This easy chocolate cake recipe is the one I've baked hundreds of times as a professional baker, and it's still the one I reach for. One bowl, pantry ingredients, and two simple pro tricks give you flat, fudgy layers with deep chocolate flavor. Want a classic white version with the same easy approach? Try my vanilla cake recipe. Want something darker? Try my black velvet cake.
Quick Glance at This Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Recipe Name: Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Why You'll Love It: One bowl, naturally flat layers, and deep chocolate flavor. Foolproof for beginners, impressive enough for any celebration.
- Time and Difficulty: 10 minutes prep + 30 minutes bake. Easy.
- Main Ingredients: All-purpose flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and hot coffee.
- Method: Mix everything in one bowl, add the hot coffee last, bake in two 9-inch pans at 335°F, then fill and frost with chocolate fudge frosting.
- Texture and Flavor: Moist, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey with a tender crumb that stays soft for days.
- Quick Tip: Bake at 335°F instead of 350°F for flat layers with no leveling.
Jump to:
- Quick Glance at This Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review
- Easy Chocolate Cake Ingredients
- Easy Chocolate Cake Step-By-Step
- Batter & Frosting Calculator
- Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
- Cups of Batter Needed
- Cups of Frosting Needed
- Expert Tips
- Final Thoughts
- Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe FAQs
- More Simple Cake Recipes To Try
- Ready To Master Cake Decorating?
- Leave Me A Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Recipe
What Makes This Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe So Good
Most chocolate cakes let you down in one of three ways: they dome, they dry out by the next day, or the chocolate tastes flat. This recipe fixes all three.
- A lower oven. At 335°F the edges and center bake more evenly, so your layers come out flat. No leveling, easy stacking.
- Oil, not butter. Butter firms up as the cake cools. Oil stays liquid, so the cake is just as moist the next day.
- Buttermilk. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda and tenderizes the crumb, the same trick that makes my white velvet cake so soft.
- Hot coffee. Hot liquid blooms the cocoa and unlocks more chocolate flavor. You won't taste the coffee at all.
This is my go-to birthday cake, especially served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a grown-up twist, my red wine cake adds spiced wine to the batter.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review
This is my families favorite chocolate cake. It's the only recipe I use for baking a cake and cupcakes. It's the best chocolate cake!
- Michele
Easy Chocolate Cake Ingredients
Everything here is pantry baking. I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a digital kitchen scale for the most accurate results. Too much flour is the number one cause of dry chocolate cake.
- All-purpose flour. This recipe is built for all-purpose flour, so no cake flour needed. The buttermilk keeps the crumb tender.
- Granulated and brown sugar. White sugar adds sweetness and structure; brown sugar adds moisture and a little molasses depth. Keep the ratio as written.
- Cocoa powder. I use Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder because it's easy to find and tastes like the chocolate cake most of us grew up with. Not sure which type you have? Here's my guide to Dutch process vs natural cocoa.
- Baking powder and baking soda. Baking soda reacts right away with the buttermilk; baking powder gives a second rise in the oven. You need both.
- Eggs, at room temperature so they mix in smoothly. Need it egg-free? Try my eggless chocolate cake.
- Buttermilk. Adds flavor and a super soft crumb. No buttermilk? Use my buttermilk substitute.
- Vegetable oil. Keeps the cake soft and moist. Any neutral oil works.
- Hot coffee. The secret to deep chocolate flavor. Hot water with a little espresso powder, or plain hot water, works too.
- Vanilla extract. Rounds out the chocolate. Use pure vanilla.
- Chocolate chips and corn syrup. Melted with a little coffee, they give my chocolate fudge frosting its fudgy, glossy texture.
- Unsalted butter. Softened, for the frosting.
- Powdered sugar. Sift it with the cocoa so your frosting is smooth.
- Salt, in both the cake and the frosting.
Ingredient Tip: For baking, it's key that refrigerated items are at room temperature before mixing. Here are some room temperature ingredient hacks you can use when baking.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients with quantities.
Easy Chocolate Cake Step-By-Step
Before you start: set out your eggs and buttermilk so they come to room temperature, brew your coffee (or boil water), preheat your oven to 335°F, and prep two 9-inch cake pans with cake goop or your favorite pan release. Grab your stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Mix your flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low for about 5 seconds, just to combine.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and mix on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl.
- Turn the mixer to low, pour in the hot coffee, and mix just until it disappears into the batter. Overmixing at this stage toughens the cake.
PRO TIP: Any brewed coffee works, even instant. Make it as strong as the container suggests for 1 cup of water. You won't taste the coffee at all, it just deepens the chocolate flavor.
- Divide the batter between your pans, weighing them for perfectly even layers. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Tap each pan once on the counter to release the steam, cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn the layers out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the chocolate fudge frosting, microwave the chocolate chips, corn syrup, coffee, and vanilla in short bursts, stirring in between, until smooth. Let it cool until barely warm.
- Beat your softened butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt for about 1 minute until light and fluffy. A hand mixer works too.
- Add the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until smooth and fluffy.
- Set your first layer on a cake board (trim it with a serrated knife if it domed), spread on a thick layer of frosting with an offset spatula, add the second layer, and cover the whole cake. Swirl the top and finish with chocolate chips or one of my easy chocolate decorations.
PRO TIP: Frosting too stiff? Microwave it for 10 seconds and stir. Too soft? Chill it for a few minutes. It's more forgiving than it looks.
Want a different frosting? This cake is also amazing with cream cheese frosting or whipped ganache. Want an even denser cake for carving? Try my chocolate cake with mayonnaise.
Batter & Frosting Calculator
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
Select an option below to calculate how much batter or frosting you need. Adjust the servings slider on the recipe card to change the amounts the recipe makes.
Choose a pan type
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
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(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Cupcake Tin Size
Choose number of pans
Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
This recipe makes two 9-inch layers and enough chocolate fudge frosting to fill and frost them. For a showstopper finish, top it with a modeling chocolate bow.
Expert Tips
- Cool Completely: Let your cake layers cool completely before frosting. Short on time? Wrap them and pop them in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes. Cold layers are firmer and much easier to frost.
- Weigh Vs Measuring Cups: Weighing your ingredients gives you the most consistent results, especially the flour. New to baking by weight? Here's how to use a digital kitchen scale. No scale yet? Spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping.
- Make the Frosting Ahead: The chocolate fudge frosting keeps covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Making Cupcakes: This batter makes great chocolate cupcakes. Start checking them at 18 minutes, and pull them out right when the tops are set so they don't overbake.
- Beginner Bakers: If you need more information on how to decorate a cake for the first time, you can follow my easy tutorial on how to make your first cake.
- Storing Leftovers: Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your kitchen runs warm, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days and bring it back to room temperature before serving. Individual slices can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 3 months.
- Egg-Free Option: To make this easy chocolate cake recipe egg-free, replace the eggs with a commercial egg replacer like King Arthur egg replacer, or unsweetened applesauce.
Final Thoughts
This is my go-to birthday cake, and after hundreds of bakes it still surprises people that something this easy tastes this rich. Want it in cupcake form? My chocolate cupcake recipe is basically a mini version that's even easier.
My one last lesson: trust the lower oven temperature. Baking at 335°F feels slow, but flat, even layers make every step after it easier.
Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe FAQs
How do I make this chocolate cake in a different pan size?
Use the cake batter calculator right above the recipe card. Pick your pan size or the number of servings you need, and it scales every ingredient for you. As written, the recipe makes two 9-inch layers. Weighing your ingredients makes odd amounts, like part of an egg, easy to measure.
Is this chocolate cake sturdy enough to stack or cover in fondant?
Yes. Even though there's no butter in the batter, this cake holds up to stacking, tiering with dowels and cake boards, and covering in fondant.
Can I use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour?
I don't recommend it. This recipe is built for all-purpose flour, and cake flour is much softer, so your cake might not rise the same way.
Can I make this chocolate cake ahead of time or freeze it?
Yes, and it's even better the next day. Wrap the cooled layers tightly in plastic wrap and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze them, wrap the layers in plastic wrap and then foil, freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator, still wrapped. Frost the day you plan to serve it, or the day before.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
You can, but the cake won't be quite as moist, especially the next day. Oil stays soft at room temperature and in the fridge, which is what keeps this cake so moist.
More Simple Cake Recipes To Try
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Recipe
Equipment
- 2 9" cake pans
Ingredients
Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup cocoa powder Hershey's
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup hot coffee or hot water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- ½ cup corn syrup
- ¼ cup coffee
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 cup cocoa powder sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Before you begin: Bring your eggs and buttermilk to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 335ºF and prep two 9" cake pans with cake goop or another pan release.
For the cake
- Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on low for 5 seconds, just until combined.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl.
- Turn the mixer to low, add the hot coffee, and mix just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Tap each pan once on the counter, cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
For the chocolate fudge frosting
- Combine the chocolate chips, corn syrup, coffee, and vanilla in a heatproof bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir, then heat in 10-second increments, stirring each time, until fully melted and smooth. Let cool until barely warm.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle, mix the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt on low, then on high for about 1 minute until light and fluffy.
- Add the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until smooth and fluffy.
To assemble
- Place the first layer on a cake board and spread with frosting. Add the second layer and cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
Video
Notes
- Bake at 335°F instead of 350°F for flat layers that don't need leveling.
- Bring refrigerated ingredients to room temperature before mixing for the smoothest batter.
- Add the hot coffee last and mix just until combined. Overmixing at this stage toughens the cake.
- Weigh your batter between the two pans for perfectly even layers.
