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
Hi Natasha, I made a lot of your recipes and all are good. For cake, I notice you usually use 1 cup flour but this one is 3 cups flour. I’m planning to make this for my son’s birthday next week. This time he asks for chocolate cake and I don’t like “heavy” cake. Will it taste “heavy”? We love the soft fluffy texture of your strawberry cake (the one with 4 ingredients).
Hi Yanny, this is a little denser than our sponge cake but it is still nice and moist and doesn’t seem heavy. It’s the softest when enjoyed the day it is made, but it does keep well.
Hi Natasha,
I want to make this cake recipe for father’s day, but I do not have the same baking dishes as those that you used. Can I use one baking dish which is larger.
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Dania, that should work but without testing it in something like a 9×13 cake pan, I could only guess at the baking time.
Hi Natasha!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I baked this cake with my kids for my daughter’s 9th birthday. The cake was easy to make even with two children wanting to participate in everything. The result was outstanding!
The cake was delicious, especially the buttercream was finger licking good. I think I ate atleast half a cup of it while putting it on the cake.
There were no leftovers! It’s my husbands birthday next month. Do you have an amazing carrot cake recipe I can try?
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, I am so glad that everyone loved the chocolate cake! Here’s my Carrot Cake recipe. I hope you like it too.
A family member is allergic to coffee. What can I substitute.
Hi Mary. 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.
Hi Natasha!
I’m preparing to make 2 of your cakes this week for parties on Saturday. This one and the carrot cake. Sometimes on busy weeks, I bake/frost and place the ready cake in the freezer for a few days until it’s ready to be served. (I use the freezing/thawing methods from cakebycourtney and usually those cakes are with a type of buttercream frosting). However, would you recommend freezing either this cake or the carrot cake already frosted? Or would it be safer to just freeze the cake alone, and just frost the day before the event?
Thanks!
Hi Karina, it depends on the frosting. If it is a buttercream frosting, it will freeze better than a cream cheese frosting. I would freeze the layers then thaw and assemble before your event.
Hi Natasha,
I was wanting to use this recipe but I need my cake to have 3 layers. Since this recipe makes 2 layers, would I just need to divide everything by 1/2 and then add that for the extra layer?
Hi Jenn. You can make 1.5 times the recipe and that will fit 3 pans.
I made mine 4 layers by just doing this recipe and cutting the layers in 2. Increased the frosting a little to have enough for the layers.
hii Natasha can i use nestle gold coffee or can i use nestle original coffee?
Hi Amirah, I haven’t tested those specifically to advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
Hi Natasha,
What’s the difference between this chocolate cake recipe and the one you have posted as chocolate cake with Swiss meringue buttercream. I’m looking for a birthday cake to stack.
Hi Ana, this cake is eggless. I hope that helps.
So geared for those with an egg allergy? Thanks – I’ll use the other recipe then 🙂
Hi Ana, no not necessarily. This one just does not require eggs. It’s a very popular cake on our site.
Wats ur cup size 250 ml ? As im planning to bake this cake … n the metric conversion link i tried many times its not opening i stay in dubai … actually i always measure everything in grams and ml
When you click Jump to Recipe you may click the word Metric to see it in grams.
Please gv egg replacement too mam
We actually didn’t use eggs in this recipe.
Yes yes sorry i didnt mean for this receipe , i loved ur recps n wanted to baked few but had eggs so was just asking pls for vegetarians if possible gv egg replacementif possible by the way just love watching ur video ur too sweet
What’s the difference in terms of flavour and texture between this chocolate cake recipe and your go to chocolate cake recipe? It would be for a birthday cake. I noticed the cocoa amounts and sugar were different between both recipes.
Hi Ana, I’m not sure which other chocolate cake recipe you are referring to. Can you let me know the name of the post? Thanks!
I want to make the chocolate cake, what is the difference between what olive oil to use?
Hi Rosalie, I use an extra light olive oil which has a higher smoke point and is flavorless and odorless. I would avoid using extra virgin olive oil.
This chocolate cake was fabulous! Do you have a recipe for a white cake as well?
Hi Diane, I haven’t tried that yet to advise so I am not sure how it will turn out without it. You might want to try the vanilla recipe instead.
Hi Natasha, thanks for your recipe! Looks great! One question, my roommate is allergic to coffee, what could I substitute this for?
Hello you are welcome. 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 that’s okay.
Natasha, first I wanna say I was super nervous about making this cake since it was meant for my boyfriend’s birthday and I just didn’t have time to make another one in case this one wouldn’t work. Being OCD, I compared your recipe with many others and it just didn’t make sense to me as all of them asked for eggs and some other ingredients. Anyway, at the end I just decided to go with it. To my surprise, it came out super delicious. I did make some changes to accommodate my boyfriend’s taste. I didn’t put cocoa into frosting. I added blackberries between layers and on top of the cake for decoration. I also covered cake with chocolate shavings. It came out very tasty and very pretty too.
Thank you!!!
That is so awesome! Thank you so much for sharing that with us, it makes me inspired to create more content for everyone. I appreciate your great feedback!
Hi natasha, have tried already some your recipes..it comes out perfect and irresistible…i will try this one now but would like to ask what is the exact measurement of the coffee to be mix with the water? Hope to hear from you soonest…can’t wait to make this chocolate recipe of yours for my husband’s birthday…thank you so much
Thanks for your good feedback, Beverly. We used brewed coffee but I suggest following the package instructions which will usually give you a fairly strong coffee.
Great cake recipe. Made it today. Wondering can I make it without cocoa so it is vanilla? Just leaving out the cocoa will it change texture? Love all you recipes!!!
Hi Patricia, I haven’t tried that yet to advise so I am not sure how it will turn out without it. You might want to try the vanilla recipe instead.
Hi Natasha, I have made this cake in the past and love it! I would like to make a slightly larger cake, possibly a 10” 2 layer, for a birthday party. I am unsure if I should make 1.5 recipes to allow for increase or if one recipe would work well enough. Obviously it might not be quite as tall. Have you tried this? Thank you!
Hi Kelly, I haven’t tested it that way but the cakes would be a little short for a 10″ cake. I would probably increase the recipe and bake a little longer.
Looks delicious!
Can I make these cakes tonight and make the frosting/frost tomorrow?
If so, how would they be best stored? In the fridge or just in an airtight container on the counter?
Thank you!
Hi Autumn, you can make the entire cake ahead of time. This cake does store well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving so the frosting and cake can soften. It does keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. If making just the layers wrap them in an airtight wrap or container and refrigerate.
Can this recipe be used to make cupcakes? I love the fact that it contains no eggs.
That should work. We actually combined our most popular chocolate frosting with these tried and true moist chocolate cupcakes to create the best chocolate cake.