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. 
I made this cake today & it is delicious! Does it need to be refrigerated?
Love it! Thanks for the great review and regarding refrigerating it, yes we recommend keeping it refrigerated. Be sure to cover when refrigerating. I would suggest letting it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving for it to soften up again.
We don’t have access to coffee right now and I seen in another comment to use water instead. I’ve never baked a cake from scratch but I will for this one I was wondering if I could replace the water with milk? Or would that be a bad idea? Thank you for all you do!
Water is the next best thing as I haven’t tried using milk with this recipe.
Hey Natasha! I’m loving your recipes and your videos!! Thank you so much. I’m looking forward to try this recipe but I don’t like coffee in cakes. Can I just omit it completely?
Hi Nelly, 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.
I made this cake for our last family function before the quarantine. It was devoured with really kind compliments from everyone!!!! This is my new go-to cake recipe for all of our family functions–and maybe just for the days that I’m craving cake. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Liz! I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes! Soon will come the time to gather again and we can enjoy these recipes together with friends and family.
I made your chocolate cake recipe and I must say it was fantastic! I used a homemade Pb frosting instead of chocolate…So So So good and low maintenance with great flavor and eggless also
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Sasha!
Hello,
Just wondering why is there vinegar? Could it be replaced with just water? Also, I would like to replace the hot coffee for 1/2 Kahlua
Thanks
Hi Lucie, The vinegar is necessary as it activates the baking soda and helps with rising. I haven’t tried any other substitute for it to advise.
Hi Natasha,
Wow, thanks for the quick reply!! I don’t think anyone has ever replied to any of my comments on Pinterest.
I made it and kept the vinegar im the recipe. Instead of hot coffee, I used 1/2 Kahlua and 1/2 water with 1 TBSP cocoa (my hubby is not a coffee fan and it was for his birthday yesterday). It came out perfect, and that icing OMG sooo creamy good!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Lucie! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Could you substitute the olive oil with vegetable oil?
Hi Elaine, a vegetable or canola oil would work.
I just this today, love this cake but I found the icing to be super sweet, and yes followed the ingredients has I was making it, any suggestions?
Hi Joy, we used 5 cups of powdered sugar. 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 worry it will affect texture if using less but if you experiment I would love to know how you like this recipe.
What would be the substitute of olive oil in this n what should be the quantity? Bcz I don’t have olive oil…
Btw really love ur recipes…
Hi Sindhu, a vegetable or canola oil would work.
Hi Natasha
Same quantity of oil???
Thnx for replying
Hi Sindhu, yes the same quality.
Hi Natasha! My name is Samantha! I absolutely love your videos and recipes! I’m planning on making this chocolate cake. What kind of coffee is best to use? Espresso or just regular coffee?
Thanks so much!
Hi Samantha! I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes. We use coffee from our machine. 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 hope that helps.
Hi Natasha, This cake is amazing, but now after eating half of it we were wondering if we can freeze it?
Thanks,
Adina
Hi Adina, 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 this recipe, and for doing what you do! I absolutely love all your videos and recipes! You’re awesome!
Quick questions: In your frosting pictures and recipe above, you’re showing and stating that we should use the paddle attachment but in the video you’re using the whisk attachment. Which one is it?
I ask because I didn’t have enough ingredients for the frosting so I had to reduce all its ingredients by half. I used the whisk attachment after seeing your video but the frosting came out way too thick and it was not smooth, at all 🙁 Any idea what could’ve happened? You aren’t using a true liquid besides the tsps of vanilla so I’m wondering what makes it smooth. Thank you!
Hi Michelle, either one will work and I have used both. If it wasn’t smooth, you might consider if a substitution was made – and lumps in the frosting often indicate that the cream cheese wasn’t softened enough. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes at a time until it softens some more and try beating again until smooth. I hope that helps!
Thank you for the reply, Natasha. I will try that next time.
One of the very best chocolate cake recipes!!!
Isn’t it amazing! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Hi Natasha,
How can I prepare coffee from Nescafe?
How many spoons of Nescafe I have to add for each cup?
Thank you
Hi Rima, 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 rich chocolate flavor (nobody noticed coffee). I used corn oil and for 2 cups coffee I used 3 teaspoons decaf instant coffee (light/medium roast).” I hope that helps.
Just realized I don’t have light olive oil (only olive oil or extra virgin) Would vegetable oil work?
Hi Aimee, a vegetable or canola oil would work. If you experiment with any of those options, let me know how it goes.
Just wondering if the cream cheese taste is prevalent in the frosting.
Hi Ann, I didn’t think it was overpowering with the cream cheese, but rather that it helped to balance the frosting, but you can add slightly more powdered sugar if you want to mask it further.
Can we leave out cocoa from the frosting?