- The cake is done when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Short on time? Wrap the cooled layers and freeze for 30 to 60 minutes before frosting.
- For an extra moist crumb, add one additional ounce of oil to the batter.
- Egg-free: replace each egg with a commercial egg replacer or unsweetened applesauce.
- Frosting keeps covered at room temperature for 3 days, or longer in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Store frosted cake at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Unfrosted layers freeze for up to 3 months.
Corneluis says
Hi, love your strawberry cake. I have made it 4 times! Every slice was amazing. I need help in the 1st 3 ingredients for the chocolate cake above.
10 oz AP flour 2 cups
14 oz granulated sugar 2 cups
4 oz natural cocoa powder like HERSHEYS 1 cup
The measurement in the front doesn't match the measurement at the end of the line. Which is correct?
Elizabeth Marek says
Hi there. These are correct. 1 cup of flour weighs 5 ounces. 1 cup of sugar weighs 7 ounces. This is why we use a scale. Different ingredients weigh different amounts.
Monica says
GREAt Day! Can you use melted butter instead of veg oil?
Elizabeth Marek says
You can but it won't taste quite as moist
Kimberly says
Okay, I feel like a dummy asking. Are heavy cream and heavy whipping cream interchangeable? I can only find one (heavy whipping cream) in my grocery store and googling comes up with conflicting information.
My soon-to-be 15 yr old’s birthday request was a chocolate and yellow stacked cake! Looking forward to baking your cake recipes this weekend. 😁
Elizabeth Marek says
For this purpose yes they are
Abbey Burke says
Hiya I’m from the uk do you use self raising flour or just plain four ??
The Sugar Geek Show says
UK has cake flour, google shipton mills cake and pastry flour
Hanako says
Hello Liz 🙂 Avid fan here 🙂 Can you make the measurements into grams? I am so poor at numbers and we are used to use grams here in Norway 🙂 pretty pretty pretty please 🙂 thank you so much 🙂
The Sugar Geek Show says
Just hit that metric button under the ingredients and you got grams 🙂
Julie G says
This is an excellent recipe! My cakes baked up nice and high, and were flat on top which is perfect. I actually forgot to grease the pans (!) but had luckily put parchment in the bottom. After cooling in the pans for 15 minutes, I just gave the pan a shake and they came right out. Whew! Used your Ermine Frosting and have a delicious dessert! Beautifully, moist chocolate cake with a perfect frosting.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yay! I'm so glad!
Jess says
I just made this recipe yesterday and turned it into cupcakes. I loved how it was all in one bowl and there was no reverse creaming method. Also I love how you included the measurements in cups because I was making so many cakes that day that I was way to lazy to weigh my ingredients. I baked my cupcakes for exactly 16 minutes and then removed them and just left them in the baking tray so that I wouldn't overbake them. They turned out perfect. They sunk a little bit in the middle but not much and they were going to get covered in icing anyways so it didn't matter to me. This batch made a lot of cupcakes. 24 regular sized and I think I also got about 22 mini sized as well. I paired this along with your easy chocolate butter cream and it was delicious.
Angel Marie says
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can replace 8 ounces of buttermilk with 8 ounces of regular milk plus 1 Tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir to combine and wait until it thickens then add it in. Adjust the amount of milk and vinegar according to the recipe
Laurie says
How can I adjust the cake recipe for two 6x2 round cake pans? I’d like to make it for Valentine’s Day. When I make regular-sized cakes, I always give away a huge hunk and I’d like to avoid that.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I would cut the recipe in half
Saira says
Hi liz if I do not have natural cocoa powder only deutch processed ones do I need to make any alterations to the recipe.? . I live in tbe uk and most powders are alkaline...
Really want to make this asap x
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can substitute, here is an article for more info https://sugargeekshow.com/dutch-processed-cocoa-powder/
Renee says
Hi, if I want to add melted chocolate to the recipe, how much quantity would be suitable?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I typically add 8 ounces of melted and cooled chocolate
MEGHAN says
I have a question! When I make chocolate cupcakes I usually make a doctored cake mix but just before going in the oven I add a tsp sized ball of chilled ganache and bake. Is this possible with scratch cake recipes or will it mess up the baking process? I'm trying to reworks my favorite combinations into scratch recipes. Thank you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't think that will work for scratch recipes but you should give it a try! I've never heard of that 🙂 Might be a new technique that's all you 😀
lina o says
hello, thank you for sharing this recipe I just want to ask if I could use this cake for tiering. thank you ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you sure can
Jenny says
Does this cake hold well under fondant?
The Sugar Geek Show says
sure does!
Jenny says
It worked GREAT under fondant!! Thank you so much!!
Shaneik says
Hey just come across this video and your channel and I LOVE IT!!! If am using 9 inch pans does the quantity of the ingredients remain the same?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes but your cake layers will be slightly shorter