This Perfect Chocolate Cake recipe is moist, flavorful, and inspired by Hershey’s famous chocolate cake, made with a touch of coffee for a unique twist. No more dry cakes! Passed down by my grandma, this recipe is a true classic. The addition of Homemade Chocolate Buttercream takes this cake to the next level and sets it apart from the rest.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Buttermilk: I prefer to use store-bought buttermilk for this cake, but you can absolutely use homemade. I have a post on How to Make Buttermilk should you want to make your own! I like the sour cream method for this cake.
Coffee: I have many recipes on my site for chocolate cake and most of them use coffee. Coffee will enhance the flavor of the chocolate, not overpower it. If your recipe is good (and this one is) you will not taste the coffee at all, you will only taste the richest chocolate cake you have ever had. You may substitute water for the coffee if you prefer, but the chocolate flavor will not be as intense.
Chocolate Buttercream: The recipe for the whipped chocolate buttercream is a large amount. If you don’t plan on piping on embellishment, you can cut the recipe in half. Or, use your favorite kind of frosting.
Can I Make This Chocolate Cake Into Cupcakes?
This recipe has not been tested as cupcakes, but if you decide to make it into cupcakes, here are some guidelines. Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full with batter and bake at 350°F for 16-22 minutes. Check on the cupcakes starting at 16 minutes to avoid overbaking. For a tried and true cupcake recipe, try my Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake recipe.
Can I Use a 9×13-inch Baking Dish?
Yes, you absolutely can. Bake at 350°F for 28-32 minutes. The cake is done when an inserted toothpick is removed with crumbs, but no wet batter.
Can This Cake be Gluten-Free?
I am often asked how to make this recipe gluten-free. I recommend good quality gluten-free flour that can be used interchangeably with all-purpose flour. (A 1:1 blend) This recipe is best when gluten is used, but will still taste delicious with gluten-free flour.
How to Freeze Chocolate Cake
I don’t recommend freezing with frosting on. To freeze the cake, follow these instructions.
- Allow the cake to completely cool in the pan.
- Place a layer of plastic on top of the cake and then place a cutting board or cooling rack on top.
- Flip the cake over, removing 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 a freezer burn.
- Finally, wrap it in a layer of foil. Label and date the cake. The cake will freeze well for 1 month and should be fine for up to 3 months.
More Chocolate Cakes
The Perfect Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (90 g) good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup (112 g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons McCormick pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 g) freshly brewed hot coffee, regular or decaf, or hot water
- chocolate buttercream frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 2, 8-inch x 3-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. (8-inch cake pans with shorter sides may cause an overflow in your oven.) Set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean with no wet batter.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes. Then, turn them out onto a cooling rack to let them cool completely.
- Frost the cake with chocolate buttercream frosting.
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 absolutely admit I was a coffee in my cake skeptic but anything I’ve tried from your blog has been accurately described as, “oohhh nummmmy,” by my 3 yr old nephew. But I don’t believe in deviating from a recipe on the first try. The first run goes as is. With all that I must say, OMG I’ve been avoiding recipes with coffee in chocolate cakes for years and I’m totally kicking myself for it. It provides a really nice accent to the chocolate that just puts a little bump in its step. Love this. I need to search your site for an chocolate Italian butter cream. My nephew and I are making cupcakes this week and I love yellow cake but I want an amazing chocolate frosting is what I need. This was good but I’m wanting that frosting that melts in your mouth AND melts away the world simultaneously. You rock. I absolutely appreciate all you put into your blog.
Can’t wait to try..
Hi I just made this cake. It turned out beautiful…However I made it in a 35cm x23cm, it was perfect.”Thanks for sharing.
This cake is absolutely wonderful. It is so moist. I will definitely bake this again. Do you have a vanilla/White cake that is as moist as this one?
I would like to make this cake in an angel food cake pan, how long would I bake it and do you think it would work in that type pan? Thanks
You have a video on Facebook that uses a chocolate cake mix, a chocolate brownie mix, 4 eggs plus how much oil and how much water. Put into bundt pan. Bam how long? Frost with heated heavy cream melting chocolate chips in it. How much oil, water, cream please and thank you???
would like your chocolate brownie cake recipe
I love this cake. It’s so delicious and moist. I reduce the powdered sugar in the buttercream frosting from 71/2 C to 2 C. It’s taste just perfect! Everyone in the family could not stop talking about how tasty the cake is and I got so many compliments.
Thank you sooooo much.
I can’t count how many times I’ve made this recipe. Birthday cakes, wedding cakes, cupcakes, just because cakes, etc. It’ my go to for chocolate cake and icing. In fact, I’ve had requests for just the icing. I highly recommend this recipe!
love to read your recipes, but when i print one i don’t get a picture of item. why?