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. Notice the reddish tint? That’s where the name Devil’s Food comes from. The baking soda in this recipe reacts with the natural cocoa powder, which results in the reddish color. More on the science behind using dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder here, if you’re interested.
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
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. 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, and marble loaf cake too!
- Oil: Don’t use butter in this cake batter. Cocoa powder is a particularly drying ingredient, so this cake needs oil for suitable moisture.
- Eggs: Use 2 room temperature eggs. To speed up the gently warming, place refrigerated eggs in a cup of warm water for 10 minutes. Did you know what the temperature of your ingredients has a direct correlation to the success of your recipes? Unless otherwise noted, use room temperature ingredients.
- 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!)
What an Easy Cake!
No mixer required for the batter, simply whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients (or vice versa, it doesn’t make any difference), add the hot coffee, then whisk everything together. The cake batter is thin. Divide between 2 9-inch cake pans. You can easily stretch it to 3 or 4 8-inch or 9-inch cakes if needed. Or make a quarter sheet cake using a 9×13-inch cake pan. See my recipe notes for details.
Need a 1 layer cake? Use this mint chocolate cake recipe for 1 9-inch round cake.
Need cupcakes? Use either my super moist chocolate cupcakes or cream-filled chocolate cupcakes recipe.
Lately I’ve Been Using Sour Cream
As mentioned above and in the video tutorial, 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 cake or not. 🙂
Silky Chocolate Buttercream
Like my yellow cake, I use my favorite chocolate buttercream. I slightly increase the amount of each ingredient to produce extra frosting. If you prefer a thinner layer of frosting, use the chocolate buttercream recipe. But if you crave extra buttercream, follow the frosting measurements below. 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 milk can be substituted if needed.
While I love chocolate frosting here the most, this cake is also wonderful with vanilla buttercream or strawberry buttercream 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!
PrintDeliciously 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 (62g) 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 (120ml) vegetable oil (or canola oil or melted coconut oil)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) freshly brewed strong hot coffee (regular or decaf)
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 (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or dutch process)
- 3–5 Tablespoons (45-75ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk), at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional for decoration: semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat 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 wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water/coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when 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!)
- Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
- 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, salt, and vanilla extract. 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. (I usually add 1 more.) 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 always 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 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 or 9-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, 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.) Since there is no leavening occurring in 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 version of buttermilk 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 (120ml) each. Add 3/4 cup (180g) of room temperature full-fat sour cream with the wet ingredients. You can see this described above, in the video tutorial, 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.
- FAQ: The sour cream version (note above) makes a sturdy enough cake that will hold under fondant.
- Amount of Cake Batter: This recipe (and the sour cream version) 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 the cake taste like coffee. Instead, they deepen the chocolate flavor. I highly recommend them both. You can use the same amount of instant coffee (the powder) instead of espresso powder if desired. If coffee isn’t your thing, you can leave out the espresso powder and use extra hot water or hot chai tea.
- 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: Here is my favorite chocolate cupcakes recipe. Same unbelievable texture as this cake! (You’ll notice I don’t use hot liquid in that recipe. That’s because there isn’t the same volume of dry ingredients to break up. If you need more than 1 dozen chocolate cupcakes, use this chocolate cake recipe for 2-3 dozen. Same baking instructions as my chocolate cupcakes.
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten and originally from Hershey’s
Hi Sally,
I made this recipe for my daughter’s 4th birthday this past weekend and everyone loved it. I used the coconut oil and coffee and it made such a difference. Though I used 1/4 less coffee because the batter appeared too thin. Also, I will need to make sure to use the parchment paper in the pans next time as the cake is delicate and was difficult to get out of the pan without breaking. I used your Swiss Meringue recipe with a little cocoa powder because my family is not crazy about American frosting. Wished there were more instructions on how to add the chocolate flavor to SMBC. I baked in 3 6-inch pans and the centers domed a little bit. It wasn’t attractive when I finished putting together but so delicious and special. Can’t wait to try it again.
Hi Sally, I made this cake and it’s simply amazingly moist. The recipe is very accurate.. Love it also love your cinnamon buns too a hit been making it ever since.
Hi Sally, I wanted to bake this cake in 2 or 3 layers but only have one pan. Would it be OK if I baked the layers one by one, and let the remaining batter sit outside or in the fridge while the 1st and 2nd layers bake?
Hi Amy, You can bake your first layer and leave the remaining batter loosely covered at room temperature until you are ready to use the pan again for the second layer.
