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.
Thank you for this- Your recipe yield the best chocolate moist cake ever, the cake gets better by the day and my hubby agreed, said “its better than anywhere else”. I baked using 2 8″ pan (nordicware) no overflow as others had experience. My nephew who wasnt a fun of chocolate cake had tried a slice and this one made him take home some of it.
Hi Amanda.
I Super Love Chocolate Cake.
Can I half this recipe for a 6inch instead of a 8 inch?
Thank you so much. Cant get my hands on it.
Thanks much.
Jacqui
Can you make this in a 9×12 instead of a layer cake?
makimg chocolate cake for grooms cake – how far ahead can I make the chocolate buttercream and refrigerate –
The test cake and frosting were fabulous – chocolate lovers will love this – but must use this buttercream – makes all the difference. Waiting your answer.
Thank you
I want to make this cake this weekend. I only have access to regular large eggs and to 6in pans. Would I do 2 large eggs plus one egg white or 3 large eggs? Can this recipe be done in 3 or 4 6in pans? Would the back time go up about 5 min or down? Thank you I have tried several of your recipes and love them!
Yes, you can do 3 large eggs and yes you can make them in three 6-inch round pans. 🙂
I have made this cake twice now. The first time it did not spill over my 8 inch cake pans but the second time it did. I think I followed the directions correctly. In any event, it was so moist I wasn’t sure when to frost it. I am trying this second go around to put it into the refrigerator after 30 minutes of cooling even before a crum coating to see if that helps.
Do you beat eggs separately ??Bcos after baking I can’t tolerate that egg smell in cake.
Made it. Turned out so pefect.
The flavor in the cake and frosting is incredible. The frosting is a bit stiff and I had to add more than the called for heavy cream to make it smooth enough to spread or it will rip your cake. I did put my cakes in the freezer for 30 minutes to seal in crumbs before frosting, which helped. I can’t say enough about the flavor and moistness of the cake!
how many 6 inch pans would you use for this recipe? Im making a small wedding cake with 6 inch pans. Thanks.