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.
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Did you know cocoa helps your brain release endorphins or your body’s natural “feel good” chemical? This explains why our moods improve when we are eating chocolate cake.
Chocolate makes everything better, from Chocolate Chip Cookies to Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, and let’s not forget Chocolate Mousse! If you are a chocolate lover, this recipe is for you.
Why You’ll Love This 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 without being cloyingly sweet.
We combined our most popular Chocolate Cream Cheese 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 amplifies the flavor of chocolate. Feel free to substitute with decaf coffee if you prefer.
This recipe also happens to be an eggless chocolate cake (bonus if you are egg-free).
Watch the Chocolate Cake Video Tutorial
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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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. You can read more about that in our Red Velvet Cake post.
How to Make Chocolate Cake
This cake doesn’t get any easier. It’s no more complex than a boxed cake so 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 9-inch cake pans and bake
How to Get Even Cake Layers
When making a layered chocolate cake, here are our best tips for even cake layers:
- Divide the batter equally – Even heights will make for a prettier cake and even bake times. I always double-check for accuracy with a digital kitchen scale. Zero out the cake pan and weigh how much cake batter is in each pan. Your cake layers will be flawless every time.
- Test your leavening – make sure your leavening is not expired so it has enough rising power for the cake layers to rise evenly.
- Preheat the oven – ensure your oven is fully preheated before baking the cake layers.
- Bake Immediately – as soon as you add baking soda to a recipe, it starts reacting immediately so bake right away.
Tips for Smooth Chocolate Frosting
The whipped chocolate cream cheese buttercream frosting is indulgent, chocolatey, silky smooth, and one of the easiest frostings you will make. To get the smoothest chocolate frosting, be sure to:
- Cream together the butter and cream cheese first to prevent lumps
- Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa since cocoa tends to clump.
If you prefer a frosting that doesn’t have cream cheese in it, another favorite is our Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or even Vanilla Buttercream for a delicious contrast. Both are terrific on Chocolate Cake.
Pro Tip:
It is critical to fully cool the cake layers to room temperature before applying frosting. If the cake layers are still warm, it will cause the frosting to melt and slide off the cake.
How to Store Chocolate Cake
- Short-Term Storage – if you are going to eat the chocolate cake within 24 hours, its ok to keep it at room temperature. Store it in a cook dry place away from heat and direct sunlight.
- Cover Properly – If you don’t have a cake carrier, use an overturned bowl or large pot to cover the cake and keep it from drying out or absorbing food odors. If the cake is sliced, press a piece of plastic wrap directly over the cut portions to prevent drying out.
- Refrigerating – after 24 hours, you will want to refrigerate the cake. Place plastic wrap directly over cut portions, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freezing – to freeze unfrosted cake layers, wrap individual layers in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw wrapped at room temperature. To freeze a frosted cake, freeze for 1 hour to harden the frosting then wrap with plastic wrap and foil.
- To Serve – Thaw a frozen frosted cake overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. You may need to use a spatula on the frosting again to make it visually appealing.
I can’t help but smile when I have a generous slice of frosted Chocolate Cake on my plate. I hope this recipe brings joy and food memories wherever this recipe travels. Let me know if you’ve served it in any creative ways? We’ve done everything from sprinkles to princess themes on top which my daughter has loved.
More Chocolate Desserts (for Chocolate Lovers!)
- Chocolate Ganache
- Chocolate-Frosted Eclairs
- Hot Chocolate Recipe
- Chocolate Lasagna
- Chocolate Souffle
- Black Forest Cake
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chocolate Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (natural)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups warm coffee, (not hot), or use decaf
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup light olive oil, not extra virgin
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 spread or piped onto the cooled cake layers.
How to Frost a Cake
- Set a cake layer onto a serving platter. Apply 1/3 of the frosting over the first layer then cover with the second layer, placing it top-side-down for an even top. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Enjoy or store it for later*
Notes
- Short-Term Storage – store covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
- Cover Properly – Use an overturned bowl or pot to cover the cake and keep it from drying out. If the cake is sliced, press a piece of plastic wrap directly over the cut portions to prevent drying out.
- Refrigerating -Cover as directed above and refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freezing – to freeze unfrosted cake layers, wrap individual layers in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze up to 3 months then taw wrapped at room temperature. To freeze a frosted cake, freeze for 1 hour to harden the frosting then wrap with plastic wrap and foil and freeze up to 3 months.
- To Serve – Thaw a covered frozen frosted cake overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. You may need to fix up the frosting with a spatula.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
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!