I don’t normally like choc cake so was nervous about making this! I bake really regularly and everyone said it’s the best cake I’d made! This had to feed quite a lot of people so I made 1.5 quantity to make 3 layers and sandwiched the cakes with the buttercream and put load of raspberries in between to cut through the richness. Then made a chocolate ganache to go on top of the top sponge! I left the sides bare. Really really good and making again tomorrow!!!
Just made this cake for my wife’s Birthday. Fantastic flavor, very moist and major chocolaty. I used two 8″ spring forms and cut them in half for a four layer cake. I used Apricot jam in the middle layer and there was plenty enough butter cream frosting for the other layers and the top. I did not sift the cocoa for the cake but probably should have. I did for the frosting and it came out perfect. Just say’in. Great cake and she and our friends were blown away.
This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made. It turned out perfect and wasn’t hard to make at all. The cake is spongey, moist and so chocolatey and the icing is so delicious. Thank you for having weight measurements!
Hello, I would like to make this cake but my question is: would the buttercream be enough to decorate the top of the cake as well? I would like to make some swirls on top
Hi Diana, It should be enough unless you want a very thick layer of frosting. You can make 1.5 times the frosting if you wish and leftovers freeze well!
Oh, my goodness. I really didn’t need another chocolate cake recipe, but Sally’s recipes are always so good & this was for my dear husband’s #70, so I shifted gears. This is one of the very best cakes I have ever made (& I have made a few). It is delicious! Unfortunately, I made it during the pandemic, so we may just have to spilt the cake between us!
Hi Sally! My daughter wants to add a fudge layer with this recipe for her birthday. If I added fudge (like the ice cream topping) in between the layers, would it just soak into the cake?
Hi Leslie, I recommend using chocolate ganache. It’s super easy to make and will hold up well between the layers!
Made this recipe last week, it turned out absolutely awesome! The icing was fantastic, the wife and youngest were fighting over the bowl. I’ve been asked to make a chocolate birthday cake and will be looking to this recipe.
Thank
Hi Sally!
I made these cakes today, and I’m not quite sure what happened…
The inside was a weird pudding cake texture, kind of rubbery, not like the pictures at all. My oven usually takes longer to cook, the cakes were in for probably 30min. The only thing I did different was make my own buttermilk substitute by combining milk and lemon juice, then leaving to curdle for a few minutes.
Any idea of what went wrong?
Hi Sarah, If the middle of the cake was not cooked through it sounds as though they were not baked long enough. Since you mention that your oven runs hot, it’s very helpful to own an oven thermometer. See number seven in these 10 Baking Tips for Perfect Cakes.
I tried this recipe, such a lovely cake, so moist! Would it be possible to use this recipe for a vanilla sponge (so without the coffee and cocoa powder)?
I made the Triple Chocolate Cake today as a trial run as I am making a cake this weekend for a party. The recipe is wonderful as always and I will replace my go-to chocolate cake with this one the chocolate buttercream was easy to work with as well.
I have a question… for some reason my frosting tastes grainy, like there is granulated sugar in it, which of course there is not. Why would this happen? Thank you
Hi Alice! I’m so glad to read that you love this chocolate cake recipe. Sifting the confectioners’ sugar should help– you could also try switching brands. I know some taste coarser than others.
Hi Sally, I made your lemon cake today (my first cake in about 30 years) and it was a hit at my family’s “distanced” backyard get together. It was soooo good. I’m learning so much from your site. Thanks for all your tips and tricks. Now I want to try this chocolate one next weekend. I usually don’t buy milk, so wondering if I could use almond milk in the icing? Thanks!
Hi Jill! So glad you enjoyed the lemon cake recipe. You can use almond milk in this chocolate frosting, yes.
Im making a cake at the weekend for my neices birthday. I would love to do this cake as a 3 layer 10 inch round. Please could you advise what quantities i would need for this for both cake and buttercream?
Hi Halema, You can use the post on Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions to help calculate how much batter you would need.
I made this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour. It was delicious! My husband hates gluten free baked goods, but I like to make GF things for my sister, and he couldn’t tell that I used GF flour. Love, love, love this recipe! It’s so moist!
Does anyone know how I could turn this into a 3 or 4 layer 6 inch cake, ideally baked in 2 6 inch tins and then cut in half?
Hi Becki, try my 6 inch cake recipe– using the chocolate cupcakes batter.
I was really pleased and impressed with this cake, and so was everyone at the birthday celebration for which I made it. The coffee did not come through as coffee, it only intensified the chocolate flavor. The level of sweetness was PERFECT. I did the sour cream version to give a slightly sturdier result, and let me tell you, it was a dream to cut; Clean slices that didn’t crumble apart, even when sliced thin, but still super velvety and moist! At the request of the birthday girl I made it for I paired it with the Vanilla Buttercream in the recipe for your Best Vanilla Cake recipe. American buttercream is often too sweet for me, but not yours – it was truly the best, most perfect vanilla buttercream I’ve ever worked with! The whole cake was such a win – both recipes are going in the permanent file! Thanks so much – you made me look good!!
