A decadent, moist Chocolate Cake recipe with the easiest chocolate frosting and a soft, tender crumb. This cake always gets rave reviews and makes a stunning, tall chocolate birthday cake.
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Chocolate Cake Video
I hope this Moist Chocolate Cake recipe becomes a new favorite for you. This cake is intensely chocolatey with an ultra-moist crumb and rich whipped chocolate frosting.
Chocolate Cake Recipe
My son’s first words when he saw the cake were, “Wow that looks just like the cake from Matilda!” (We watched the Matilda movie recently). My chocolate cake is intensely chocolatey and satisfies the fiercest chocolate craving without being cloyingly sweet. It really is the best chocolate cake recipe.
I paired my favorite Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting with the soft crumb from my Moist Chocolate Cupcakes to create the ultimate chocolate layer cake. The warm coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. P.S. This recipe also happens to be an eggless chocolate cake (bonus if you are egg-free).
Why This Chocolate Cake Is So Moist
- Don’t overbake — pull the cake out of the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Oil instead of butter keeps the crumb soft and moist even after refrigerating the cake.
- Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee.
- Vinegar activates baking soda for a light, airy texture.
- The batter is thin on purpose to create a softer, fluffier crumb.
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt make up the base of the cake.
- Cocoa Powder – The best cocoa for chocolate cake is 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.
- Coffee – Use very warm coffee to create a complex chocolate flavor. If you add some espresso or espresso powder, it will have even more flavor. You can substitute with decaf coffee if caffeine is an issue.
- Wet Ingredients – Vinegar activates the baking soda, vanilla extract for flavor and aroma and I use light olive oil to make the cake super moist, but you can sub with vegetable oil.
Can I use Dutch Processed 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
Making a chocolate cake from scratch doesn’t get any easier. It’s no more complex than a boxed cake, so long as you measure ingredients correctly.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients
- Whisk together the dry ingredients
- Combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients and stir. Do not overmix. The batter will seem thin — that’s normal and creates a super moist crumb.
- 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.
Natasha’s Tip for Frosting a Cake
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.
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.
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.
Chocolate 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), or use decaf
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup light olive oil, (not extra virgin), or Canola oil
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:
- 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 (a kitchen scale helps for even portioning), 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 Chocolate 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
More Chocolate Desserts (for Chocolate Lovers!)
- Chocolate Ganache
- Chocolate-Frosted Eclairs
- Hot Chocolate Recipe
- Chocolate Lasagna
- Chocolate Souffle
- Black Forest Cake
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Where do you buy the parchment rings?
Hi Rose, I don’t know that they are sold in rings. We line the bottoms with a ring of parchment paper that we cut ourselves.
Loved the decadent chocolate cake. It was to die for. Amazingly good. The choc frosting – the best I have ever tasted.
Love it! Thank you so much for your awesome feedback.
Why does this cake doesn’t have eggs? What is binding agent here?
Hi Sravani, that’s right, no eggs! The vinegar activates the baking soda to help the rise.
I have made this recipe for the cake and cupcakes. It’s always a winner! This is now my go-to chocolate cake since I first watched the video on YouTube. It’s so moist, airy, tender and delicious. The frosting is really the bomb. Everyone has told me they love how perfectly balanced it is and how they appreciate it’s not an overly sweet frosting. It makes it perfect for the cakes and pipes beautifully on cupcakes too. Try it now, you won’t regret! 🙂 I love all of your recipes, Natasha! Love from Guatemala ❤️
Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful review with me, Jackie!
Hi Natasha, I have 8’inch cake pan . Do you have measurements for 8’inch cake? I need to bake tomorrow for my son’s 4th birthday.
Hi Vandana, if you have a tall enough pan that should work.
Hi when v prepare 2 cups of warm coffee how many spoons of coffee v should add?
Hi there, we used brewed coffee but I suggest following the package instructions which will usually give you a fairly strong coffee.
