Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe

4.93 from 155 votes

This easy chocolate cake recipe comes together in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients and bakes up moist, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey every time. Two professional tricks make all the difference: baking at 335°F for naturally flat layers and a splash of hot coffee to intensify the chocolate flavor. Foolproof enough for a beginner, impressive enough for any celebration.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 649kcal

Author: Liz Marek

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 Buttercream Frosting

2 cups chocolate chips
½ cup corn syrup
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanila extract
2 cups unsalted butter softened
2 cups powdered sugar sifted
1 cup cocoa powder sifted
1 teaspoon salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Easy chocolate cake instructions

Heat oven to 335ºF and prepare two 9” cake pans with cake goop or another preferred pan release
Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on low 5 seconds just until combined.
Add in the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl.
Turn the mixer down to low and add in the hot coffee and mix until just its just combined.
Pour the batter into your prepared cake pans.
Bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes in the pan for about 15 minutes (or until the pan is barely warm to the touch) then invert onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Instructions

Combine the chocolate chips, corn syrup, milk, and vanilla in a heat proof bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir and then heat in 10-second increments and stir until it is fully melted and smooth. Let the chocolate mixture cool until it's barely warm.
Mix the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer on low speed with the paddle on high speed for about 1 minute until light and fluffy. You can also use a large bowl and an electric mixer if you prefer.
Add the cooled melted chocolate mixture to the butter mixture and mix until it is smooth and fluffy.
The frosting can be used immediately to frost a cake or put into a piping bag for decorations.
Cover it with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for 3 days. If you plan to keep it longer, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Video

Notes

Bake at 335°F instead of 350°F for naturally flat layers that don't need to be leveled.
Make sure all refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature before mixing for the smoothest batter.
Add the hot coffee last and mix just until combined. Overmixing at this stage will toughen the cake.
Weigh your batter between the two pans for perfectly even layers.
The cake layers are done when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not completely clean.
Cool completely before frosting. Short on time? Wrap the layers and freeze for 30 to 60 minutes instead.
For an extra moist crumb, add one additional ounce of oil to the batter.
Substitute each egg with a commercial egg replacer or unsweetened applesauce for an egg-free version.
Store frosted cake at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition