With a super moist crumb and fudgy, yet light texture, this chocolate cake recipe will soon be your favorite too. Top with chocolate buttercream and chocolate chips for 3x the chocolate flavor. You can also prepare this chocolate layer cake as a sheet cake, too. See recipe note.
Originally published in 2013 and now with more in-depth descriptions, a helpful video tutorial, clearer instructions, and different ways to use this classic chocolate cake recipe. I hope you enjoy all the new features in this recipe post!
Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake… But Better
This pictured cake is a combination of chocolate buttercream and mock-devil’s food cake. You know the devil’s food chocolate cake you get at a restaurant or even from a box mix? This is that exact cake, only completely homemade.
This is, without a doubt, the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. And judging by your feedback in the reviews, I’m confident you’d say the same thing!
This Chocolate Cake Is:
- Extra moist
- 2 layers, but can be made as 3 layers or as a sheet cake
- Soft with a velvety crumb
- Deeply flavorful
- Unapologetically rich, just like my flourless chocolate cake
- Covered with creamy chocolate buttercream
One reader, Greta, commented: “This is, hands down, the best chocolate cake I have ever baked. And I’m not the only one who thinks so… because I have baked and shared this cake with many people… it’s simply the best! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Melanie, commented: “This has become my go-to chocolate cake! My family loves it. The directions are very clear and easy to follow. Before now, I did not consider myself a baker. I had only baked box cakes. Now, this recipe has catapulted me into a from-scratch cake baker. So glad I found this recipe and many others from this site. ★★★★★”
Another reader, Todd, commented: “Outstanding! One of the best cakes I have ever made. Moist, chocolatey, beyond delicious! ★★★★★“
Key Chocolate Cake Ingredients & Why
Each ingredient serves an important role. For best results, do not make substitutions.
- All-Purpose Flour: The structure of the cake. Unlike confetti cake where you can use either, do not use cake flour here—when combined with ultra-light cocoa powder, cake flour is too fine for this cake.
- Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder: Do not use Dutch-process cocoa powder. Save it for another recipe, like these homemade brownies. If you’re interested, see Dutch-process vs natural cocoa powder for an in-depth explanation.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Remember the differences in baking soda vs baking powder? We use both here for lift.
- Salt: Salt balances the flavor.
- Espresso Powder: Espresso powder is optional, but I recommend its addition because it enhances the chocolate flavor. The chocolate cake will not taste like coffee, I promise. I use espresso powder in my chocolate zucchini cake, Guinness cake, chocolate raspberry cake, marble loaf cake, and chocolate marble pumpkin bread too! You can find it in the coffee or baking aisle at the grocery store or online.
- Oil: Don’t use butter in this cake batter. Cocoa powder is a particularly drying ingredient, so this cake needs oil for suitable moisture. Same goes for my chocolate cake roll recipe, too.
- Eggs: Use 2 room-temperature eggs. If your eggs are cold, place them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- Buttermilk: This chocolate cake requires the moisture and acidity from buttermilk. Lately I’ve been using a mix of sour cream and buttermilk, as well as reducing the hot liquid. You can read more about this next and see my dark chocolate mousse cake, tuxedo cake, black forest cake, German chocolate cake, and chocolate peanut butter cake recipes.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds flavor.
- Hot Coffee or Hot Water: Hot liquid enhances the cocoa powder’s flavor. It also encourages it to bloom and dissolve appropriately. You’ll notice I don’t use hot liquid in my chocolate cupcakes recipe. That’s because there isn’t the same volume of dry ingredients. With this amount of cake batter, we need a hot liquid to break up the cocoa powder lumps resting in all that flour. If you don’t drink coffee, you can use hot water. For deeper and darker flavor, though, use coffee. (Decaf coffee works!) You use it in this black velvet cupcakes recipe, too.
What an Easy Cake!
While you can use a mixer, you could also simply use a whisk. Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. Combine them, add the hot coffee, then whisk everything together. The cake batter is thin.
Divide between two 9-inch cake pans. You can easily stretch it to three or four 8-inch cake layers if needed. Or make a quarter sheet cake using a 9×13-inch cake pan. See recipe Notes for details.
Need a one-layer cake? Use this mint chocolate cake recipe for one 9-inch round cake.
Need cupcakes? Try my super moist chocolate cupcakes, classic chocolate cupcakes, or cream-filled chocolate cupcakes recipes.
For a Slightly Sturdier Version of This Cake
As mentioned above, there are two ways to prepare this cake batter and the slight difference involves the wet ingredients. You can follow the recipe as written using buttermilk and hot coffee/water. Or you can add sour cream. Whichever way you make it, the process is the same. (Just reduce the liquids and add sour cream!)
