clean without any wet batter attached, it’s ready.
Hi Natasha… tried your chocolate cake, came out super. But the frosting was runny if left out of the fridge. How can I thicken the frosting?
Hi Melissa, I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake! For the frosting, it helps if the cream cheese and butter are not overly softened when you are starting out and also be sure not to make any substitutions and keep the same proportions of powdered sugar and cocoa powder. They help the frosting to keep its form. I hope that helps!
Hi I want to make a four layer cake for my sons birthday, would this stand well in four layers if I doubled the recipe?
Hi Sharon, I honestly haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure how the weight would hold up. If I were to try, I would bake in 2 separate batches and essentially make the cake twice. If you test that out, I would love to hear how it goes and see a photo of it!
My cake turned out too dense and heavy. Likely because?
The frosting turned out well.
Hi Ling, this cake does not require eggs. I’m more than happy to troubleshoot as it should not be dense. Did you make any changes to the recipe and measure your dry ingredients correctly?
How far ahead can I make this cake?
Hi Mel, I haven’t maxed this out but I think it tastes best made a day ahead. One of my readers reported frosting and freezing a week ahead with great results but I haven’t experimented with that myself.
Looks Bert Yummie .. but how mush is one cup? We messure in cl, dl in Sweden
Hi Sat, If you click “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post-it will take you to our printable recipe where you have the option to view the ingredients in US Customary or Metric measurements. I hope that helps.
This cake was sooo delicious! All of Natasha’s recipes are Very good. I am always confident making one of her recipes for the 1st time with out a practice when I have company over for dinner or taking a dessert over to a gathering. She doesn’t disappoint!
Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Andrea! You’re so nice! Thank you!
No eggs ? No need ?
Hi Jennifer, that is correct! This chocolate cake does not require any eggs.
Natasha, thank you SO much for a fantastic eggless recipe! Baked it for my kid’s birthday and it was a raging hit!
That’s so awesome! Sounds like you found a new favorite Lara! Thank you for the great review!
Don’t Dr coffee what can I use? Can I use Veg. Oil instead of olive oil?
Hi Debbie, coffee will provide the very best flavor. The next best thing would be water. I don’t know if it is an option for you, but decaf coffee would also work fine.
Can you make these into cupcakes?
Hi Boe, that should work, we left some tips in the comments regarding cupcakes and pan baking, search “cupcakes”. I hope that helps
Can I substitute baking soda for baking powder?
Can I use white distilled vinegar?
Can the coffee be flavoured like French vanilla?
Hi Tasha, I would make the recipe with baking soda since it is 4x stronger than baking powder. Yes, white distilled vinegar is correct. I haven’t tried flavoring with French vanilla but I think that could work well. I hope you love the cake!
Are there any adjustments for making this cake at high altitude? Thank you!
Hi Valerie, I haven’t tried it at high altitude so I would suggest following the general guidelines for baking at high altitudes.
What coffee does it matter?
Hi Vianney, I recommend reading through our post for the tips and especially the comment. Several readers have posted great results using instant and brewed coffee.
Hi Natasha,
Your recipe says 2 9″ round pans. I’d like to know how deep is the 9″ round pan so i can buy the correct pans.
Thank you
Gina
Hi Gina, we have the exact pans in our shop here, I hope that helps.
I love most of your baked recipes.Prepared to try them.
That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that with me
Hi there
How much of the instant coffee should I use, don’t have a coffee machine. My sister wants me to make this for her lol under pressure to get it right… love your creations and thanks for sharing..xxx
Hi Refliwe, I haven’t tested this with instant coffee but here is what one of our readers wrote “Update for my cake. I made it again last Saturday for my son’s birthday and it turned out great! It was reach chocolate flavor (nobody noticed coffee). I used corn oil and for 2 cups coffee I used 3 tea spoons decaf instant coffee (light/medium roast).” I hope that helps.
Best chocolate cake ever! And so so so easy to make!
Hi Yana, I’m so happy to hear that!
