The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

User Reviews

5.0

27 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    30 mins

  • Cook Time

    30 mins

  • Total Time

    55 mins

  • Servings

    16 servings

  • Calories

    421 kcal

  • Course

    Cake

  • Cuisine

    American

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

If you're looking for the most amazing Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, look no further. This from scratch recipe is perfect.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the Cake:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup brewed hot coffee
  • ½ cup whole milk

For the Frosting:

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 3 ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ cup heavy cream
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Instructions

  1. In a bowl, mix flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
  2. In a measuring cup, mix together hot coffee and milk. Set aside.
  3. In mixer, beat butter and sugar for 5 minutes, until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Slowly add in dry ingredients alternating with the coffee/milk mixture (about 3 additions of each).
  4. Pour cake batter into two prepared pans (2-9inch round cake pans, lined with parchment paper and greased and floured). Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Remove and allow to cool about 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely on parchment paper lined wire racks before frosting.
  5. For the Frosting: In mixing bowl, beat butter for 3-5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
  6. Add in powdered sugar, cocoa, extract and heavy cream and beat for 3-5 more minutes until desired consistency.
  7. Frost cake and enjoy!

Notes

  • Chocolate- you'll notice today's recipe uses unsweetened cocoa powder. Do not use a dutch processed cocoa.
  • Brewed coffee- the hot coffee enances the chocolate flavor while adding moisture to the cake, without giving it a coffee flavor. Use hot water if you need to substitute.
  • Milk- using whole milk or buttermilk gives this cake a rich flavor and soft crumb.
  • Butter- I always use unsalted butter in my baking, because brands vary with the amount of salt in their sticks of butter. If you must use salted butter, omit the extra kosher salt from the cake batter.
  • Why did my cake sink in the middle? Assuming your cake was checked for doneness, it's normal for chocolate cake to sink slightly in the middle. Cocoa powder is not structurally strong enough to hold up the amount of moisture in this cake. Adding more flour would create a dense cake. It's okay for some sinkage while it cools!
  • STORAGE: Store Chocolate Cake in a covered container (or cake plate with dome) at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or freeze the rest of the cake by wrapping each slice in parchment paper and sliding into a freezer bag. You can freeze chocolate frosted cake for up to three months. When you get another hankering for some chocolate cake, thaw it at room temperature and enjoy!
  • Use Wilton Bake Even Strips for even baking. These strips help your cake bake evenly with no crowns or cracked tops. They’re great to use for layer cake recipes.
  • Need cupcakes? Try our delicious Chocolate Cupcakes recipe! Or make this in a 13x9 using our easy chocolate cake recipe.
  • Try our Chocolate Bundt Cake if you're craving a sweet bundt recipe.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 421kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 55g (18%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 21g (32%) Saturated Fat 13g (65%) Polyunsaturated Fat 6g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 78mg (26%) Sodium 319mg (13%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 43g (86%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 421 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 421kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 55g 18%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 21g 32%
Saturated Fat 13g 65%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g 35%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 78mg 26%
Sodium 319mg 13%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 43g 86%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Overall Rating

5.0

27 reviews
Excellent

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