- Original Version (pictured and written below): The original recipe produces a very thin batter. The cake is extra soft with a deliciously spongey texture.
- Sour Cream Version (written in recipe notes and shown in video tutorial): By replacing some of the buttermilk and hot coffee with sour cream, the cake batter is slightly thicker and produces a slightly denser cake with more structure. I love using sour cream in my vanilla cake, too!
Both cakes are equally moist and chocolatey with the same flavor and ease of preparation. It just depends if you want a spongier or sturdier cake. 🙂
Silky Chocolate Buttercream
Like my yellow cake, I use my favorite chocolate buttercream. I slightly increased the amount of each ingredient to produce extra frosting for this chocolate layer cake. You need 6 ingredients total:
- Unsalted Butter
- Confectioners’ Sugar
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Heavy Cream or Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
Because there is no leavening occurring, you can use either Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder in the buttercream. Heavy cream provides an extra creamy frosting, but whole milk can be substituted if needed.
While I love chocolate frosting here the most, this cake is also wonderful with vanilla buttercream or peanut butter frosting instead!
So, why do I call it triple chocolate layer cake when it only has 2 layers? Well, chocolate is used three times: chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, chocolate chips. Press a handful on top like we do with warm chocolate chip cookies, or go with “the more the better” motto like we did. Let’s eat!
Print
Deliciously Moist Chocolate Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: serves 12-16
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is my favorite homemade chocolate cake recipe. With a super moist crumb and fudgy, yet light texture, this chocolate cake recipe will be your favorite too. Top with chocolate buttercream and chocolate chips for 3x the chocolate flavor. You can also prepare this chocolate layer cake as a sheet cake. See recipe Note.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 cup (64g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)
- 1/2 cup (113g/120ml) vegetable oil (or canola oil or melted coconut oil)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240g/ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240g/ml) freshly brewed strong hot coffee or hot water
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 and 1/4 cups (282g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 cup (64g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
- 3–5 Tablespoons (45–75g/ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk), at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- optional for decoration: semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you can use a whisk) mix the oil, eggs, and vanilla together on medium-high speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the hot coffee/water, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 23–26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Note: Even if they’re completely done, the cooled cakes may *slightly* sink in the center. Cocoa powder is simply not as structurally strong as all-purpose flour and can’t hold up to all the moisture necessary to make a moist-tasting chocolate cake. It’s normal!)
- Cool the cakes in the pans set on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges to help loosen the sides, remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment, and place on the cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Make the buttercream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy—about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Do not over-whip. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or 1–2 more Tablespoons of cream if frosting is too thick. Taste. Add another pinch of salt if desired.
- Assemble and frost: If cooled cakes are domed on top, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops to create a flat surface. This is called “leveling” the cakes. Discard or crumble over finished cake. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I use an icing spatula and bench scraper for the frosting. Garnish with chocolate chips, if desired.
- Refrigerate uncovered cake for at least 30–60 minutes before slicing to help set the shape. After that, you can serve the cake or continue refrigerating for up to 4–6 hours before serving. Cake can be served at room temperature or chilled.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like using a cake carrier for storing and transporting.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare cake through step 4. Wrap the individual baked and cooled cake layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature then continue with step 5. You can prepare the chocolate buttercream 2–3 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before spreading onto/assembling the cake. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or serve cold.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Cake Stand, Serving Plate, or Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Cake Carrier (for storing)
- 3-Layer Cake: You can also prepare this cake as a 3-layer cake. Divide batter between three 8-inch cake pans in step 1 and bake for 22–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This frosting will be enough for 3 layers. If desired, 1.5x the buttercream ingredient amounts or use the frosting recipe from my Piñata Cake if you want extra frosting.
- Cocoa Powder: Use natural cocoa powder in the cake, not Dutch-process. (See Dutch-process vs natural cocoa powder for more information.) Because there is no leavening in the frosting, you can use either natural or Dutch-process in the chocolate buttercream.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough room-temperature whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 cup. (In a pinch, lower-fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Sour Cream Version: Lately I’ve been using a mix of sour cream and buttermilk, as well as reducing the hot coffee. Reduce the buttermilk and hot coffee to 1/2 cup (120g/ml) each. Add 3/4 cup (180g) of room-temperature full-fat sour cream with the wet ingredients. You can see this described above and in my dark chocolate mousse cake. That cake and this cake are both fantastically moist, but the sour cream version has a slightly sturdier crumb.
- Can I top this cake with fondant? The sour cream version (note above) makes a sturdier cake that should hold up under fondant.
- Amount of Cake Batter: This recipe yields about 6 cups of batter, which is helpful if you need it for different Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions.
- Room-Temperature Ingredients: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about why room-temperature ingredients are important.