Hi, Natasha. I am planning on baking this for my daughter’s birthday.
Could you please specify the amount of coffee powder one would have to use for this recipe?
Hi Lalita, I would suggest making it per the package instructions since the instructions typically produce a fairly strong coffee.
Is the calorie content per slice or for the whole cake? I can’t imagine the whole cake is under 700 calories, but I am just wondering since it doesn’t say. The cake was delicious by the way! It did stick to the parchment paper though, so maybe you need to butter the parchment also?
Hi Sidney, the nutrition label and calorie count is per serving and we have the serving size in the recipe card. It wouldn’t hurt to butter the top of the parchment paper as well.
Hey natasha can you tell me what is the name of the background music you played in this cake video? Also your cake looks really luscious
Hi Shahida, the music was called “Amsterdam” from Soundstripe.
Thankyou so much
I am one of probably the very few that can’t stand the taste or even the smell of coffee. Is the coffee evident in the taste of the chocolate cake?
Hi Judy, I recommend reading through our comments about substitutions and the flavor itself. Here’s what one of our readers wrote ” “Update for my cake. I made it again last Saturday for my son’s birthday and it turned out great! It was reach chocolate flavor (nobody noticed coffee). I used corn oil and for 2 cups coffee I used 3 tea spoons decaf instant coffee (light/medium roast).” I hope that helps.
I don’t like layer cakes can I make them into cupcakes or into a 9 by 13 pan
Hi Ann, Both of those should work, we left some tips in the comments regarding cupcakes and pan baking, search “cupcakes”. I hope that helps
Hi Natasha, what else can be used instead of olive oil?
Can I use melted butter?
Hi Latha, I have always made this particular cake with oil (vegetable oil would also work), but my only hesitation with butter is sometimes cakes are more firm right out of the fridge while using oil prevents that problem. If you experiment, let me know how it goes.
To dense for me. Also eggless. This is the second eggless cake I have made and I have to say I am not a fan. Not crazy about the frosting either. I make good frosting and thought I would try something new, but again not a fan.
Hi Pamela, I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work for you. Normally this is a very soft and moist cake and rises well. This is one of our most popular cakes and I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you possibly swap baking soda for baking powder? Also, did you make sure to measure ingredients correctly? This cake does happen to be eggless and does not require them for great rise and texture.
I read then re-read the ingredients, was this truly eggless?! Yes it was, so I made the strangest chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made and it is heavenly! A new favourite in our household, thank you.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Lin!
I’ve just eaten the last piece, 7 days after making and it was still gorgeous!
I’m so happy to hear that you love it! Isn’t it awesome that it keeps well? Thanks for the lovely review!
Hi Natasha, I made this cake with my 10 year old. I’m not sure what we did wrong but the cakes rose in the middle and was a bit of a dome shape, so when we put the frosting on, it wasn’t flat like yours. What did we do wrong?
Hi Adrienne, did you use a leveled measuring spoon for the leavening? I have found that using too much can cause it to dome. Also be sure to bake in the center of your oven on regular bake mode.
Everyone in my family was blown away by this cake! They thought I had bought it from a high end café! Definitely gonna make it for everyone’s birthday cake now. However, just a question – my cake isn’t as high as yours in the video. I used 9-inch pans. How did this work out to be lower / shorter than yours?
Hi Rowena, I’m so happy your family loved the chocolate cake! 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.
This chocolate cake is amazing!!!! Made it 3 times already! And the almond Nutella cake is also super delicious along with the almond cookies. Basically, I love all your recipes!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Sonia!
Hi Natasha , can I use butter instead of oil ? And also can I drop vinegar ?
Thanks
Hi, I haven’t tried substituting with butter so I can’t say for sure, but the vinegar is necessary as it activates the baking soda and helps with rising.
Hi Natasha, I’m thrilled with your new site, this is really really wonderful as a resource. I have been looking for a good fluffy chocolate cake and this seems like it’s just right. I was wondering though if coconut oil would work to replace the olive oil? Or even half coconut and half applesauce? I’m trying to start a bakery business out of my home and I’ve had a woman request a dark chocolate cake with raspberry filling and chocolate cream cheese frosting, this seems like it would work for that but I’m not sure. Thank you!
