Chocolate Craving Cake has the most decadent, rich chocolate flavor without a whole lot of fuss. Then, it’s paired with a chocolate frosting that is nothing like I have ever imagined! I wanted a chocolate cake. No, I needed one. But I didn’t want to make a huge cake or get out special cake pans, and this cake fits the bill! Chocolate cravings cannot be ignored, and this perfectly proportioned cake will definitely satisfy every single craving! If you love the chocolate version, don’t miss my White Snack Cake! You may also love my Best Chocolate Cake (sheet cake) and find your favorite recipe on my 50 Best Cake Recipes list!
How to Make a Chocolate Cake
- Room temperature ingredients are important. Cold ingredients are harder to incorporate and can result in flat, lumpy, dense baked goods.
- Sifting dry ingredients is a good thing. When measuring flour, get out your container or bag. Open it and use a fork to stir it, or sift it, loosening it up. Spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup then use the back of a knife to level the cup off. (Or you can measure your ingredients on a scale.)
- Use the proper tools. You can use a hand-held mixer (or even stir by hand) but make sure the ingredients are fully mixed and incorporated before moving on to the next step in the recipe.
- Good quality ingredients. Dutch process cocoa or high-quality cocoa, fresh eggs, and good-quality vanilla make a difference! Feel free to upgrade to all organic ingredients. When it comes to substitutions though, I do recommend making the recipe as-is first, then altering it to make it yours.
Why Warm Water in Chocolate Cake?
This recipe does NOT use coffee. You still need the moisture that coffee would bring, but can achieve the necessary results by using hot water instead. Using warm water when making this chocolate cake recipe will help the baking process. You don’t want to add cold cake batter to a hot oven.
Chocolate Frosting (Read this before making!)
You will notice that there is no added sugar in the frosting. It is meant to complement and contrast the sweet cake! It is NOT very sweet on its own. If you prefer a sweeter frosting I recommend halving this Chocolate Buttercream recipe.
Can I use a 9×13 Baking Dish?
Yes, you absolutely can. No changes need to be made to the recipe, but it will not be as thick as in an 8×8 baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 28-32 minutes. The cake is done when an inserted toothpick is removed with crumbs, but no wet batter.
How to Store Chocolate Cake
As there is sour cream in the frosting, this cake does need to be refrigerated. When in an airtight container or wrapped with plastic wrap, it should last 2-3 days.
How to Freeze Chocolate Cake
I don’t recommend freezing with frosting on. To freeze the cake:
- First, allow the cake to fully cool in the pan.
- Next, place a layer of plastic on top of the cake. Then, place a cutting board or cooling rack on top.
- Flip the cake over. Remove the pan.
- Wrap the plastic up over the edges of the cake and then add another large piece and wrap it again as tightly as possible without crushing the cake. Make sure that none of the cake is exposed in the freezer as this can cause freezer burn.
- Finally, wrap it in a layer of aluminum foil, labeling and dating the cake. The cake will freeze well for 1 month and should be fine for up to 3 months.
More Chocolate Cakes
Chocolate Craving Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (63 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (100 g) whole milk
- ¼ cup (55 g) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (118 g) warm water, or warm brewed coffee
Frosting
- 1 cup (168 g) milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with parchment paper and spray sides and bottom. If using a metal baking pan, heat oven to 325°F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add in egg, milk, oil, and vanilla. Mix on low until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 additional minutes.
- Add in warm water and gently stir. The batter will be very thin.
- Pour batter into the prepared dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a clean toothpick is inserted and removed with a few crumbs, but no wet batter.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then, continue cooling on a rack until room temperature.
Frosting
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips in the microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each heating, until they are fully melted.
- To the melted chocolate chips, add the sour cream and vanilla. Stir by hand until frosting is well combined and fluffier.
- Spread over cooled cake.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
I would like to make a bigger cake in a 9×13 pan. Can you give me measurements for that please! Parents birthday tomorrow and want to make this today. Thank you, Joyce
Hi, i just asked the same question! Did you ever get a response? If so, would you be willing to share? Thank you!😀
Do you have to refrigerate after you put the frosting on?
Is it a natural cocoa(Hershey) or Dutch processed cocoa?
mem,,, may i know how much gram 1 cup flour
I, too would prefer a 9 x 13 cake – I take it to church for the staff and an 8″ is not big enough
The amount of cake doesn’t’ change depending on what size pan you use. 🙂
I made this recipe as written. It produced a very moist heavy cake, which was nice. However, if you are not a dark chocolate lover this cake might be have too much chocloate flavor for you. It was almost to the point of being bitter. I did not care for the frosting. The sour cream gave a tangy taste to the milk chocolate chips that we did not like. I would make this in the future, but cut the amount of cocoa powder by half, and use a more traditional frosting. Thank you for being so kind as to post the recipe Amanda. Just different strokes for different folks
How woukd you change the measurements in order to make this in a 9×13 cake pan?
I love your recipies I look forward to see what you are going to post next. One day I’m going to print these off my phone and put your picture on it and give it to my daughters so they can have some great recipies. Thank you for providing such great recipies future generations.
Does it work if you double or even triple the batch??
And can you sift the dry ingredients?
Cause I have just done both of these questions and it looked different than the first time, but guess I will find out in 30 minutes!!
Shall i use whipp cream instead of sour cream