I haven’t tried it yet without cocoa to advise. I imagine the taste wouldn’t be the same without it. Let me know how you liked it if you decide to experiment.
Hi, I was wondering if I could bake the cake all in one pan since I only have one?
Hi Rema, I haven’t tested that in a tall walled pan like a springform pan (it would overwhelm a single standard cake pan).
Hello Natasha, what substitute can I use for sugar?
Hi Lynette, I haven’t tested any other substitutions for granulated sugar so I can’t advise without experimenting first.
Loved this cake. Was especially perfect for my daughter who is allergic to eggs. Delicious!
I’m glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for the good feedback.
The cake came out to dense.
Hi Jyoti, did you possibly add too much flour? Make sure to follow our tips for measuring ingredients for baking. I hope that helps.
Absolutely delicious! Myself and my family loved this cake, and it was pretty easy to make. I definitely recommend
That’s so great! I’m so happy you all enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that awesome review with us, Kate!
Hi Natasha ,
Do you add milk to the coffee ? Or just water ? So 2 cups warm coffee is it just mixed with water or Milk ?
And can I use sunflower oil in it instead of olive oil ?
Hi Shymala, we make the coffee in our machine which uses water, we do not add milk to it. If you have it I would probably go with avocado since sunflower oil can impart a different flavor.
This cake was superb! I used canola oil in place of the olive and I used dark chocolate cocoa. Rich flavor and not too sweet. Family loved it.Thank you for sharing. I will be trying more recipes!
Also, the cake was super moist
Isn’t it the best! Thank you CJ!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, CJ!
My family and I love every recipe that I have made! Thank you so much for sharing. I am making the chocolate cake tonight. Keep up the great work!
Thank you Sandra. I can’t wait for you to try the chocolate cake recipe, it’s one of our favorites!
hi Natasha I have just made your chocolate cake following the receipt to the letter and as soon as I put the chocolate frosting on the cake started to crumble. This is the second time I have made this cake and the same thing happened last time. the cake tasted delicious but looked a mess . Any ideas
Hi Stephen, I haven’t had that happen – did you possibly underbake (cake had wet batter inside) or overbake (cake was dry)? Also, make sure to prep the pan according to the instructions to reduce the chances of it sticking to the pan which could cause it to break when you try to take it out of the pan. I hope that helps.
Cake turned out ok..not that great. It was tough from inside .. I followed the receipe.
Frosting was excellent
Hi Arpita, a tough cake usually indicates overbaking. Make sure you do the toothpick test a little sooner next time in case your oven runs hot. Also, make sure you bake on regular conventional bake mode and not convection.
No eggs? Purchased all the ingredients and noticed there were no eggs.
Hi Shirley, that is right! This recipe calls for no eggs.
What can I substitute for coffee?
Hi Patricia, 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,
Why do we use vinegar? Any substitute for it?
Thanks
Hi Jahana. The vinegar is necessary as it activates the baking soda and helps with rising. I haven’t tried any other substitute for it to advise.
Hi natasha! will instant baking powder espresso work for the cake batter? how much should i use? thank you
Hi Gel, 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 rich chocolate flavor (nobody noticed coffee). I used corn oil and for 2 cups coffee I used 3 teaspoons decaf instant coffee (light/medium roast).” I hope that helps.
This is super yummy! I don’t drink coffee so I didn’t have any on hand. I used water instead. I doubled the recipe because we have a 5 year old birthday party. I was able to make the main cake and 24 cupcakes. There was some batter left so a made a super small round cake so I could just eat it. The flavor didn’t disappoint! It was moist and delicious! I need to try it again with the coffee to see how much better it can be. By far the baes cake I have made from scratch!
Thank you for that wonderful feedback Spencer! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Our readers will find the water option helpful I’m sure.
I made this cake yesturday and it came out wonderful. I’m wondering if different types of coffee make a difference in taste …. I used maxwell house! Thank you.
I Dorothy, you should not taste the coffee in this recipe as its use is to enhance the chocolate flavor. I believe a stronger coffee may alter the flavor. If you happen to experiment with different kinds of coffee I would love to know your findings and how you like that.
Hi Natasha! I love your recipes! I want to make this for a friend’s birthday. I am curious – what coffee did you use?
Hi Rebecca, we used our coffee machine to make our coffee. Several of our readers have brewed coffee or used instant coffee. I hope that helps.
Your recipe look delicious. I have two 6 inches pan. How do I convert the ingredients to 6 inches pan? Thanks!
Hi Lily, I have not tested this in a 6-inch pan but it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Lily, make the original recipe. Use approx 3/4 of the batter, divided into you 6 in pans. I have a large measuring cup that holds 10 cups. If you have one, pour batter into it and measure the total amount. Subtract 1/4 of the batter. Divide the remaining batter into your pans.