Hi Rachel, I would probably go with avocado oil since coconut oil and sunflower oil can impart a different flavor.
Yes I notice there is no eggs in the chocolate cake is that right my cake is very heavy brownie like
Hi! This cake does not require eggs. I’m more than happy to troubleshoot as it should not be dense. Did you make any changes to the recipe and “>measure your dry ingredients correctly?
Just make this cake…actually 2…did separate batches & it is very moist & breaking up…yet stuck to my pans…I bake alot & dont have that happen…2 cakes were salvaged to ice…looks like a cake a teen did…noticed no eggs & last statement was for cupcakes????
Would like to know what went wrong…
Hi Lori, thanks for catching that about the cupcakes – that was just a typo – I must have been thinking about cupcakes. For the cake to not stick, it is important to line the bottoms with a ring of parchment paper. It is very difficult to transfer and will break apart otherwise. If you think the issue was in the actual texture or consistency of the cake layers, it could be due to varying proportions of wet to dry ingredients. I highly recommend this article on how to measure ingredients for baking since a change in method can result in up to 2% too much flour which would cause a dryer cake. I hope that helps!
Natasha can I froze the remaining frosting? I could not use all of it. Thanks
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
In your video you use a whisk attachment, but the recipe says to use a paddle attachment. Which one is correct?
Hi Karina, 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.
Hi,
Can I put less amount of sugar into this recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Gay, 5 cups is correct. It may seem like alot, but it is a lot of frosting and keep in mind that 1 cup of powdered sugar is actually 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. I tested this adding the powdered sugar to taste (and you can do the same), but I landed at 5 cups as the perfect balance of sweetness.
Hi,
I actually increased all the ingredients (except for the powdered sugar) for the frosting by 1/3, at the same time reducing (!) the amount of powdered sugar by 1/3 and it worked out perfectly! It was still very sweet so I’m not even sure what it’d be like with the whole amount of sugar…
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you Irina!
If I were to make this tall rectangle cake what pan size would you suggest to use?
Hi Lana, I think a 9×13 would bake up well but without testing that size, I wouldn’t be able to give you a specific baking time. If you test it out, please let me know how it goes!
If I were to make this a 3 tier cake how many portions of this cake would I need? Also, if I were to bake them in different size pans would time be different for each of them? I haven’t tested in 3 different sized pans either so you would have to experiment there.
Hi Lana, the easiest way to turn this into a 3-tier pan is to use 3 smaller cake pans. I haven’t tested this so I won’t be able to provide specific details on bake time but I would try maybe three 6″ or 8″ pans and be sure to do the toothpick poke test to check for doneness.
I made 2 of these and froze them fully frosted 1 week ahead of time.
We easily served 40 people with those 2 cakes. I also added a spoonful of cherry pie filling and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A very delicious recipe and super inexpensive even with the cherries. Thank you. You are a doll.
That’s so awesome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that & thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Was just wondering has this cake got no eggs in it
Hi Avril, that’s right, this cake has no eggs!
What can I use to take place of coffee?
Hi Edwina, coffee will provide the very best flavor. The next best thing would be water. I don’t know if it is an option for you, but decaf coffee would also work fine.
I LOVE this cake. It is sooo delicious -very moist and chocolatey. 🤤🤤 I used your cream cheese cream from the tiramisu cake instead and added cocoa powder to it since I’m not a fan of buttercream; it was wonderful!! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Olesya!
This seriously looks like the perfect chocolate cake!! Thanks for sharing all the tips, especially how to get even layers. One of my biggest struggles!
You’re welcome Liz! I hope you love it!
Really good cake, did make a few changes. I used dark, nonstick 8″ cake pans, and ended up making a 3 layer cake instead of 2. Baked at 325 for about 20 minutes. Turned out good, but was a little sweet for me. Will use less sugar next time, but was very pleased with the results. Thanks for a good recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Abigail.
