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Why I Love This Chocolate Cake
Growing up, chocolate cake was my specialty. It was the first recipe that made me fall in love with baking, and honestly, I made it so often my family probably wondered if I’d ever try anything else. Each time, I’d pair it with a different frosting: a classic buttercream, other times whipped cream, and sometimes something new I wanted to test out. It was my way of experimenting in the kitchen (thanks, Mom!) while still baking something everyone loved.
What makes this recipe so timeless is how approachable it is. The batter comes together in one bowl without complicated steps, and the result is a moist, chocolate-filled cake with just the right amount of sweetness. My mom taught me early on that the best recipes are the ones you can make often and share with others, and that’s exactly what this cake is all about.
Why you’ll love this chocolate cake, too:
- Deep chocolate flavor from the added cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and a splash of hot coffee.
- Moist and tender texture that stays soft even after a day or two.
- So versatile! Bake it in two round pans for a layered celebration cake or in a 9 x 13-inch pan for an easy sheet cake.
- Perfect for any occasion – Birthdays, holidays, or just because you need a slice of chocolate cake (we’re all there at times!).
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
There’s only one surprising ingredient needed to make this delicious chocolate cake:
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda – Give structure, body, and lift to the cake.
- Cocoa powder – Adds a deep, smooth chocolate flavor.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetness that balances the cocoa’s richness.
- Kosher salt and vanilla extract – Two ingredients that enhance all the flavors and add warmth.
- Neutral oil – Keeps the cake moist and tender.
- Eggs – Add structure as well as richness.
- Milk – Provides some necessary moisture and helps create a soft crumb.
- Coffee – Not everyone loves the idea of adding coffee to a cake, but this is the surprise ingredient that intensifies the chocolate flavor. Trust me, you won’t taste the coffee!
And of course, you need a frosting to go on top. I recommend my recipe for chocolate frosting.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make This Chocolate Cake
All you need are 4 easy steps to make this chocolate cake recipe:
Prepare the pans – Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment, grease again, and dust with cocoa powder. See tip below for how to create parchment rounds.
Prepare the batter – In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Then, add oil, eggs, milk, coffee, and vanilla extract. Mix well until completely incorporated. The batter will be thin, which is completely normal.
Pour into pans – Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes.
Frost – Run a knife around the edges and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting with your favorite icing, or use my recipe for chocolate frosting.
Bonus Tip
How to Make a Parchment Round
Here are the easy steps for how to make a round piece of parchment from a rectangular piece purchased at the store:
Recipe Tips
- Use hot coffee – The heat helps bloom the cocoa, bringing out its full chocolate flavor. The coffee shouldn’t be boiling, but the heat helps.
- Don’t skip the parchment – It makes removing the layers from the pans so much easier.
- Thin batter is a good sign – Resist the urge to add more flour. The loose consistency ensures a moist cake and is exactly how it should be.
- Check early – Every oven bakes a little differently, so start checking to see if the cake is done after 30 minutes.
- Change your pan size – You can also bake this cake in a 9 x 13-inch pan. Just adjust the baking time by adding 5 minutes and check it with a toothpick to ensure it’s done.
Serving
- Frost with any type of frosting you want, but a chocolate frosting makes for a classic cake.
- Add a layer of jam, peanut butter, or nuts between the layers for something deluxe.
Storage
- Refrigerate – Place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let slices come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freeze – Wrap unfrosted cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting. You can also freeze the cake after frosting: simply slice it into individual pieces, place them in a freezer-safe container, and enjoy having ready-to-go portions whenever cake is needed.
- Reheat – If a slice feels a little dry, warm it gently in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to bring back some moisture. Or, if you don’t have time to let the cake thaw at room temperature, heat it in the same manner.
More Cake Recipes
- Texas chocolate sheet cake
- Chocolate frosting – the perfect way to finish this cake recipe
- Slow cooker peanut butter and chocolate candy cake
- No-bake icebox cookie cake
- No-bake s’mores cake
- Chocolate and zucchini cake
- S’mores ice cream cake
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Classic Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup neutral oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup milk room temperature
- 1 cup hot strong coffee
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 recipe chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Prepare the pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment. Grease parchment and dust pans with cocoa. Then set aside. Alternatively, you can make this cake in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Prepare the batter: Mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the oil, eggs, milk, coffee, and vanilla extract, mixing well to completely incorporate. The batter will be thin.2 cups granulated sugar, 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp baking powder, ¾ tsp kosher salt, ½ cup neutral oil, 2 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 cup hot strong coffee, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Bake the cake: Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake. Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
- Frost: Run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake and invert onto a cooling rack. Let cool and frost with desired frosting (I prefer my chocolate frosting).1 recipe chocolate frosting
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Dera Burreson
Absolutely delicious!!!
Made this for a birthday and it was perfect.
I just baked this cake for the first time. It is so super moist that I am having a hard time icing it without the cake crumbling apart. What kind of frosting do people use to spread on this super moist cake?
Oh my goodness, this recipe is super duper amazing. This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made and tasted. It’s so delicious, moist I can go on and on talking about it. It’s a must try. Thank you for this wonderful recipe 👏👏👏👏👏
The video says 1 tsp baking powder, but the recipe says 2 tsp baking powder. Could you please confirm the correct measurement?
I Love watching you’re videos on everything .
I am making it for the second time. Amazon recipe!👍
I’m trying this recipe in a few hours! It looks amazing, I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Kaleb,
I’m not a coffee drinker, and can usually pick up the coffee taste when it is in a recipe. I know – some people think I’m crazy. Is there something I could substitute for the hot coffee in this recipe? Thanks!
Linda, The coffee is in this recipe to add moistness and coffee amplifies chocolate flavor. I hesitate to say you can just add a cup of hot water instead of coffee because this may dilute the cocoa flavor but the cake will bake just fine. Even though I understand your worry about the coffee flavor you may be surprised if not try one cup of hot water instead!
K