I Natasha,
For the frosting i dont have cream cheese. Which ingrédient van replace it plz?
Hi Ksthuri, you might try a chocolate buttercream frosting instead. You would have to make other modifications here if you remove the cream cheese.
I’m planning to make this cake for my daughter birthday … The only oil i can use is olive oil , no other kind from Guyana
That should work. Please share with us how it goes.
Can I bake this cake in a bundt pan?
Hi Jocelyn, I have not tested this in a bundt cake to advise. If you experiment with that, please let me know how you like it.
Can this frosting be stored outside of the fridge? Or does it need to be refrigerated?
Amazing cake and amazing icing!
Hi Ashlyn, yes we recommend keeping it refrigerated. Be sure to cover when refrigerating. I would suggest letting it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving for it to soften up again.
Hello Natasha! I love your recipe’s! I made this cake yesterday for a family gathering. I altered it by using vegetable oil instead of the light olive oil. Additionally, I used dark cocoa powder, since it was what I had. My family was blown away, it was spectacular!
Thanks for sharing that with us and I’m glad to know that your modifications worked well! This would really help others who want to try those substitutes too.
Hi Natasha
There is no egg in this chocolate cake why is that…
That’s right Belle! No eggs! Isn’t that amazing! We used other ingredients that help with the cakes volume.
That’s right Belle. No eggs! Isn’t that amazing! We used other ingredients that help with the cakes volume.
Hello! I was going to give this cake a try. But I am wondering if it’s OK to use extra virgin olive oil instead of just olive oil. Then I’m going to use heavy whipping cream instead of cream cheese and buttercream and am wondering if it’ll be OK too?
Hi Hadicha, extra virgin olive oil imparts a different flavor which is why I don’t typically use it for baking.
Hadicha,
I’ve made this recipe three times with extra virgin olive oil. I know the flavor is different, but not sure how much and we loved the results. FYI.
George
I never seem to have LIGHT olive oil but always have vegetable oil. Can that be used instead? I’ll certainly put the light OO on my next grocery list though.
Hi Sylvia, a vegetable or canola oil would work. If you experiment with any of those options, let me know how it goes.
Love love love your videos and bubbly personality. I have a question. Light olive oil instead of like a vegetable or blended oil? Is there any strong olive oil taste afterwards? Thanks
Michael
Hi Michael, Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me. The olive oil can be replaced with canola oil. The one I use is a LIGHT olive oil so it doesn’t have any flavor. The one you would want to avoid for desserts is extra virgin olive oil since that does have a strong flavor.
Amazing, simple, easy and delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing your feedback with us.
Hi Natasha,
I really love your recipes.
Can I divide this recipe into half only? Also can i use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar?
Thank you.
Hello Reina, yes you may divide the recipe in half, I haven’t tried brown sugar yet to advise but if you do an experiment, please share with us how that goes.
Hallo Natasha,
I have a qustions. I have tried to make this cake for the second time but both time my cake breaks in peaces when I remove them from the cake pans. What could be the reason for that and what can I do te prevent them from breaking?
Hi Anubhha, 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 the method can result in up to 2% too much flour which would cause a dryer cake. I hope that helps!
Outstanding cake. Thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Very moist and delicious! The coffee really adds a depth and I was surprised how easy of a recipe it was. Thanks for providing it!
Thanks for sharing that with me, Darlene. I appreciate your great feedback!
I was wondering why your recipe for your chocolate cake does have eggs in it. Can I add eggs , and if I do how many and what to I substituted for it or put less of in this recipe
Hi Johanne, that’s right, no eggs in this recipe it relies on other ingredients for volume. This recipe doesn’t require eggs and I haven’t tested it with eggs either but let me know how you like it if you give it a try.
I made this cake a month ago it was delicious while I was checking the recipe one of the comments said that he/she used less sugar on the frosting, I followed this advice but the frosting was too soft. Next time I’ll use the five cups of powdered sugar.
Thank you for sharing that feedback with us!
Great recipe! The cake has great texture, good chocolate flavor, and uses ingredients that I basically always have on hand.
I halved the recipe, and it was just the right amount of batter for 12 cupcakes. I used a cherry whipped cream icing recipe, and topped each one with a chocolate dipped cherry. They were a big hit for Valentines Day! Thanks for another outstanding recipe!
You’re welcome, Sherri! Isn’t the flavor amazing! Thank you for sharing that amazing review with us!
Hi, I tried this today for Valentine’s day/boyfriend’s birthday. He liked it, my parents didn’t dad thought it was bland and mom said it tasted different. I did notice it was dense/heavy, thought it was gonna be fluffy. I just don’t know what I did wrong I followed everything, had all proper ingredients I’m at a loss. Will not give up I will try again I just would like to know what to do to make it fluffy
Hi Kristy, 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?
