I’m sharing my Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever, a from-scratch, deep dark fudgy and ultra moist chocolate cake perfect for birthdays and ready to be frosted with your favorite icing.
I still get a little thrill when this cake comes out of the oven. It’s a from scratch chocolate cake with a deep, dark fudgy taste that people nag me for, and honestly I don’t blame them.
I use unsweetened cocoa powder and buttermilk to get that tender, almost gooey bite that makes it feel like an Ultra Moist Chocolate Cake. It’s simple enough that I can whip it up for a birthday, and it’s become my go-to Chocolate Cake And Frosting Recipe when I need something reliably impressive.
Try it once, you might never buy a boxed mix again.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour: Gives cake structure, mostly carbs and some protein, won’t add sweetness, little fiber
- granulated sugar: Main sweetener, pure carbs, adds moisture when creamed, not nutritious, empty calories
- cocoa powder: Gives chocolate flavor, contains some antioxidant flavonols, bitter if unsweetened, low fat
- Eggs: Provide protein, help bind and leaven, add richness and moisture, natural emulsifiers
- Vegetable oil: Pure fat, keeps cake moist longer, no dairy flavor, high calories but tender crumb
- Buttermilk: Adds tang and tender crumb, acids react with baking soda, gives slight protein boost
- Coffee: Enhances chocolate depth, no extra sugar, almost zero calories if black, can be swapped
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process or natural)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temp (or whole milk if you dont have buttermilk)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) freshly brewed hot coffee (or hot water)
How to Make this
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease two 9 inch round pans, line the bottoms with parchment or dust with flour, set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt until evenly mixed.
3. In another bowl whisk 2 large room temp eggs, 1 cup buttermilk (or whole milk if you dont have buttermilk), 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined, dont overmix or youll get a tough cake.
5. Slowly stir in 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (hot water works too) until the batter is smooth. The hot coffee blooms the cocoa and makes the batter thin and fudgy, thats normal.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smooth the tops and gently tap the pans on the counter to release big air bubbles.
7. Bake on the center rack 30 to 35 minutes for two 9 inch pans, test with a toothpick it should come out with moist crumbs but not wet batter. If you use a 9 by 13 inch pan start checking at 30 minutes and bake until done.
8. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto the rack to cool completely before frosting.
9. Frost with your favorite icing. Tip: chill the layers 10 to 15 minutes if they seem fragile, or brush with a little simple syrup for extra moisture. Store airtight at room temp for up to 3 days or refrigerate if your frosting needs it.
Equipment Needed
1. Two 9 inch round cake pans plus parchment paper or flour for lining
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Medium mixing bowl
4. Whisk
5. Rubber spatula
6. Measuring cups and spoons (for cups, ml and tsp)
7. Wire cooling rack and toothpick or cake tester
8. Oven mitts and a cake lifter or wide spatula
FAQ
The BEST Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations
The BEST Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process or natural)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temp (or whole milk if you dont have buttermilk)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) freshly brewed hot coffee (or hot water)
Quick substitutions you can try if you’re out of something or want a tweak
- Buttermilk: 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit 5 minutes until slightly curdled. Or use 1 cup plain yogurt thinned with a bit of water or 1 cup kefir. (Works same acidity for lift.)
- Eggs: For 2 large eggs use 1 cup unsweetened applesauce for extra moisture but a softer crumb, or use 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water (mix, wait 5 min) for a vegan binder. Cakes with these will be a bit denser so dont expect the same lofty rise.
- Vegetable oil: Swap 1:1 with melted unsalted butter for richer flavor, or use light-tasting oils like canola or grapeseed. To cut fat, replace up to half the oil with unsweetened applesauce (eg 1/4 cup oil + 1/4 cup applesauce) though texture changes slightly.
- Granulated sugar: Use light brown sugar 1:1 for more moisture and caramel notes, or coconut sugar 1:1 for a less refined option. If switching to honey or maple syrup use about 3/4 cup syrup for 1 cup sugar, reduce other liquids by ~3 tablespoons and lower oven temp by 25 degrees F to prevent overbrowning.
Pro Tips
1) Bring eggs and buttermilk to room temp before mixing. Cold ingredients make the batter tighter and can keep the cake from rising properly, so let them sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes.
2) Use fresh cocoa and pour the hot coffee in slowly while stirring. The hot liquid blooms the cocoa and deepens the chocolate flavor, but if you dump it in too fast you might splash or overwork the batter. It will be pretty thin, that is normal.
3) Don’t overmix. Stir just until the last streaks of flour disappear, then stop. Overmixing gives you a tough crumb. If you want extra even layers, weigh the batter and divide it between pans instead of eyeballing it.
4) For cleaner frosting and less crumbling, cool the layers in the pans 10 to 15 minutes, then invert to a rack. If they seem fragile, chill them 15 to 30 minutes or brush lightly with simple syrup to lock in moisture.
The BEST Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe
I’m sharing my Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever, a from-scratch, deep dark fudgy and ultra moist chocolate cake perfect for birthdays and ready to be frosted with your favorite icing.
12
servings
324
kcal
Equipment: 1. Two 9 inch round cake pans plus parchment paper or flour for lining
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Medium mixing bowl
4. Whisk
5. Rubber spatula
6. Measuring cups and spoons (for cups, ml and tsp)
7. Wire cooling rack and toothpick or cake tester
8. Oven mitts and a cake lifter or wide spatula
Ingredients
-
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
-
2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
-
3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process or natural)
-
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
-
2 large eggs, room temp
-
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temp (or whole milk if you dont have buttermilk)
-
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
1 cup (240 ml) freshly brewed hot coffee (or hot water)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease two 9 inch round pans, line the bottoms with parchment or dust with flour, set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt until evenly mixed.
- In another bowl whisk 2 large room temp eggs, 1 cup buttermilk (or whole milk if you dont have buttermilk), 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined, dont overmix or youll get a tough cake.
- Slowly stir in 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (hot water works too) until the batter is smooth. The hot coffee blooms the cocoa and makes the batter thin and fudgy, thats normal.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smooth the tops and gently tap the pans on the counter to release big air bubbles.
- Bake on the center rack 30 to 35 minutes for two 9 inch pans, test with a toothpick it should come out with moist crumbs but not wet batter. If you use a 9 by 13 inch pan start checking at 30 minutes and bake until done.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto the rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost with your favorite icing. Tip: chill the layers 10 to 15 minutes if they seem fragile, or brush with a little simple syrup for extra moisture. Store airtight at room temp for up to 3 days or refrigerate if your frosting needs it.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 97g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 324kcal
- Fat: 11.45g
- Saturated Fat: 2.21g
- Trans Fat: 0.03g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.89g
- Monounsaturated: 5.78g
- Cholesterol: 33mg
- Sodium: 427mg
- Potassium: 158mg
- Carbohydrates: 53.06g
- Fiber: 2.85g
- Sugar: 34.33g
- Protein: 4.94g
- Vitamin A: 85IU
- Vitamin C: 0.04mg
- Calcium: 41mg
- Iron: 1.75mg