This makes the best cake and is also extremely easy (I’m not a natural baker). I’ve made it many times and have had several comments about how someone normally doesn’t like chocolate cake, but loved this one. I think it has something to do with the delicious cream cheese frosting. About to make it yet again for hubby’s birthday 🙂
I only have 1 9” spring pan, so the baking takes twice as long for me, but I just use the digital scale to make sure they’re even, and cook them exactly the same time, and they turn out great each time.
That’s a good one to do! I hope your hubby will love his birthday cake, and everyone else who will get to try it will love it too!
Hi!so my family doesn’t eat cheese can I just skip the cream cheese?thank you
Hi Grace, I always make the recipe as written, so I’m not sure how that would work.
Are there no eggs in the recipe? What makes it rise?
Hi Laura, that’s right, no eggs! The vinegar activates the baking soda to help the rise.
Maybe you will answer me quickly…if not I’ll do my best. I’m right in the middle of making this chocolate cake and I don’t have light olive oil. I have grape seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil and butter. Any recommendations?? 🤦🏻♀️
Sorry for the late response, you can use vegetable oil as a substitute.
Hi Natasha ,
I just love your recipes .
Can you tell me the measurement of the cup? Is one cup 250 g ?
Thanks
Hi, if you click “metric” in the recipe card, you will see the gram measurements.
Hi Natasha..thank you for the explanation about measurement of the cup..and im happy now…totally confusing me…heheheh..again thank you so much..
Hi Namrata, 1 cup of liquid is measured in ml, and dry ingredients are measured in grams. If you click metric in the recipe card, you will see the estimates in metric.
I made this cake and lt was fabulous! Love your site. Thanks
I’m so happy you enjoyed this, Susan! Thank you for that wonderful review.
So moist and tasty !!
I’m happy you enjoyed that, Anna!
Hey Natasha! I plan on giving this cake a try for my son’s second birthday. I was wondering about the coffee. Would it be okay to use a prepackaged cold brew? I think it would work, but thought I would ask the expert. BTW I have cooked many of your recipes and I have enjoyed all of them.
Hi Jeanny! I imagine that will work! I hope you love this recipe.
Can I substitute something for coffee? What? Hot chocolate? Can’t do coffee or espresso.
Hi BethAnn, I have always made it with coffee. I have had readers try water only but I think you’ll have the best flavor with coffee because it amplifies the flavor of the chocolate.
Hi Natasha,would love to try your chocolate cake.what is the measurement of cofee powder for a 2 cups of coffee?can i use instant coffee?Thanks
Hi Amy, I haven’t tried this with instant coffee. I would make the coffee based on your package instructions.
hello there. can i use this cake as fondant base? thank you.
I think fondant could work well with a crumb coat of frosting underneath it.
Hi Natasha,
can I use vegetable oil instead of olive oil? and by the way I am currently making your Choco Crinkles recipe can’t wait to bake them tomorrow since I prefer resting them overnight.
Hi Ella, that should work fine to use vegetable oil.
Hi Natasha,
Can I substitute with Dutch Process Cocoa? I guess I’ll also have to substitute baking soda with baking powder then. Anyways please let me know if this will work?
Hi Munzu, I haven’t tested that through to make that suggestion, but you are correct that dutch process cocoa is alkalinized so other adjustments would have to be made since the dutch process is typically paired with baking powder. To be safe, I suggest using natural cocoa powder as recommended in the post.
The cake was very good but after I iced it it fell apart. What did I do wrong?
Hi Donna, I have never had that happen before and it’s difficult to say without being there. Did you make sure to cool your cake before icing it? Also, I suggest watching the video to see where things started to look different and consider if any ingredient substitutions were made which could be culprits?
Hi Natasha, if I use a 9″ springform pan instead of two 9″ pans..then just divide the thick cake in half, will it make a difference? I have a small oven and 2 9″ pans would not fit. And how many minutes instead of 35mins at 350F? I really want to try this. Hope to receive a response. Lots of love from the Philippines 🙂
Hi Sher, I honestly have not tested it that way so I can’t give you exact instructions on that.