Just hands down the best and most decadent chocolate cake ever! I’m not kidding, this was my first baking a cake from scratch and it literally tasted like a bakery cake (my husbands words lol) . If you are looking for the perfect chocolate cake, look no further! I followed ever instruction as written, I did not have buttermilk so I used the DIY as shown here. She is absolutely right about not skipping the buttermilk. And also coffee adds such a rich flavor! The sweetness was perfect like you can eat the cake by itself, perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. I didn’t make the buttercream with this, I made a whipped topping from heavy cream and chocolate chips and added the chocolate ganache on top with some crushed kit kat and voila, so yum and light. Thank you again for a perfect recipe
Delicious perfect chocolate cake! We made this for my daughter’s birthday (sour cream version, no coffee) in a darth vader cake pan + 6 cupcakes. Sally, this is my fourth time baking from your website – you will now be my go to for all baked goods!
Best chocolate cake I’ve ever made. I didn’t use hot coffee and I cut the recipe in half. I made it today for my son’s 5th birthday. Excellent! A keeper.
Delicious cake!!! My family loved it!
As much as I love this cake, it really is the best chocolate cake i’ve ever made, could you make it much clearer to everyone that it must be refrigerated? With the buttermilk/sour cream in it, unfortunately I did not realise that it needed to be kept in the fridge (as its unusual to keep a cake in the fridge it just didn’t occur to me) but my whole family got food poisoning after eating it.
Silly question alert… I’m based in the UK and am surprised that such a delicate cake requires granulated sugar since I more commonly use caster sugar when baking cakes. I imagine there may be some differences in the terms used between our countries, like our use of “icing” rather than “confectioners” sugar, so I just wanted to check that the cake does indeed take UK granulated sugar and not the finer caster sugar?
Hi Drew, I live in the U.K. I used caster sugar and icing sugar, both cake & buttercream turned out lovely. Regards.
so moist and rich, yet fluffy. It’s the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. I’ve never tried it with the frosting, but I don’t really see the need for it. It’s perfect the way it is. It’s also super easy to make with things I usually have at home! Love the replacement suggestion for buttermilk/sour cream. I’ve always made it with the homemade buttermilk using this recipe (vinegar + milk) and it turns out great! Look no further, this is the chocolate cake you should be making!!!
Hi Sally! I just want to say thank you for this amazing recipe! I baked it for a birthday and everybody absolutely loved it! They even compared it to a cake baked at a famous local confectionery, it’s same to say that it’s everyone’s favorite now!
It’s a fab recipe, so satisfying. Won’t be the only time am making it. My perfect chocolate cake. Thank you so much Sally xxx
Just baked this recipe. AWESOME! I had doubts when I saw that there is NO butter in this recipe. It turned out to be absolutely fluffy and chocolatey (really, no coffee taste). It’s so springy and fluffy that I’m worried it won’t work with the cake I’m making though because it won’t be stackable. I’m making a firetruck that basically is a big rectangle ( height 15cmx length 43cmx depth 12cm). And I made this recipe with a 13″x9″ sheet pan and got ~3 cm thickness rise from this cake. So, I’m guessing I’ll need around 4 of these layers and ~1cm buttercream between these layers which brings me to a total of 15cm height for my cake. Since I have to stack 3 layers of cake do you think this recipe is still suitable or I should try a more dense cake to withstand the weight?? This is my second time baking, I’d appreciate if you could help.
Nonetheless, this is an amazing cake just to eat plain (that’s what I’m doing as I type this comment).
Wow! This is seriously the best chocolate cake I have ever made, probably in the top 3 that I have ever had. I used the sour cream version. Incredible. Thanks Sally!
This cake was so easy to make and DELICIOUS!!! Made it as a good well cake and it has put smiles on a few faces
Was wondering if this cake will hold as a bottom tier of a wedding cake?
Hi Megan, This chocolate cake isn’t sturdy enough to be the bottom tier of a wedding cake, even with cake dowels in place. (Even using the sour cream version in the notes– you could TRY replacing the buttermilk in that version with more sour cream– a total of 1 and 1/4 cups sour cream, but I still fear it wouldn’t be strong enough.)
Can I double the recipe to get a 4 layer cake with 9 inch pans?
Hi Tianna, For the best texture I recommend making this cake twice instead of doubling it for 4 layers.