Thank you for the recipe Natasha. This cake is easy to make for sure and the frosting is very tasty, however to me the layers were a bit dry. I just like more moist cakes, but that’s me. Lots of my friends liked the cake, so this is just my personal opinion. And so many recipes of yours became my long time favorites, it is just with this one I don’t click 🙂
Hi Yulia, I’m so glad you have enjoyed so many of our recipes! Thanks for sharing that with me. The primary reason for a dry cake is usually over-baking. You might try baking for 3-5 minutes less (do the toothpick test early) and also make sure the oven is set to the regular bake mode and not convection. I hope that helps!
I am SUPER PICKY about a cake being moist, as is my husband. My cake did not come out dry at all. I baked mine for exactly 35 minutes. I use Baker’s Sugar exclusively and I make sure to spoon flour in rather than scoop it up so that I don’t get too much. When I added the coffee it was warm, not hot. The cake came out perfect.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing that with us Karen!
Hi Natasha!
I want to make this cake for my husband’s birthday which is tomorrow.
Is it ok if I make it today evening and put it in the fridge to wait for tomorrow?
Will it affect anyhow the quality of the cake?
Hi Natalie, I think it’s the most moist the day it’s made but it does keep really well. Be sure to cover and refrigerate. I would suggest letting it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving for it to soften up again.
I made this cake for a dinner party today. It was a big hit. I am pretty picky when it comes to chocolate cake and was reluctant to try one completely from scratch. But Natasha has never steered me wrong. So I went for it and was not disappointed. I didn’t have light olive oil so I used canola oil. It turned out perfect.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Karen!
I noticed it does not have eggs, I thought you had to add eggs to cakes?
Hi Cynthia, this cake does not require eggs. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Can I add eggs? Will it still taste good?
Hi Claudia, without testing it, I can’t make that recommendation although the cake works great without them so I’ve never had a reason to add them.
Cake looks amazing but I noticed there are no eggs. Is that ok? I thought a cake always needs to have eggs in it.
Hi Olivia! That is the beauty of this cake absolutely no eggs! I hope you love it!
Hi Natasha! I made this cake and it is simply DELICIOUS! And it looks just as beautiful as it tastes. Thanks very much – your site is my “go to” when I need inspiration for dinner.
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles!
Great recipe – we can hardly wait to try it. Do you have recommendations for baking this cake at high altitude?
Hi Iris, I haven’t tried it at high altitude so I would suggest following the general guidelines for baking at high altitudes.
Hello Natasha. I enjoy baking a lot!
You mentioned your mom finished culinary school. What degree did she get and how long does it take to get it?
What is the difference between extra virgin and virgin olive oil? How does it affect the batter? Can extra virgin olive oil be substituted with vegetable oil?
Also, I like to bake in big batches for my family because they are lovers of sweet… I was wondering if you have recipes that can be made one time in big batch. Do you think doubling the recipe is a good idea to get a big batch?
Hi Lana, I’ll have to ask her – I’m not sure. Extra virgin olive oil imparts flavor and is best used in salads. I haven’t tried this with extra virgin so I’m not sure if it would add an unpleasant flavor here. I always use extra LIGHT olive oil. I also haven’t tried doubling this because it makes a pretty large, tall cake. If you did double, you would probably have to use 2 – 9×13 pans or four 9″ round pans.
Sometimes the best dessert is the simplest dessert! This cake is heavenly and great for get-togethers or birthdays!
I agree! We love how quickly this comes together!
This cake was chocolate HEAVEN! I couldn’t stop taking little bites off of it.
Hi Emily, I am so happy you loved it! Thank you for the awesome review.
Hi Natasha, I made this cake.. it was AMAZING. Everyone in my family loved it. thank you so much for sharing.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it, Aliisa!
Such a simple, yet decadent dessert recipe! I’ll be making this sometime this week; it’s too good to pass up!