Yes I made sure to prep all ingredients properly. The only thing I was unsure of. The oil. There were alot and I was debating between one that said classic oil and one said light extra virgin oil. I went with the one that said light extra virgin oil could that have caused to be dense? Should I have gone with the one that said classic?
modifications to turn this into a red velvet? just food coloring or maybe also skip the coffee?
Hi Gregg, I honestly haven’t tried making this as a red velvet so I wouldn’t be able to offer advice without testing. If you experiment, let me know how it goes.
Hi! I’m going to try this cake but am wondering if I can make the frosting without cocoa, as I need a light based frosting so I can add some theme decorations to it. If so, do i need to make any adjustments? I’ve made simple cream cheese frosting with just cream cheese, butter, vanilla and sugar. I don’t know if the salt has a role together with the cocoa? Thanks!
Hi Arantxa, I haven’t tried that but I think white chocolate frosting will work.
Hi Natasha! I love all of your recipes so far. This is the first desert that I have made. The cake looked like yours, my icing was much lighter in color, and I don’t know how I forgot to icing in between the layers. The family all loved it! Only complaint was it was a little dry. I think that might have been over cooked because I’m getting use to my new stove. My granddaughter wants this for her birthday. It was a great follow up to your meat loaf, creamy potatoes, and sautéed squash.
Please keep up the good work!
Thank you for sharing that feedback with us. It should not be dry so it is possible the lack of icing between the layers and the oven could cause that. This would be the perfect cake for a birthday party!
Hi Natasha! The cake tastes superb! I love the moist coffe taste to it, thank you so much for the recipe! I used vegetable oil instead of olive oil and it was good!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing that with us and for your amazing feedback.
Hello Natasha,
I do not have cocoa powder on hand and instead have hot cocoa mix.. will that be ok to substitute?
Thanks!
Hi Asya, I have not tried that with hot cocoa mix to advise. I’d be curious to know if it works if you experiment.
can you cut back on the amount of sugar? or use a substitute?
Hi Christine, we used 5 cups of powdered sugar. 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 worry it will affect texture if using less but if you experiment I would love to know how you like this recipe.
My question referred to the sugar in the cake. So you say I can use powdered sugar in place of regular sugar in the cake! Never would have guessed.
Hi Christine, my apologies, I was referring to the frosting.
Hi Christine, I thought you were referring to the frosting. I wouldn’t substitute powdered sugar in the cake. Also, I haven’t tested the cake base with less sugar so I’m not sure how it would affect the outcome without testing first.
I was reading your ingredients for your chocolate cake and their is no eggs in it. All the other recipes I”ve read has eggs. Will the out come be the same.
Hi Johhanne, yes, this recipe has no eggs. We absolutely love it and so do the kids. I hope you try it soon.
Johanne, trust me, I’ve made this cake exactly as stated, twice, in less than a month! It is wonderful! Most recently at my Bunco Nite, served with a small scoop of my homemade vanilla ice cream! It was a major hit!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Barb!
I made this cake using 1/3 cup of white pork lard instead of olive oil and it was wonderful, so delicious, and lard doesn´t taste
thanks for the recipe
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Made this cake and it was so so delicious!! Definently recommend. Was a perfectly moist cake and the frosting paired so well with it!
Hi Inna, thank you for your wonderful review. I’m so glad you loved the chocolate cake.
This cake originally came from my grandmother. She didnt put olive oil or vinegar in it. It had heavy whipping cream and buttermilk. Her cake is still award winning today.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Beverly!
I made this for my daughters birthday and it was very nice, i was a bit unsure about not using eggs and at first thought it was a typo but nope no eggs and amazing, we did find the icing very sweet so possibly next time we won’t be so greedy and only have a small slice!! Will be making this again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Morag! Thank you for that feedback.
I only have extra virgin olive oil on hand. Could I use butter and if so, how much?
Hi Lucy, I haven’t tried this with butter so I’m not sure if it would affect the taste or texture. If you experiment, please let me know.
Will do. Thanks Natasha. 🙂
Hello. Can I ask the measurement of the coffe that you used here. Thank you.
Hi, if you go down to the recipe card, you can see the exact amounts of all ingredients.
Absolutely perfect!! We made this for my son’s birthday party this past weekend and it was a hit!! I doubled the recipe and was able to get another 6 inch layer and about 17 cupcakes in addition to the two 9 in layers. For the frosting I used one of your buttercream recipes!! Thank you so much for posting this recipe..it’s definitely a keeper
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Lauren! Thank you for that wonderful feedback!