- Espresso Powder/Coffee: Espresso powder and coffee will not make this cake taste like coffee. Instead, they deepen and enhance the chocolate flavor. I highly recommend them both. Decaf coffee is fine. You can find espresso powder in the coffee or baking aisle at the grocery store or online. You can use the same amount of instant coffee (the powder, not coffee grounds) instead of espresso powder if desired. If coffee isn’t your thing, you can leave out the espresso powder and use hot water instead of the hot coffee.
- Bundt Pan: I recommend my chocolate cream cheese Bundt cake but without the cream cheese filling. Reduce buttermilk in that recipe to 1/4 cup and increase sour cream to 1 cup.
- 9×13-inch Pan: You can bake this cake in a 9×13-inch baking pan. Same oven temperature, about 35–40 minutes bake time.
- Chocolate Cupcakes: I have 2 favorite chocolate cupcake recipes: my super moist chocolate cupcakes and this classic chocolate cupcakes recipe. The second one is based off of this chocolate cake recipe and has the same texture and flavor as this cake!
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten and originally from Hershey’s
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hello! If I’m wanting to make x2 6” cakes could I just halve this recipe.
Hi Monica, we’d recommend using the chocolate cake instructions in the recipe Notes of this 6-inch cakes post. It will still be a bit too much for 2, 6-inch pans, but you can fill your pans half way and use the leftover batter for a few cupcakes on the side. Enjoy!
Hello! Can you use avocado oil instead of vegetable oil? Thank you!
Hi Zibby, that will work in a pinch. Enjoy!
Any recommendations for making this cake at high altitude? I made it once and the middle sank a little, and I had to cook it much longer than recommended. I was just curious if there would be any tweaks for a better result at high altitude. Thanks!
Hi Kate! I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
The cake sounds delicious but is it possible to turn it into a chocolate orange cake? Add a little orange juice instead of coffee? Or just add orange zest?
Hi Susan, we haven’t tested an orange chocolate cake, but adding zest or extract is a great start! We would keep the coffee for flavor (and it helps bloom the cocoa). Let us know what you try!
Can i use almond milk in buttermilk?
Can i replace heavy cream with almond milk?
My son has milk allergy, and i want to make it in his birthday next weekend
Hi Sara, see recipe Notes for details on a DIY buttermilk substitute, where you can use non-dairy milk if needed. Keep in mind that the cake won’t taste as moist or rich with that swap. You can use almond milk in place of the heavy cream for the frosting, but the frosting won’t be quite as creamy.
Thoughts on using your chocolate cream cheese frosting instead AND adding caramel sauce between the layers?
Hi Ellen, that would be delicious!
Triple chocolate Cake is the best! So good.
I would like your comment on using a combined ganache buttercream frosting. Would it be less sweet, and more “chawklit”, or too heavy and not suitable?
Hi Debbie, that sounds delicious to us! Let us know if you give it a try.
So I made this cake and forgot to put the coffee in(1cup) it was still so delicious so very excited to bake it again with the coffee this time!
Best chocolate cake I have ever made.
Hi Sally,
Can i use your cream cheese frosting on this cake instead of buttercream?
Absolutely!
I made this recently to share with friends and it is one of the best cakes I have ever made! It really is deliciously moist! I used black cocoa in the frosting and topped with a few orange and black sprinkles – perfect for an October cake!
Hola Sally!! Está torta de chocolate es la favorita de toda mi familia!! Gracias por compartir. Quisiera preguntarte, crees que sea buena idea que a este bizcocho se le pueda remojar en una mezcla de 3 leches (leche evaporada, crema de leche y leche condensada) en mi país comemos algo que llamamos torta de 3 leches o genovesa y quisiera hacer una de chocolate pero no sé si usando tu receta de este bizcocho sea buena idea para usarla para remojar. Podrías ayudarme? Quisiera probarla para celebrar mi cumpleaños!!
Hi Maria, We’re so glad this cake is a family favorite. We love the idea of a chocolate tres leches cake, but this particular cake is already very moist and tender, so we’re concerned that adding a milk soak would make it too wet and cause it to fall apart. Tres leches cakes typically use a sturdier, sponge-style cake that can absorb the liquid without becoming soggy. Let us know if you try anything!
Using this to make a special cake for a birthday.
I made the sour cream version, and I am hoping to cut them both in half, then make a 4 layer cake with chocolate mascarpone cream in between the layers, and then coat the cake in chocolate ganache! Will report back.
How did it go?. i am considering the same.
I am making this cake and accidentally used special dark cocoa powder. Do I need to make any adjustments to the recipe or start over?
Hi Susan, Hershey’s Special Dark is Dutch-processed, so we don’t recommend it for this cake and are not sure what exact adjustments would be best. We would try starting over with unsweetened natural cocoa powder.