I hope you love it Sara! Looking forward to your feedback!
SO delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha, amazing recipe! I loooved it ! I was wondering if I can add one cup of coffee and one cup of milk instead of two cups of coffee ? Also, would you say this recipe makes about a pound cake ?
Hi Amrita, I honestly haven’t weighed it so I’m not sure how much the cake layers weigh. I also have not experimented using half milk and half coffee. I think it’s worth a try. Let me know if you experiment as others may have the same question and thanks in advance!
This chocolate cake is my kryptonite! So delicious!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review Stephanie!
Hello Natasha. This cake looks and sounds delicious!
I was wondering if this cake could be made in rectangle pan. You know when you buy cake mix it says you can either make in round, rectangle or cupcakes pan? Yeah, so I was wondering if that’s possible to do that for this cake or for other cakes. If yes, what size of pan then? Do you know?
Hi Lana, I think a 9×13 rectangular pan would bake up well but without testing that size, I wouldn’t be able to give you a specific baking time. If you test it out, please let me know how it goes!
Hi Natasha! Love your recipes. I only have one 9” spring pan, do you think I can bake half of the batter and then another or should I really bake them at the same time? Will batter go bad sitting out while the other part bakes? Thank you!
Hi Marianna, I have always baked the cake layers at the same time so I’m not sure if it would affect the rise on the second layer. If you test that out, let me know how it goes. Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you.
I think I’ll invest in another pan just to be safe :). Another question – does it need to be made in advance so the layers become moist? I’m planning to serve it Saturday night so should I make the whole thing Friday night, or make the layers on Friday and assemble Saturday morning?
Hi Marianna, there is no need to make this one in advance. It can be made a day ahead or it can be made and served the same day. It does slice easier after an hour or two in the refrigerator.
Hi Natasha,
I was wondering about a syrup for this cake. I saw that some of your cakes have syrups in the ingredients. Do you think this one would be better with a syrup? I am used to European cakes which use syrup in their recipes. However, here in the States, most recipes are made without it and they seem too dry for me. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Hi Mari, we found this cake to be moist enough without needing any extra syrup. We always use a syrup with a sponge cake because they tend to be fairly dry on their own but this one does have a fairly moist crumb on it’s own, just be sure not to over-bake.
Hi Natasha!
Love your recipes, videos and your humor in your videos! Going to try this cake but need it to be travel-worthy. Do you think a 9 X 13 pan would be okay?
Hi Joyce, I think a 9×13 would bake up well but without testing that size, I wouldn’t be able to give you a specific baking time. If you test it out, please let me know how it goes!
Cooking the cake in a 9 X 13 worked well. I did not use my convection oven. Baking it in a casserole style dish calls for a low and slow cooking method. I cooked it at 300 for 50-55 minutes. About the coffee: I used a medium roast coffee. I brewed a 10 oz cup and then added water to make the 2 cup measurement. No one suspected the coffee; not even my husband who loves chocolate but hates coffee! It is an awesome, memorable cake. 5 stars!
Hi Joyce, I’m so happy you loved the cake and thank you for the fantastic review! Also, thank you so much for sharing the baking tips with making it in a 9×13 pan. I sure appreciate you!
Hey Natasha, do you think I could just use 2 8-inch cake pans? Or would there be enough batter for 3?
Hi Oksana, I think you could probably stretch it accommodate three 8-inch pans or bake in two eight inch pans. I haven’t tested either way so I won’t be able to give you precise baking instructions.
Hi Natasha!
I plan on doing this cake today but I am not a coffee drinker so I have no idea about drip coffee taste lol. So if I buy the coffee already done at Starbucks, which would be the best option?
Thanks!
Hi Erika, a drip coffee would work.
this cake and the choc cream cheese icing is wonderful! I am assuming that because of the cream cheese ingredient that the cake needs to be stored in the fridge? Yes?
Hi Susan, yes we recommend keeping it refrigerated.
Wow! I made this for Mother’s Day on Sunday. Delicious! I used Canola oil and it turned out fine. Thank you Natasha.