If you really don’t care for coffee and a recipe uses as much as your wonderful chocolate cake recipe does, what liquid is best to substitute for the coffee? Thanks
Hello Norma. 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 was wondering if the coffee can be left out and use another ingredient to replace the coffee? Can’t have caffein after 2pm.
Thank you,
Tyler
Hello Tyler, 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
I was wondering if I could make this with vegetable oil. I don’t use light olive oil and wouldn’t like to buy it for one recipe. Is this a moist enough cake to have without the frosting and just a dusting of powdered sugar?
I haven’t personally tried that Debbi but I imagine that should work too. If you try and do an experiment, let us know how it goes.
Hey Debbie, you can use any oil with a neutral flavour, i used Rice bran Oil in my cake because that is what i use day to day.
I like the recipe’s very tasty
Thank you Samia for the great review!
Hi Natasha,
If we wanted to reduce the sweetness of the frosting and so put in less powdered sugar, say 2 or 3 cups instead of 5, would that affect the texture? Would we need to adjust the butter, cocoa, and cream cheese?
Hi Malak, we used 5 cups of powdered sugar. 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 worry it will affect texture if using less but if you experiment I would love to know how you like this recipe.
Hi! I will be making this cake for my 1 year old’s birthday in a few weeks. I have a few questions!
1. I need the very top of the cake to be blue to represent a body of water (the sides and middle layer can be brown!) I plan to use the chocolate frosting in this recipe for the sides and center but what would you recommend for the top since I have to color it blue?I considered using the white chocolate frosting I saw in another recipe. Do you think the flavors will work well or do you have another recommendation?
2. I know it would be best made the day of the party but that’s not possible. Can I make this cake ahead of time? If so how far in advance, how do I store it, and can it be frosted ahead of time as well? The more details the better.
Thank you so much!!
Hi Allison, I haven’t tried that but I think the white chocolate frosting tinted blue would work with the flavor profile of this cake. 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. Happy birthday to your little sweetie.
Also, could not find your Chocolate Cherry Cake recipe, so I’m asking the question here: The first ingredient listed calls for 9 (?) large eggs. Is is really 9? Thanks.
Hi Terry, are you referring to this Chocolate Cherry Cake here?
For the chocolate cake, I wondered why no eggs?
Hi Terry, that’s right, no eggs in this recipe it relies on other ingredients for volume. I hope you love it.
Fantastic cake! Made it for my husbands birthday and he loved it so did all our friends.
That’s so awesome Lyn! Happy birthday to your husband!
Every time I make this cake, I use extra virgin olive oil, because there is no light in the pantry. Natasha, any idea what difference this makes?
thanks – your #1 chocolate cake lover
Hi George, extra virgin olive oil imparts a different flavor which is why I don’t typically use it for baking. I’m glad that is working for you though!
Hi Natasha. I used the 3 tsps instant coffee but I realized that I needed more liquid. The batter is dry because it lacks liquid which I would have gotten from the coffee. Please help… any suggestions?
Hi Abigail, it is hard to say without trying that myself. You can try adding more coffee?
I made the chocolate cake and followed the recipe exactly including watching the video but my layers split while cooking and were very dry. Any suggestions?
Hi Vicki, I haven’t had that happen before but I am happy to help troubleshoot. Did you possibly overbake or put it on convection mode which would need an adjustment in baking temperature since convection bakes faster. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha. I do not have a coffee machine to get the 2 cups of coffee. Any suggestions on how to add the coffee in? Can I use instant coffee? Thank you.
Hi Abigail. 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 rich chocolate flavor (nobody noticed coffee). I used corn oil and for 2 cups coffee I used 3 teaspoons decaf instant coffee (light/medium roast).” I hope that helps.
Maybe get some from neighbor or at your closest convenience store, restaurant ?
Hi Natasha,
I’ve made this recipe for years, the original coming from my mother-in-law 45 yrs. ago. It is an old “frugal” recipe and always turns out well, and it is great to half the recipe for two people. To answer some of your readers’ questions: yes, you can use canola oil (my preference) or corn or vegetable (soybean) oil. Works every time. I did try using half oil and half melted butter but the top of the cake “sunk” a bit. Tasted great but I don’t know if the cause was the butter or some other reason. I’ve also used cider vinegar and lemon juice and again, good results. This cake works with water, but coffee is better. My original recipe only called for water but my preference is to use half water and half coffee. If you don’t have brewed coffee just make some with instant coffee. It works. I do add an extra teaspoon of vanilla. I think this cake tastes even better the next day! It is very moist and chocolaty. Sometimes I don’t frost it but sift powdered sugar over. It is great with a scoop of cherry vanilla ice cream with a bit of hot fudge over!
That’s so great Alicia thank you for that wonderful feedback & for sharing those tips. I know our readers will find that helpful.