I regularly bake this in a Bundt pan and the result is very good. Why don’t you recommend using a Bundt pan for this recipe ?
Hi Mounia, the chocolate Bundt cake shared in the recipe Notes is very similar to this batter, but it’s a bit sturdier/has a slightly thicker batter so that it bakes well in a larger Bundt pan. If this recipe works well for in a Bundt, feel free to keep doing so!
Omygosh! Best chocolate cake I ever made. The batter was a little runny on the thin side, so I was worried, but turned out perfect. Thank you so much!
This cake is so delicious! It’s fail proof (coming from someone who can’t bake) and is better than what you can buy at the store. I ended up trying this cake recipe after disliking the last two cakes I ordered from the grocery store bakery. It’s surprisingly easy and tastes truly chocolatey. The coffee/espresso also gives the cake a depth of flavor you won’t get otherwise. I will probably never buy another bakery cake again.
I love this cake and have made it several times. However, I don’t like the frosting at all. It is sickeningly sweet in my opinion and doesn’t complement the cake. I have tried a couple of dark chocolate frostings that don’t include powdered sugar (or very little) but haven’t found just the right thing. I’d welcome any suggestions. I am looking for a truly dark chocolate, not-too-sweet frosting.
Hi Susan, you may love a whipped ganache frosting on this cake! See that post for details on whipping.
Too much salt in the frosting. That should be listed as optional.
Hi X, you can certainly adjust the amount of salt to your liking.
Hi Sally,
I only have Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder, can I use it for this cake recipe?
Hi Trim! You need unsweetened natural cocoa powder for this recipe for best results!
I am wanting to make this for a birthday cake. I’m planning to make the sour cream version twice so I have 4 cakes to stack & ice in buttercream. Do you think they will hold?
Hi Aliza, Using the sour cream version of the recipe (as you mention) will yield a slightly sturdier crumb that will be better for a 4 layer cake. You may also want to use cake dowels for a bit of extra support. We hope it’s a hit!
I’ve made a LOT of chocolate cakes in my 61 years, even recipes from famous cookbook authors that you’d all recognize. But none of them ever wow-ed me. I took a risk with this one because of all the 5-star reviews. Let me tell you…. this cake is truly the BEST EVER. Unbelievable rich, moist and chocolatey. I served it to visiting guests and they went on about how this was the best chocolate cake they’d ever had. And yes, I felt the exact same way. Best ever recipe!!! Thank you for this keeper.
Yes, it’s true. Best ever. I liked it with the less sweet frosting, but my family liked it with the full strength buttercream. I am 64 years old and had never made a cake from scratch before. Don’t be afraid! I have done this twice now and both times people go nuts for it.
This is hands down the most amazing chocolate cake recipe I have made.
It is light, and moist and everyone who ate it said it was amazing.
I usually make chocolate cakes with melted chocolate in the batter recipe which makes a denser fudgier cake. This is a great recipe and made a wonderful birthday cake. Thank you!
Hi Sally! I was thinking of using the buttermilk and hot coffee/water recipe for a two tier cake. A 10″ bottom tier and 8″ top tier cake. Do you have any suggestion on how many layers would be suitable for each tier, and how should I divide or multiply the recipe?
Hi Syabila, we do not recommend this recipe as the bottom tier for a cake—-even the sour cream version is a bit too light to support a top tier. You could use it for a top tier, though, with a different flavored bottom tier. Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes. Hope this helps!
Hi Sally im simin. Can u please tell me what would be the weight of the cake made with this recipe?
Hi Simin, we haven’t weighed the assembled cake to be able to help here. Hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!
Hello! I was wondering if I could make this a single-layer cake instead of dividing it into two layers, and use chocolate ganache instead of buttercream?
Hi Carolina, For a one layer cake, you can bake it in a 9×13-inch pan. See the recipe notes for details and instructions. Yes, you can use chocolate ganache.
Hello! How many tablespoon of instant coffee powder to use in 240ml hot coffee? Thank you
Hi Christine! Prepare according to the instant coffee directions to get the one cup needed for the batter.
I’ve got this cake in the oven right now. It’s already had 20 minutes additional cooking time, but is still not done in the centre when I test it with a tooth pick. What did I do wrong???
Hi Sarah! What sized pans are you baking your cakes in? Could your oven be running cool? We would keep baking until the cake is baked through!
Hi Sally, I can’t find natural cocoa powder – can I use Dutch processed and leave out the baking Soda possibly ?
Thankyou !
Hi Renee! Unsweetened natural cocoa powder is required for the cake. It would take some testing to use Dutch process. You can use unsweetened natural cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa powder in the frosting (since there aren’t leavening agents). Here’s more on the difference between the two if you’re interested.