That’s so great Frankie! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Natasha , in the recipe two cups warm coffee is strong or light flavor.
Looks yummy
Thanks you
Hi Marimar, the coffee should be the strength of brewed drip coffee or you might taste the coffee in the cake.
Hi Natasha, thank you for all your lovely recipes you share with us.
I loved this eggless version of chocolate cake.
I have to make 125 pieces of this cake and need your help to get the correct measurement . Please help me.
TIA.
Happy Baking all the followers. ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Nanthini, Wow! 125 is a lot of slices! This cake makes 14 slices. To make 125 slices you would need 9 cakes unless you decided to cut the slices smaller. I hope that helps!
I tried this recipe this afternoon and it was easy and delicious.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Thank you for sharing that with me!
I made It as cupcakes and came out moist then dried up. What would you recommend?
Hi Catillia, dry cupcakes are usually due to over-baking. Make sure you are using the conventional oven mode (not convection) and follow the baking instructions in our cupcake recipe post. I hope that helps!
Loved the recipe. A bit strong on the coffee I thought (may be because I used strong coffee :)) so maybe I’ll tone that down next time.
Hi Jaspal! Diluting the coffee will help. You shouldn’t really taste it, the coffee works to amp up the flavor of the cocoa without tasting the coffee in the finished dish.
What can I substitute for coffee, just hot water? Maybe respberry soda?
Thank you
Hi Pamela, coffee will provide the very best flavor. The next best thing would be water. I don’t know if it is an option for you, but decaf coffee would also work fine.
Will make soon, looks wonderful. I won’t use Hersheys cocoa though, it has no flavor and hasn’t had any for many, many years.
I hope you enjoy this recipe, Pamela!
Looks so amazing can’t wait to try it! What kind of coffee did you use?
Hi Olga, Drip coffee! Espresso would be fine but I would dilute it with water to the strength of brewed drip coffee or you might taste the coffee in the cake.
I love Cakes and i will try this tonight , thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing that with us! I hope you love it!
This looks beyond delicious however, I can’t stand coffee. Do you have another recipe for chocolate cake that doesn’t include coffee in the recipe? Thank you.
Hi Tammy, I do have a few chocolate cake recipes but this is our favorite. If it helps, you can’t taste the coffee in the finished cake but it really amplifies the flavor of the chocolate.
Hi Natasha! I tried this cake today for Mother’s day. It was delicious. my son said he wants it for his birthday too 🙂 This cake remids me cupcakes (Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Prague Frosting). My mistake was that I used Prague Frosting for this cake. But Prague Frosting was too delicate and when I cut the cake my top layer started to slide so I had to use plastic knife and stabbed my poor cake and it looked more like zombie cake 🙂
But flavor was yummy. Next time I am going to follow your recipe (that’s why we have instructions :D)
Thank you for sharing your review with me Svetlana! I hope it turns out better for you next time!
Hi Natasha 🙂
Update for my cake. I made it again last Saturday for my son’s birthday and it turned out great! It was reach chocolate flavor (nobody noticed coffee). I used corn oil and for 2 cups coffee I used 3 tea spoons decaf instant coffee (light/medium roast).
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Svetlana!
Hey Natasha, could I substitute the light olive oil with vegetable oil? And also did you just use instant coffee? Because I have instant espresso and was wondering if I could use that instead. Is white vinegar also okay to substitute? If so, with what? Thanks in advance.
Hi Oksana, That oil substitution should work. Drip coffee, Espresso would be fine but I would dilute it with water to the strength of brewed drip coffee or you might taste the coffee in the cake. I haven’t tried any other vinegar so I’m not sure how that would affect the flavor. You definitely want to make sure it’s the same % vinegar acidity.
I can’t wait to make this. 5 cups of powdered sugar sounds like a lot of sugar though.
