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 am making this for my 4 yr old’s birthday and will use hot water instead of coffee. Will the hot water still suffice and still taste ok?
Thanks!
Hi Kelsey, absolutely. Hope the cake is a hit!
Hi, Sally! I really want to make this recipe but unfortunately I can’t find natural processed cocoa here. If I have to substitute it with dutch processed cocoa, what can I do to compensate the natural processed cocoa’s acidity?
Hi Sally, could I make 1.5 batches of this cake (3 9 inch layers), or would they collapse?
Hi Lacey, You can make this cake as written as a three layer cake – see recipe note #2 for details! If you want your layers to be thicker then yes, you can make 1.5 times the recipe for three pans and follow the same baking instructions. Enjoy!
Hi Sally, want to make thicker layers for this cake recipe, can I make 1.5 batches and divide it between 2 9 inch pans? Thanks. Or would it be better to stack 3 9 inch cake layers?
Hi Katie! To ensure the layers cook though correctly, we would do three layers instead of two thicker ones. Hope it’s a hit!
Hello can I make this in three 6 inch tins? How long would they take? Thanks !
Hi Chelsea! For a three layer 6 inch chocolate cake, we recommend using the batter from our chocolate cupcakes instead – it’s the perfect amount of batter! You can read more about baking 6 inch cakes here. Happy baking!
Made this for my brother in laws 11th birthday. And I made it dairy free (Almond milk with lemon juice and vegan unsalted “butter”). Cake was perfect. Buttercream was great but needs to stay very cold to keep from separating.
Hi Sally!
I’m a newbie in baking and I’m always following you and your recipes here and on Youtube.. They came out perfect! ❤️
I’m just wondering if I can make this a 2 or 3 tier triple chocolate cake?
I hope you notice this.
Thank you! XOXO
Hi Sam! unfortunately, we haven’t tested a chocolate tiered cake yet that has a sturdy enough bottom layer. We do list some tiered layer flavor suggestions in this post. Perhaps you could do another flavor on the bottom and a chocolate tier on top? We’d love to know what you try!
Can I make these into cake pops? If so can I freeze them?
Love this recipe. Wld this be sturdy enough to cover with fondant? Wanting to use as a top tier for wedding cake. Thanks.
Hi Michelle, using the sour cream method/version from the notes, this cake should be just find under fondant. Hope it’s a hit!
Love this recipe, can it be used for 2x 8 inch tins? Wanted to make a choc drip cake and need it to be a bit taller for the drips.
Hi Sarah, You can use this recipe as written to make an 8 inch cake. The layers will be slightly thicker and may take an extra minute in the oven, so keep an eye on them. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Sally this is my go to chocolate cake – so delicious – Limzy, London UK
Hello!
I’ve made this recipe before, and it turned out beautifully!! Thank you so much.
I’m wondering if I could add a few cups of chocolate chips to the batter? Would that produce the effect of slightly melted chocolate chips in the cake?
Thank you for any help or advice!!
Hi Samantha! You can add 1 cup (180g) of chocolate chips (semi sweet or dark!). Use the sour cream version detailed in the notes, which creates a slightly thicker batter to hold them up.
Hi Samantha! I just made this cake for my mom’s 81st bday. (My first cake from scratch!) It turned out great.
The parchment technique worked fine but was tedious for me. Your video doesn’t show this step and was wondering if you could provide detail on how to do it? Or alternate methods?
Thank you so much!!
Hi Sally,
I only have a loose- bottomed pan. Is there anything I could do to prevent the mixture from leaking?
Also, would this cake recipe be ok for an ice cake? I.e. two layers of this chocolate cake with a layer of vanilla ice cream in the middle, and frozen?
Thank you!
Hi Meghan, Some readers have had luck with wrapping the outside of their pans (as well as lining the inside with parchment as described in the instructions), but we haven’t tested it ourselves. Yes, this cake would be delicious with an ice cream layer. You may also love our brownie ice cream sandwiches!
Thank you. Just made this cake and it’s absolutely delicious! I love it. However, it’s very sweet. Is there a type of frosting that I can use to counteract the sweetness. I was thinking whipped ganache, but is there anything even more suitable?
Also, is there a reason why you use granulated sugar instead of caster sugar?
Thank you!
Thrilled you enjoyed this cake, Meghan! For a less sweet frosting option, you could certainly try chocolate ganache (or even whipped ganache – see the “Whipped Ganache” header in the post) or Swiss meringue buttercream. We use granulated sugar because it’s more readily available in stores near us!
Just made this cake for hubbys b-day. The cake is great ! I used whole goat milk, not the buttermilk. I changed the frosting a bit. I used just 2 sticks of butter, 5 cups powdered sugar, the cocoa, vanilla but also added 2 TB Baileys Irish Cream. This recipe goes in my book !