Can I use butter instead of the olive oil ?! Or half butter & half vegetable oil ?!!!
Hi Samia, I imagine that should work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
hi nataha, I just made this cake yesterday and I was disappointed, it was denser than I expected. I used the correct ingredients so I am not sure what went wrong. Also I made your genoise sponge cake last month and it was flawless.
Hi Vineta, 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?
I just realized I am out of white vinegar. Is there something I can replace it with?
Hi Miki, the vinegar is necessary as it activates the baking soda and helps with rising. I haven’t tested that with self-rising flour or apple cider vinegar to advise on a substitution.
Hi Natasha! my 13 yr old son tried and baked this cake for his bday. The two cake were flat and looks like a pancake. He used 9 inch springform pan instead of a cake pan would that make a difference? It is his first making this cake. He followed the instructions. We wonder what mistake he made. He is not disappointed for it is a learning experience for him. Cake and frosting tasted good though.
Oh I’m sorry to hear that. I am always happy to help troubleshoot. I suggest he watch the video to see where things may have gone wrong. Did he possibly forget to add baking soda or maybe accidentally swapped the baking soda for baking powder (baking soda is 4 times stronger so the substitution would not be straight across). Also, make sure to add the vinegar which activates the baking soda. I hope that helps!
Love this chocolate cake!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
I followed this recipe to the letter because it looked so good and I was making it for my daughter’s birthday . The layers starting splitting as they were cooling in the pan and then when I turned them out to cool further they split even more! Very disappointing! Any suggestions?
Hi Vicki, 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.
My daughter made this cake for our family today . It turned out awesome. The taste was the best ! We enjoy all of your recipes . Thanks again !!!!
That’s awesome Nancy. I’m happy to know that you loved this recipe. Thank you for your nice review!
Hi Natasha I’d love to know the name brand of all your baking pans, hopefully we will start remodeling our kitchen soon and I’d love to start buying bakeware little by little that all matches verses the Mountain of mismatched pans I’ve picked up here and their, thank you in advance and keep up the good work and can’t wait to keep trying out your food recipe. ❤️ A fan
Hi Aurelia! Thank you for your kind words I really appreciate it. Here’s a link to my Amazon shop
I am so excited to try this recipe! I am making it for my son’s 3rd birthday party because chocolate cake is his fave. Do you think it would work if I wanted to add a third layer to the top, using support dowels? Thank you!!
Hi Lauren! I believe that should work! If you experiment with the dowels I would love to know how you like that.
Hey Lauren, I made three layers with 8″ pans. From one angle it looked like it was leaning a little, but you had to really look close. Round side down for the first layer, flat side down for the second layer and flat side down for the third layer. The third/top layer needed a little more icing, but it still worked.
Awesome Thank you!! I was thinking about doing the two 9 inch like the recipe said and then maybe adding a 6 inch to the top? Do you think that would that work too? I am such a newbie lol
Hi Lauren, I bet that will be beautiful! I have not tested layering this one so if you experiment I would love to know how you like it!
I played like Natasha again and made this delicious chocolate cake! Because of the ingredients, I had to try it and was not disappointed! Reminds me of the beautiful chocolate cakes offered at high-end restaurants! Love your recipes/videos; another favorite is your spaghetti and meat balls! Thanks, Natasha!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
OMG! This is my new favorite chocolate cake recipe! I didn’t realize until after I baked it that it didn’t call for eggs or dairy! Turned out extremely moist!
Hi Jessica, thank you for that great review! I’m so glad you found a favorite!
can I use almond flour to replace the Flour?
Hi Vivianne, without testing that, I can’t make that recommendation. I’m not sure how it will affect the outcome.
can this be made into a cake pop?
Hi Joy, I have not tested this as a cake pop to advise. I’d love to know how it works out if you experiment though!
Loved the chocolate cake. I had never baked a cake without eggs and some sort of dairy involved. Baked it for my daughter’s birthday and it was a hit. I found it more dense than I expected. Is that right? I also did not have regular olive oil and you said “not Virgin” so I used …..you got it….BUTTER! But good enough to have again! Thanks!
You’re welcome, Cindy! Thank you for sharing that with us. 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? Happy Birthday to your Daughter!
Thank you for the kind wish for my daughter! I love birthdays!
I was very careful about the measurements of dry ingredients. The only change I made was that I had to make was that I didn’t have regular Olive Oil. So in its place I thought: Veggie oil? or Butter? I did butter, cause, well, everything is better with butter right? LOL Might this have been a bad move? I looked up the equivalency between the needed olive oil and butter and went with that. Next time I’ll use the olive oil, but all I had on hand was extra virgin. Thanks for replying and for what you do. I tell everyone about you and your recipes! Love to watch and learn! Cindy
That may be the culprit, Cindy. 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.