Hi Ali, we also don’t love overly sweet cakes but this one was just right. Keep in mind 1 cup of powdered sugar is the equivalent of 1/2 cup granulated so it seems like a lot of sugar but really isn’t. You can add the powdered sugar to taste and that is how I developed the recipe early on – by adding powdered sugar until the balance was correct.
Was excited to try this cake.. Frosting is to die for! So yummy. Cake has no flavor at all which was a disappointment. It cocoa powder gives the rich color but nothing to the flavor.
Hi, I’m so glad you loved the frosting. Did you possibly substitute anything in the cake? The coffee amplifies the cocoa and it’s pretty richly chocolatey in flavor.
Hi, I was wondering if I could use melted butter instead of olive oil.
Hi Gina, I have always made this particular cake with oil (vegetable oil would also work), but my only hesitation with butter is sometimes cakes are more firm right out of the fridge while using oil prevents that problem. If you experiment, let me know how it goes.
Thank You..I will let you let you no. I will 1/4 the recipe and see.
I look forward to your feedback Gina!
What can be used to substitute coffee? Believe it or not, I am allergic to coffee (a rare and truly disappointing allergy).
Oh no!! 🙁 I’m sorry to hear that! What a bummer! The recipe would still work using warm water.
Love the depth of flavor that coffee adds to chocolate recipes!
Yes! It’s amazing how it works to amp up the flavor of cocoa without tasting the coffee in the finished dish.
Hi, Natasha, 5 cups sugar??? Really? Don’t you have a mistake in the recipe? It seems too much to me.
Hi Jan, 5 cups is correct. It may seem like alot, but it is a lot of frosting and keep in mind that 1 cup of powdered sugar is actually 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. I tested this adding the powdered sugar to taste (and you can do the same), but I landed at 5 cups as the perfect balance of sweetness.
Ok, thank You, I go make it 🙂
You’re so welcome!
I cannot have coffee. What is a good replacement.
Hi Gwen, coffee will provide the very best flavor. The next best thing would be water. I don’t know if it is an option for you, but decaf coffee would also work fine.
Made the cake today and it turned out AMAZING!!! Wish could send you a photo of this yummy perfection ! Thank you so much Natasha
Hi Uz, I am so happy you loved the cake!! That makes my day! Thank you for sharing your awesome review. I would love to see a photo but the only way currently is to either email it to me or post it in our private VIP cooking group on facebook.
can i substitute avocado oil for olive oil?
thanks!
or would coconut oil or sunflower oil be a better substitute? i just don’t have olive oil on hand…
I would probably go with avocado since coconut oil and sunflower oil can impart a different flavor.
Can I use Canola oil instead of olive oil? I’m making it for my Mom on Mother’s Day.
HI Frankie! That should work although I haven’t tested that and may alter the taste a bit.
HI,how much coffee should I put to make 2 cups? TIA!
Hi Annie, I honestly haven’t tried that but I think it would work.
No milk or eggs? I’m gonna try this out for sure
You got that right! I hope you love it, Clarissa!
Oh my. This looks incredible! That frosting is calling my name. I could eat it by the spoonful!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Wow, it looks heavenly amazing! the coffees should be espresso or any other kind works out fine? and how about the white vinegar? can’t we use dark grape vinegar instead?
Hi, espresso would be fine but I would dilute it with water to the strength of brewed drip coffee or you might taste the coffee in the cake. I haven’t tried any other vinegar so I’m not sure how that would affect the flavor. You definitely want to make sure it’s the same % vinegar acidity.
I am going to make for a high school band banquet tonight. You can’t go wrong with chocolate for high schoolers and this one looks fantastic! Thank you for sharing
You’re so welcome! I hope you love it!
This looks heavenly! Can’t to wait to make it!
I hope you love it Julie! I look forward to your feedback!
I am going to try to bake it in a bundt pan since I do not have regular cake pan.I am sure it will be as delicious.And will pour chocolate ganache on top.
I haven’t tested that but it sounds beautiful! I hope you love this recipe!
This is every chocolate lovers dream. Will be making the cake asap. As always, thanks for sharing. 🙂
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Val!