This is the best chocolate cake recipe. In the history of best. And chocolate. And cake. This is an easy chocolate cake recipe from scratch to make and the homemade frosting and cake combo is the best it gets. The baked cake is a fantastic texture and not overly sweet like cake sometimes is. And that frosting? You’ll be eating it with a spoon. Creamy, chocolatey, and smooth. This is a favorite in our FREE Reader’s Favorites Cake Cookbook by a landslide!
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There is nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon than gather the kids in the kitchen with crayons, aprons, and music…and bake a cake! Dancing and baking and sneaking tastes is as much a part of childhood as candy, movies, and hugs.
Maybe you’re a believer in good, fast, and consistent recipes. Make it, eat it, enjoy it…move on. Maybe you’re also a GIANT fan of knowing what ingredients are in the food you feed your family. Both of those are crazy great reasons to make a chocolate cake from scratch!
Make sure your eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla are at room temp. This really does give the best results. IF you don’t have the time…you can totally stick the eggs in a bowl of lukewarm water for a while. It will help.
Spend extra time whipping your butter and sugar together. Makes for a light and fluffy cake!
Instead of using flour for your cake pans…use cocoa. I KNOW, totally cool.
Try to be precise with your measurements. Too much sugar gets cracky edges (is that a thing ;)) and too much flour will get a cracked top.
When you pour your batter in the pan, give the pan a couple drops on the counter to spread it out and help remove air pockets.
This homemade chocolate cake recipe may not make it in the world of professional cake guru’s (Although, if you read the comments, there is totally a girl selling cupcakes using this recipe!). But, it WILL make you a super-hero in the world of those you love. They will adore you. Bow at your feet adore! And, making cake for our families is what it is really about anyways.
This homemade chocolate cake recipe is not overly sweet. It is a perfect match for the sweet, smooth chocolate frosting. This specific cake and frosting combo is what works. Maybe it’s the “from scratch” part that makes it? Moist chocolate cake and sweet frosting layers. Chocolate and smooth. They just go together. the end.
We have another name for this chocolate frosting (yes, we totally name our fave recipes!)… cracker dip. Because we make up a batch and serve it with graham crackers for dipping ;). <— totally true!
A few questions we get asked quite often about baking this homemade chocolate cake recipe …
Should I use sifted flour and then measure or measure and then sift? It depends on how the recipe reads. If it reads 1 cup SIFTED flour than you sift and measure. If sifted isn’t even mentioned then you measure and sift. This recipe…skip the sifting if you want. We won’t tell.
Can I convert a white cake into chocolate? Now that is just plain rude to ask that question on a chocolate cake recipe! It makes us think that you aren’t going to use this recipe. Which, you should. But the answer is… yes. But it isn’t terribly simple. We have instructions and info HERE.
Do you have a slow cooker chocolate cake you would recommend? Well sure. Our favorite is our Chocolate Stout Cake. Yum!! Or a very simple and wildly successful one to try is: 1 box of chocolate cake mix prepared (not baked) and poured into a sprayed slow-cooker. Whip up a small box of no-cook chocolate pudding and pour it into the center of the chocolate cake mix before it sets. Top the whole thing with 4 oz of chocolate chips. Cook for 3-4 hours or until the edges are bubbly. Seriously guys…easy peasy and sooooo delicious!
How many cupcakes does this make? Our reader Molly says she has made this several times and gets 24 cupcakes.
2c.all-purpose flourWe love Bob’s Red Mill for great quality!
3/4cupcocoa
1tspbaking soda
3/4tspbaking powder
1/2tspsalt
2cupsugar
2tspvanilla
1 1/2cupmilk
Instructions
grease bottom and sides of pan (I use 2 round pans or 1 9 by 13). preheat oven to 350 degrees. I would even suggest lining the bottom with parchment paper and then spraying.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl beat butter for 30 seconds or so. slowly add sugar.
Add eggs 1 at a time beating after each one. Beat in vanilla.
Add dry ingredients beating after each addition.
Add 1/2 of the milk, beat. Then add the other 1/2. Beat just until everything is combined nicely.
Spread batter about into pans making them about 2/3 full. You may have remaining batter (I sometimes make a few cupcakes.)
Bake for 30-35 minutes for round pans, 5 min longer or so for the 9 by 13 pan. Watch it though! a knife coming out clean from the center means it is done. NOTE: Many readers are finding they need to increase the baking time. This is probably due to the difference in ovens, pans, and elevation. Always go by the way the cake looks and if the cake is done in the center.
Notes
Another method of mixing this cake that works better for some is simply mixing the dry ingredients and the wet in separate bowls and stirring them gently together. One of our readers has let us know that, when making cupcakes with this recipe, 375 degrees for 17 minutes is perfect. (Thanks, Dina!) There has been a common problem with the cake falling in the center and being undercooked. This is because it is removed too soon. Be sure that the cake is dry on the edges, and that that a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center. If you remove it too soon, even if it looks done, it will fall (all cakes will!).
My worry that my batter was too thin? Completely unfounded. The cake fluffed up beautifully and smells divine. I got one crack on top, but I’m not worried about aesthetics anyways. Thanks for the recipe!
My cake is in the oven right now and I’m very nervous. I saw another commenter say that their batter was very thick, too thick to pour into the pan, but my experience was the complete opposite. My batter turned out very thin. So much so, that I wondered if I needed to add some extra flour to thicken it up. Cross your fingers for me that things turn out well because I ran out of butter and won’t be able to try again until tomorrow!
Chelsea says
Do you think the recipe could be used as a tiered cake?
Nellie says
Yes! Although you would need to do some support, I think. I haven’t done more than two on top of each other.
Ammie Z says
My worry that my batter was too thin? Completely unfounded. The cake fluffed up beautifully and smells divine. I got one crack on top, but I’m not worried about aesthetics anyways. Thanks for the recipe!
Nellie says
Hooray! Just cover that crack with gobs of frosting! So glad you like it. Have a happy cake eating day!
Ammie Z says
My cake is in the oven right now and I’m very nervous. I saw another commenter say that their batter was very thick, too thick to pour into the pan, but my experience was the complete opposite. My batter turned out very thin. So much so, that I wondered if I needed to add some extra flour to thicken it up. Cross your fingers for me that things turn out well because I ran out of butter and won’t be able to try again until tomorrow!
Nellie says
Fingers crossed! Although, usually you’ll find it fluffs up and is just perfect. But making a cake can have a few tense moments, there :).
Chelsea says
THIS RECIPE IS DELICIOUS!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
Katelin says
Hi! I was wondering if I can use self rising flour instead of all purpose? Thanks!
Nellie says
I would reduce the amount of baking powder in it, if you choose to do the self-rising flour. Because the flour already has that built in.
Izzy says
My frosting turned out liquidy. How do I make thicker? Should I add a little powdered sugar?
Nellie says
Yes. And, if your butter melted a bit too much that could be the culprit and it will solidify as it comes back to temp.