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
Yummy.. the delicious recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha! Love your recipes! I was wondering what type of cake pans you use? Thanks!
Hi Lisa, that’s a great question. Our favorite kitchen tools can be found here.
Is this cake very sweet?
5 cups of powder sugar sounds sweet
Hi Oksana, 5 cups is correct. It may seem like a lot, but it is a lot of frosting and keep in mind that 1 cup of powdered sugar is actually 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. I tested this adding the powdered sugar to taste (and you can do the same), but I landed at 5 cups as the perfect balance of sweetness.
Hi Natasha! I just want to make the cakes but no frosting. Do the cakes taste good all by themselves?
Hi Tanya, we have always tested this with frosting. If you experiment it, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I do not like frosting for the most part because it’s usually too sweet. This frosting is not too sweet. I think it’s because the sugar offsets some of the ‘tang’ the cream cheese has. It is absolutely amazing frosting and easy to make.
Thank you for sharing that with us. We feel like we found the perfect balance with this recipe, we also don’t like overly sweet frosting.
I love the recipes
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, does it matter what kind of coffee brand I use? Any kind? Also, should be light, medium, or dark roast?
Hi Lupe, it doesn’t matter what brand or the type of roast.
Hi Natasha, my oven is small and can only fit one pan at a time. Should I:
a) bake one at a time
b) bake all at one time in one pan and then just slice the cake into two later on?
Which would be a better workaround?
Please help
Hi Janet, I haven’t tried baking this in 1 taller springform pan so I could only guess about that. It may work but I don’t know how much longer you would have to bake without testing it first. I think it would be ok to bake one at a time.
Thanks! Does that mean mix and bake half of the recipe at a time?
Or mix all at one time then divide and bake half at a time?
Sorry. This will be my first time to bake a cake my whole life. I am nervous!
I would mix all and then bake. I have not tried it that way but it seems like the easier option.
Has anyone used this cake recipe to make Black Forest Cake? Do you think it would be nice? thanks
Hi Sarah, I’m not seeing anyone trying that in the comments. Have you given our Black Forest Cake recipe a try? You can find the recipe following this link here.
Absolutely the best. I made cupcakes and frooze most of them for a quick desert to enjoy at a later date. When making cupcakes you only need half the frosting recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi, Natasha!
Do you think, one day in the near future, you’ll create and post a Nutella / Ferrero Rocher cake recipe?
Hi Victoria, I haven’t tested with that cake yet but thank you for that suggestion!
Hi, regarding your chocolate cake recipe. The recipe says 5 cups of powdered sugar for the frosting, but in your video it looks like you are adding 5 tbsp. Which is correct, because I don’t want to make it too sweet.
Hi Majbritt, we sifted in all 5 cups of powdered sugar, for the sake of video length you say the beginning process of that but we did you all of it.
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday. It was easy and tasted amazing! I can’t wait to make this again.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
I have a question really, is there anything you can substitute for the coffee in this cake?
Hi Terri, coffee will provide the very best flavor because it amplifies the flavor of chocolate and does not taste like coffee. The next best thing would be water. I don’t know if it is an option for you, but decaf coffee would also work fine.
Hi..I cannot find light olive oil,I only have extra virgin olive oil what should I use instead?
Also is classic Philadelphia cream cheese is ok for frosting?
Planning to bake this cake for my daughter’s second birthday:)
Hi Richa, extra virgin olive oil is not ideal for baking because it imparts its own flavor. Canola oil would be the next best thing.
What about Coconut Oil?
Hi Donna, I honestly haven’t tried coconut oil, so I could only guess on that one.
Hi Natasha..
Can I use Philadelphia cream cheese..
Hi Richa, yes that is our favorite brand for the frosting.
Can I use vegetable oil instead of light olive oil? thank you in advance
Hi Jojo, That oil substitution should work.
Hi Natasha,
Your cake looks really good. Unfortunately I haven’t managed it so well.
Could you please clarify one thing for me: on the video it seems that you are adding only 5 Tbsp powdered sugar in the frosting. Do you really put 600g of it? I used 500g instead and it was a sugar bomb for me, just way too sweet. Could you please clarify that point. Thanks in advance
Hi Ellina, Yes, 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.
Hi Natasha, I’m not sure about the 2 cups of coffee. How weak or strong should it be? It’ll help if you can give the amount of coffee powder and water. Thank you.
Hi Michelle, we used our espresso maker. I haven’t tested this with instant coffee but here is what one of our readers wrote “Update for my cake. I made it again last Saturday for my son’s birthday and it turned out great! It was reach chocolate flavor (nobody noticed coffee). I used corn oil and for 2 cups coffee I used 3 tea spoons decaf instant coffee (light/medium roast).” I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha,
How do you get your cakes to bake flat? Mine not only dome, but sometimes dome to one side! Thanks!
Hi Lorrie, I haven’t had any issue with that and these bake up fairly flat without needing any trimming. Did you have that experience with this recipe?
No, not with this recipe (haven’t made it… yet!!) Just noticing how beautiful your cakes look, and feeling a little envious !
Hi Natasha,
I must say I love your recipes, they are easy to make and delicious 🙂
Congrats for all your work!
I would like to try this amazing chocolate cake but don’t have the kind of mixer you have, yet. I only have a regular mixer, a hand blender and a Vitamix. Do you think I can use one of those for the frosting? Thank you!
HI Anisia, a high powered hand mixer would also work for the frosting. I haven’t tried in a Vitamix but I think a hand mixer will give you the most consistent results with less frustration.
Hi Natasha. This cake looks absolutely delicious. I am about to make it but I was wondering.. about the coffee preparation.. how much coffee granules to put in for every cup of water? Thanks in advance!
Hi, it depends on the brand and type of instant coffee. I would suggest following the instructions on the package of coffee which is usually a fairly strong cup of coffee.
Hi Natasha!
I’m baking your chocolate cake right now, but the inside does not seem to be cooking even though 35 minutes passed. How long should I bake it longer?
Should I lower the temperature and bake longer because it might burn, or is it ok to just continue baking without changing anything?
Hi Eileen, yes, that should be fine.
Natasha how much coffee u put in two cups of coffee.how many spoon i mean?
Hi Syeda, I would recommend following the package instructions on your coffee.
Is the total carbs on this cake for the whole cake with frosting or is is per peice?
Hi Trista, the nutrition label is always per slice or per serving and we have the number of servings towards the top of the recipe card.
I was wondering the same, 98 carbs is my years worth…lol
Can this recipe be made in 6inch cake pans?
Hi Inyat, I haven’t tested that way so I won’t be able to give you precise baking instructions.If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi Eileen, does your oven run a little cooler with most recipes? Be sure to double-check for doneness with the toothpick test and if it comes out clean without any wet batter attached, it’s ready.
Hi Natasha… tried your chocolate cake, came out super. But the frosting was runny if left out of the fridge. How can I thicken the frosting?
Hi Melissa, I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake! For the frosting, it helps if the cream cheese and butter are not overly softened when you are starting out and also be sure not to make any substitutions and keep the same proportions of powdered sugar and cocoa powder. They help the frosting to keep its form. I hope that helps!
Hi I want to make a four layer cake for my sons birthday, would this stand well in four layers if I doubled the recipe?
Hi Sharon, I honestly haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure how the weight would hold up. If I were to try, I would bake in 2 separate batches and essentially make the cake twice. If you test that out, I would love to hear how it goes and see a photo of it!