The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

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The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe– Rich and decadent, this chocolate cake is made from scratch so it’s moist and delicious. Topped with homemade chocolate pudding frosting, this is a chocolate lover’s delight! 

picture of a chocolate layer cake on a white plate

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picture of a chocolate layer cake on a white plate


Black Magic Chocolate Cake

Made with espresso or black coffee to deepen the rich chocolatey flavor, buttermilk to make it moist and flaky, and topped with a mouse-like chocolate pudding frosting, your taste buds are in for a real treat. If you love chocolate, this is the ultimate chocolate lover’s dessert.

There are plenty of claims out there for the best chocolate cake recipe, but this one had every single person who ate it raving about how it was the best chocolate cake ever! It’s rich, moist, and decadent. There really isn’t another cake quite like this one. 

If you’re worried that you aren’t good at baking, don’t be. This recipe is as easy as whipping up a cake from a box. Just use exact ingredients and follow the instructions. 

picture of a chocolate layer cake on a white plate

How To Make The Best Chocolate Cake Ever

This moist, decadent chocolate cake pairs perfectly with my homemade chocolate pudding frosting! Get on your baker’s hat and let’s make the best cake you’ve ever had. 

  1. First, preheat your oven to 350?. Then, grease two 9×2 inch round cake pans with butter and flour or cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper (see tip). 
  2. Next, whisk together your dry ingredients (sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) in a large bowl. 
  3. Beat the eggs, buttermilk, espresso, oil, and vanilla into the dry ingredients on medium speed for 2-minutes. 
  4. The batter will be thin. Divide it between the two prepared pans. 
  5. Bake both cakes for 40-45 minutes. 
  6. While the cakes are cooking, make your homemade chocolate pudding frosting
  7. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 10-minutes. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack for 1-hour. 
  8. After the cakes have cooled, place your first cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Then, pipe or spread a thick layer of frosting all over the top of the cake to create the filling layer. 
  9. Place the second cake on top of the first cake. Then, coat the second cake with frosting. 
  10. Give your cake a crumb coat and chill for 30-minutes. Then, add a final coating of frosting. 
picture of a chocolate layer cake on a white plate

Tips and Tricks to Perfect Chocolate Cake and FAQs: 

  • For best results, use bake-even strips. You can purchase bake-even strips or you can use this homemade method which I used in the photos since my strips were otherwise engaged. 
  • Check the cakes with a toothpick. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake, and if it comes out clean, it’s done. 
  • Feel free to replace the frosting with your favorite chocolate frosting recipe.
  • You can also skip the frosting layer between the cakes and opt for a chocolate ganache filling.

FAQs

What temperature do I bake the cakes? 

For this recipe, you will be baking your cakes in the oven. You want the oven to be 350?.

How long does this recipe take?

minutes of prep time to prepare your cakes, 45-minutes to cook, and an hour to cool. So, altogether, this recipe will take you about 2 hours and 55 minutes.

Can I make this chocolate cake ahead of time?

Yes, this cake can be made in advance. A fully frosted cake can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 1 day uncut. The frosting will thicken when cold and have more of a firm ganache texture as opposed to its silky soft and whipped texture right after making. If you let the cake sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours after removing it from the refrigerator, the frosting will soften up again. Just make sure not to leave it in a really warm area or in direct sunlight.

How do I store leftover cake?

r for up to 3 days. Or, you can store the cake in the refrigerator for up to a week. Additionally, you can freeze the cake unfrosted. Let them cool completely, and then wrap in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag, squeezing out any excess air. You can freeze the unfrosted cake  for up to 3 months.

Can I make a 4-layer chocolate cake?

Absolutely! You can make a 4-layer cake using 6-inch cake pans, divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake each cake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Other Cakes You’ll Love

Baking is a fun way to show your family and friends how much you love them. And, my Easy Chocolate Chinese Five Spice Cake, Easy Caramel Apple Spice Cake, or my Oreo Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Freak Cake are all sure to make everyone feel loved!

picture of frosted chocolate cake on a plate

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever

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A homemade slice of black magic chocolate cake on a white plate.

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

Yield: 16 slices
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour

Are you looking for the best chocolate cake ever? You’re in luck because this chocolate cake recipe is perfectly rich, moist, and delicious!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 1¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 cup hot espresso, brewed black coffee, or water
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9x2-inch round cake pans with butter and flour or cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. For best results, use bake-even strips.In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Beat in eggs, buttermilk, espresso, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, the batter is going to be very thin.
  3. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared 9-inch pans.
  4. Bake the cakes for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick comes clean from the center.
  5. While the cakes are baking, begin preparing your frosting since it will also need to cool for 1 hour.
  6. Cool the cakes in pans for at least 10 minutes and loosen from the sides of the pans before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
  7. After the cakes have cool and the frosting has been prepared according to the recipe directions, place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or serving plate.
  8.  Pipe or spread a thick layer of the frosting all over the top of the layer to create the filling layer.
  9. Top with the other cake layer and give it a crumb coat and chill for 30 minutes before adding the final coating of frosting.
Nutrition Information
Yield 16 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 244Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 35mgSodium 293mgCarbohydrates 39gFiber 1gSugar 26gProtein 4g

Nutrition is automatically calculated by Nutritionix - please verify all nutrition information independently and consult with a doctor or nutritionist for any and all medical and diet advice.

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About Courtney

Courtney loves to share great wine, good food, and loves to explore far flung places- all while masting an everyday elegant and easy style at lifestyle blog Sweet C’s Designs. Sweet C's devoted to finding the best food and drinks you'll want to make or find, around the world!

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