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 am going to make your Mississippi Mudslide cake can I freeze it and how long?
I’ve made this recipe for years and it is amazing! I use hot water instead of coffee. I’ve always made a chocolate sour cream frosting (which is so yummy), but I’m going to try the chocolate buttercream next time!
Love this cake! Made it last year for my son’s 2nd bday and everyone (including him) requested it again this year. Used your chocolate buttercream recipe, although I didn’t use all the powdered sugar as I don’t love super sweet frosting, so I always just go by taste. Only problem I have is it always falls in the middle (my fault, not the cake’s, I think I check on it too soon and even the jostling of the door makes it fall sometimes.) If you have a suggestion besides being more patient, lol, let me know! Not a big deal tho cause I just flip the cake upside down or fill with frosting and no one ever knows and it tastes just as good. Thanks for amazing cake recipes on your website and for helping make my kiddo’s bday parties extra special with yummy goodness!!
Where is the chocolate buttercream frosting recipe? Where can I find it?? Thanks
https://iambaker.net/whipped-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/
The coffee just makes the homemade chocolate cake even better. I put some in my homemade cakes and sometimes a bit in my homemade cream cheese cocoa frosting. I have even added a splash or two to my gravy to improve the flavor.
This is the best chocolate cake (and frosting) recipe! I made it yesterday for a birthday and it is a success. Thank you!
Hi. I’m sure this has been answered elsewhere but I cannot find the info: what is considered “good quality unsweetened cocoa powder?” Just Hershey’s since it is based on that recipe or do you have another brand recommendation?
If you don’t mind answering 2 questions, where do you buy Dutch process cocoa powder and is there a good brand in case I decide to make another of your chocolate cake recipes? 🙂
Thank you! Been following you since your beautiful patriotic rose cake many years ago
i love your recipe from Zambia
I absolutely love this cake. Do you think it would make good cupcakes??
Your cake is amazing
Truly the best chocolate cake I’ve tasted. I will delete all the other best chocolate cake recipes I have. It’s has much better flavor than a mayonnaise cake.