Hi Sally, this recipe sounds amazing!! Instead of the Chocolate Buttercream, would your “Creamiest Peanut Butter Frosting“ recipe work as well? Or do you have a Peanut Butter Buttercream recipe I could use? Thank you 🙂
Hi Nina, absolutely! Our peanut butter frosting would be delicious with this cake.
Easy and tasty recipe! I don’t like my baked goods that sweet, so I cut the sugar in HALF in both the frosting and the cake batter. Something to consider if you also don’t like your baked goods on the really sweet side, the cake had more of a dark chocolate flavor and was still plenty sweet enough, my family loved it!
Hi, I am in the process of making this cake for my daughter’s birthday tonight.
On the recipe flour is 1 3/4 Cups or 219grams…on my scale 219grams = 1 1/2 Cups flour
HELP!
Is the 1 3/4 a typo? I know I am measuring the flour correctly (spoon and level). Should I go by 219 g or 1 3/4C?
Hi Elizabeth! The gram measurement will always be the most accurate. Hope this cake is a hit!
Hi Sally! thank you for the sharing! I don’t have the natural cocoa onhand. What will be the effect if i’m going to try using dutch process cocoa powder?
Hi Mary, Dutched cocoa will change how the cake bakes and tastes, and that switch would require additional testing. If you test anything out, please let us know. Or if you find a chocolate cake recipe you love that calls for dutched cocoa, let us know too! Natural cocoa really is best here.
I made the cake without the frosting, but it is soo delicious. I was truly impressed with myself after making it!
Hi Sally,
I made the sour cream version of this cake. I made a three layer version. In between layers I used Nutella spread and vanilla ermine frosting. The cake was then covered in Nutella ermine frosting mini milk choc chips and hazlenut crunch. The cake tasted amazing….the best chocolate cake to date! I would like to seek some advice. As I have a tiny oven I made up the cake batter seperately for three layers, multiplying your recipie by 1.5 to work out the individual 3 layer ingredients. I found even though the skewer came out clean the cakes were quite sticky/tacky I figured this was due to how moist they are. I froze the layers to defrost on assembling the cake. I defrosted the layers to prepare the cake but found it incredibly hard to work with. I tried cutting away the crust to obtain clean straight edges for decorating but found the cake was so delicate chunks came away on cutting. All was not lost I slathered it in butter cream and it was so delicious. I had hoped I could trim and level this cake to produce a very smooth clean cake with trimming, levelling and using ganache or butter cream but that was impossible owing to the texture. Could you suggest how I may have gone wrong? I followed the timings, recipie? The cake itself was superb! I highly recommend. Thanks kate
Hi Kate, We are so happy you enjoyed the taste of this cake! When you wrapped the cake prior to freezing was it completely cooled to room temperature? If it was even a little bit warm when wrapped, condensation will form inside the wrapping causing the top to be extra sticky. Also, the best way to thaw a frozen cake is to transfer the wrapped cakes from the freezer to the refrigerator one day before decorating/serving. Make sure you’re thawing the cakes while they’re still in the wrapping. Condensation forms as foods thaw. This way the condensation will form on the wrapping, not the cake so you avoid the wet sticky situation. I hope this helps!
Thank you for your reply and helpful advice. I did find though the cake was sticky after baking. The skewer came out clean but the top was tacky. I waited until cakes were cooled to wrap and freeze. I did find though the cake just wasn’t sturdy enough to cut away the crusts and decorate without large pieces of cake coming away. It was so delicious though but I couldn’t make it pretty like I had hoped. Your advice would be greatly appreciated x
What kind of espresso powder do you use with this recipe? Thank you!
Hi Sally! I’m going to make a two-tiered wedding cake from your recipe! The lower tier will be two 9-inch cakes, so I’m all set with your recipe above for that. But the top tier will be two 6-inch cakes.
(1) How should I adapt this recipe to make two 6-inch cakes? Should I make the recipe as written, fill the 6-inch pans about half way (or how high?), and bake approximately 18-21 minutes at 350°F (as you note on your 6-inch Cake Recipes page)? I did see on your 6 Inch Cake Recipe page that we can use your cupcake recipes to make a 6-inch cake, but your Super Moist Chocolate Cupcake recipe is different from the Triple Chocolate Cake recipe and I’d like the two cake tier chocolate flavors to be identical.
(2) Assuming the answer to #1 is yes (just make the recipe as written and know that there will probably be leftover batter), would you advise against my doubling the recipe when I also make the two 9-inch pans? Would it be better to simply make the recipe twice –– once for the 9-inch cakes, and once for the 6-inch cakes (e.g., to avoid over-mixing)?