I’m guessing you are right. After baking it for celebration the next day I did put it in the refrigerator and when we cut into it, even though it had been sitting out for a long time, it was still cold in the center. It really looked nice and as I said, it was very good. But it will be better next time. Thanks for your help!
You’re welcome, Cindy!
Hey there Natasha! How long should i bake if i’m using a bundt cake pan?
Hi Anya, I have not tested this in a bundt cake to advise. If you experiment with that, please let me know how you like it.
What an amazing chocolate cake! I became your fan Natasha. I’m going to try more of your precipice
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Natia! Thank you for that awesome review!
Not much of a baker but had a stressful day and I turn to baking. I love chocolate so made this!! Thank you for sharing
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Leanne!
I love this cake and have made it several times. For a great friend’s birthday, I’ll be making it on Sunday – three layers (8″).
Natasha, what do you think about having one layer with white icing and any recipe suggestions for that?
thanks, George
Hi George, I bet that could work. Will you be using a vanilla icing for that?
What substitution works best for when you don’t have coffee to use?
Hi Christina, 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.
This cake has No eggs in it?
Is this correct?
Hi April, yes that is correct.
Hi Natasha,
Thanks to you I love baking and cooking. Almost every time I have tried your recipes, its been delicious. Im not sure what I did wrong with this cake, but for some reason the upper layer of my cake formed a slight crust and when we took a bite into the assembled cake, it was like there were grains of something – like it was crunchy. Any idea why that could be so? But otherwise, it was delicious!
Hi, I haven’t had that experience. Did you make any substitutions or possibly use a coarse sugar?
Can you make this cake 1 or 2 days in advance?
Do you know or have a recipie for chocolate mousse cake filling?
Hi Sierra, 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.
Thank you Natasha.
Hi. I’m confused because I’m not a huge baker. You say 2 cups of coffee but is it 2 cups from a measuring cup or 2 cups filled to the coffee pot line.
Hi Rachel, it is 2 cups in a liquid measuring cup or 16 oz as a liquid measure.
Hi Natasha, thank you for sharing this recipe. Looks yummylicious and can’t wait to try it. Also, no eggs?
Hi Jan, that’s right, no eggs in this recipe. I hope you love it.
Your recipes always look so good! I’m curious about one of the ingredients in the chocolate cake recipe – why ‘light olive oil not extra virgin’? Thank you.
Hi Susan, extra virgin olive oil is not ideal for baking because it imparts its own flavor.
Thank you for responding Natasha. That makes perfect sense!
I’m not a coffee drinker. Don’t have it on hand What can I substitute it with?
Hi Zeffie, 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.
I don’t consider myself a good cake baker. I love cooking in general, but this is not my specialty. Can I use two 8 inch rounds if I don’t have two 9 inch rounds?
Hi Kat, I think you could probably stretch it to accommodate two 8-inch pans but I haven’t tested either way so I won’t be able to give you precise baking instructions.
Thanks for this delicious and yummy cake recipe. I will make this for my daughters, they love chocolate cake.
Can I use canola or any other oil instead of olive oil?
Hi Sam, you sure can! I hope you and your daughters love these recipes.
Hello Natasha,
I made this cake during the holidays and it was so delicious!
Just one a question: I followed every step but the top layer of the cake slightly shifted/slipped. How can avoid that from happening next time?
Thank you!
Hi Joy, I’m so glad you loved the cake! It helps with slicing (so it doesn’t slide), if the cake is refrigerated for a little bit to firm the cream a little bit.
Can I make this in a 13×9 pan? And if so can I half the recipe?
Hi Molly, I haven’t tested this in a 9×13 but I suspect if you cut the recipe in half, it would make a very flat cake. One of my readers reported baking teh full recipe in a 9×13 pan with good results. She wrote: “Baking it in a casserole style dish calls for a low and slow cooking method. I cooked it at 300 for 50-55 minutes.”
This is the absolute best choc cake recipe I have ever tried. Made it for the first time last month for my son’s 16th birthday. He absolutely loved it. I had to make it again last week. It was super moist and super delicious to be eaten cold as well.
Making it again tomorrow.
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Hi
This cake looks amazing and I am going to give it a try
I cannot have dairy though, so I am not sure what to do for the frosting – would a buttercream frosting with DF “butter” be the best option? Would I add anything to give it a similar flavour to the butter/cream cheese combo, or to cut down on the sweetness?
Hi Belinda, I wish I could be more help with your question but I honestly have not experimented with DF butter so I’m not sure how it would change the consistency or process. You might try experimenting with a vegan chocolate frosting like this one from my friend at Downshiftology.
Hello Natasha,
thank you for all your recipes they are amazing.
I am going to make this cake for my fiancé its his birthday.
Could you let me know what size cake tins you use?
Thank you!!
Hi Emma, we used two 9″ cake pans. Thank you for that wonderful review.
Going to make this cake but I was wondering can I use canola oil? Thank you
Hi Heidi, to be honest, I haven’t tested that one so I can’t say for sure. A vegetable or canola oil would work. If you experiment with any of those options, let me know how it goes. Sorry, I can’t be more helpful.
Avocado oil works well!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Marsha!
Hello Natasha,
How long do we need to bake them in an Gas Oven?
Hi Monisha, I don’t have a gas oven to test this with but it should be about the same amount of time. Gas ovens are a little trickier. I would recommend reviewing this article which might help with things to consider when using a gas oven.
No eggs?
Hi Rosa! That’s correct! No eggs in this recipe.
Thank you for sharing this different type of chocolate cake and for the metric conversion. I do have two questions: I’m at high altitude (4800’) and a very, very dry climate. I worry about the cake drying out to much while cooling. Also any recommend in time or temperature?
Hi Peter, I haven’t tried it at high altitude so I would suggest following the general guidelines for baking at high altitudes.
My sister has made this forever. It is my favorite, We lost her recipe when she passed away. I am so thrilled to have this again. Thank you,Cindy
I’m so glad you found this recipe on our blog, Cindy!
Can I use vegetable oil?
Hi Maggie, A vegetable or canola oil would work. If you experiment with any of those options, let me know how it goes. Sorry, I can’t be more helpful.
Just to make sure before I make this recipe, there’s no eggs? If so, that’ll make a great vegan chocolate cake. Can I make cupcakes with this batter?
Hi Felicia, that is correct this recipe does not call for eggs. I hope you love it! That should work, we left some tips in the comments regarding cupcakes and pan baking, search “cupcakes”. I hope that helps
This cake is so delicious and easy. It also keeps great in the fridge—my husband loves his cold, and I throw mine in the microwave for 15 seconds. Perfect!!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review
Hi natasha,
Love all your recipes. Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar .
Hi Svetlana, I honestly have not tried that in this recipe so I’m not sure how it would affect the flavor of the cake. Apple Cider vinegar usually has a lower acidity percentage so that may affect the rise.
Thank you so much. If it’s just for rising can I skip the white vinegar and add baking powder instead, or any other alternative you can suggest.
Hi Svetlana, since baking is so much of a science, I can’t make that recommendation without testing it first. Baking soda is 4 times stronger than baking powder so it would need some experimenting.
I used 2 tbsp of black instant coffee mixed in 2 cups of water. I decreased the amount of sugar to 1 1/2 cups and It comes out perfect. Not so sweet, moist and dense. My husband loves it. Thanks Natasha
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Hello. We love your recipes! But I hate coffee. Am I going to taste it in the finished product?
Hi Kim, it is not noticeable in the finished product, but coffee does amplify the flavor of chocolate.
Hi Natasha, thank you for this recipe. We found the icing really too sweet compared to your other cakes which we loved. Our favourite is the strawberry cake with the old fashion chocolate decoration. I would make this cake again but with cream based icing.
Hi Yaye, you can definitely substitute with different icing if you prefer a less sweet icing. We found this to be a great balance for the amount of cocoa in the frosting. We have even made this cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting and it worked well.
Hello Natasha! We decided to cook this amazing chocolate cake for tonight. It´s ready and the flavor is incredible. Today was my daughter who cooked with only my help. Simply fantastic as all your recipes. Happy New Year 2020 from Costa Rica.
That’s so great, Valentin!! Happy New Year!
Does it make a difference if i cut down on the powdered sugar for the frosting?
Hi Rochelle, 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.
Posted my review earlier I have no idea why it was never posted on the site. It was dry and the cake itself tasted like dirty vegetables. It was completely awful. I followed the recipe step by step, I don’t see how this review is not valid unless only 5 star reviews are applicable?
Hi Janet, I scanned through the spam box and didn’t see any comments from you. I’m seeing this as your first comment on my site. Maybe your original message didn’t go through – that can happen if you click off the page before it fully submits. I’m not sure. This is one of our most popular cakes. Without being there with you or more info, it is difficult to say what went wrong, but I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you make any changes in the recipe? Any ingredient substitutions or changes to the process? Maybe your oil was rancid – that can definitely throw the flavor.
The oil was good. I used black coffee, as in no milk or sugar added to coffee. I wonder if that did it? It was my Christmas cake, but the icing was really great.
I guess the only explanation is one (or some) of the ingredients was no good. There is no way this cake tastes bad.
Perhaps you should brush up on your baking techniques and proper measurements or perhaps the freshness of your ingredients? This cake was delicious and moist, the review stars are well deserved.