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your precision in your instructions and explanations on your website. I’m a big fan! 🙂
Hi Alicia! You can follow your plan for the 6-inch cakes. Just be careful not to overfill the pans as that could cause the cakes to sink. You can also reference our cake pan sizes and conversions guide if you would like to scale the recipe down for smaller pans. For your second question, it’s best to make the batter twice rather than doubling. It’s easy to over or under mix the batter when working with large quantities. We would love to hear how the cake goes for you!
Hi Sally,
I love your triple chocolate cake. Been baking it more than 3x already and so far I haven’t failed. I didn’t put any icing yet in my cake and cupcake but it’s still so moist and creamy even when you refrigerate it. Thank you! Devil’s Food Cake is my favorite, and this version is way much more yummy. Btw, I’m done baking now again and thinking of making a frosting
Love this recipe! Thank you so much.
Just one question – when making this to achieve a tall cake, can the recipe be doubled at all ? Will it still work ? ( 4x 8inch pans ) I was worried to try it today so have had to make the recipe three times and cook three times
Thank you In advance ❤️
Hi Sofia, we recommend making this batter twice (do not double) for a total of 4 layers. This will prevent over or under mixing a large quantity of batter. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for responding. Is the batter ok to sit for a few minutes then whilst a fresh one is being made so it can go in the oven at same time
?
Sorry for all the questions
Thank you again
Hi Sally, I’m planning on making this soon. I unfortunately only have one pan, am I able to refrigerate the other half of the batter whilst the other one bakes. Or can I bake the whole batter in the one pan and increase the bake time.
Hi Raviro, you can bake one layer at a time, and leave the unused batter covered at room temperature while waiting for the layers to bake. There is too much batter to bake it all in one pan — best to bake the layers individually.
This cake was amazing made it for my bday and everyone enjoyed to every crumb. Including the buttercream. The best chocolate cake to try, easy and quick. Have been following all ur cake recipes and they turn out brilliant
Hi I have a couple Qestions
Do I have to replace the hot coffee with anything???? I hope I dont but im still Asking
And DO I have to use the Vegtable Oil if I do is there a replacement for it????
And Is there something to replace the butter milk with or can I use Milk???????
Great questions! See recipe notes for hot coffee substitutes and details on how to make your own buttermilk substitute using milk and white vinegar or lemon juice. We recommend sticking with vegetable oil for best results (you can also use canola or coconut oil as noted in the ingredients list). Happy baking!
Hi Sally,
This cake recipe is amazing by far the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made . It’s very moist and chocolately as well .
Just wondering if you could help me with something. Whenever i made this cake at home my oven there had the conventional heat option but now where i am i have got a fan oven . I tried making this cake ( reduced temp 125degress fan temperature bcz it’s fan oven not conventional heat ) my cake came out extremely dense and heavy .
Tried it again at 150degress fan oven temperature it came out slightly dense than before . Just wondering if you knew why it is dense ( I’m sifting the flour , cocoa powder etc)
Just wondering if you knew why I could be failing to get the same texture
Thanks xx
Hi Patricia! Yes, all of our recipes are written for conventional heat settings. When using convection/fan ovens the flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. If you do use convection settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
Hi! I am making this cake for my mom for mother’s day. She loves vanilla frosting! With this cake, do you recommend using the swiss meringue buttercream or the plain vanilla buttercream? Thanks!
Hi Elena, either would be delicious! Swiss meringue buttercream is less sweet than our traditional vanilla buttercream, if that helps in your decision making process. Let us know what you decide!
I have made this recipe both ways (with and without sour cream variations), and loved them both but the sour cream version is AMAZING. Just a perfect, slightly dense but incredibly moist cake. The only alteration we made was omitting the chocolate chips, and instead decorating the top of the cake with rainbow sprinkles. This is what can happen when your baking partner is a 5 year-old who loves sprinkles. 😉
General comment, thank you Sally for all your hard work and incredible recipes. I first discovered your wonderful site when looking for a recipe for my daughter’s first birthday (strawberry shortcake cupcakes) and was so impressed that if I am ever baking something new, this is the first place I come because I know the content is amazing and the results never disappoint. As a former professional chef, I don’t settle for anything less than the best quality recipes, and I have never encountered a “miss” from your vast treasure trove of delicious ideas. PS, I will be making your croissant recipe in the coming days, so excited!
Ok note to self: next time I mustn’t use my loose-bottom cake tin batter was so thin, dripped through my pan and I lost half the cake before it went into the oven still tasted yummy though!
Hi there, I’m just wondering if using hot coffee and espresso powder is ok if kids will be eating it?