With a super moist crumb and fudgy, yet light texture, this chocolate cake recipe will soon be your favorite too. Top with chocolate buttercream and chocolate chips for 3x the chocolate flavor. You can also prepare this chocolate layer cake as a sheet cake, too. See recipe note.
Originally published in 2013 and now with more in-depth descriptions, a helpful video tutorial, clearer instructions, and different ways to use this classic chocolate cake recipe. I hope you enjoy all the new features in this recipe post!
Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake… But Better
This pictured cake is a combination of chocolate buttercream and mock-devil’s food cake. You know the Devil’s Food chocolate cake you get at a restaurant or even from a box mix? This is that exact cake, only completely homemade. Notice the reddish tint? That’s where the name Devil’s Food comes from. The baking soda in this recipe reacts with the natural cocoa powder, which results in the reddish color. More on the science behind using dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder here, if you’re interested.
This is, without a doubt, the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. And judging by your feedback in the reviews, I’m confident you’d say the same thing!
This Chocolate Cake Is:
- Extra moist
- 2 layers, but can be made as 3 layers or as a sheet cake
- Soft with a velvety crumb
- Deeply flavorful
- Unapologetically rich, just like my flourless chocolate cake
- Covered with creamy chocolate buttercream
One reader, Greta, commented: “This is, hands down, the best chocolate cake I have ever baked. And I’m not the only one who thinks so… because I have baked and shared this cake with many people… it’s simply the best! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Melanie, commented: “This has become my go-to chocolate cake! My family loves it. The directions are very clear and easy to follow. Before now, I did not consider myself a baker. I had only baked box cakes. Now, this recipe has catapulted me into a from-scratch cake baker. So glad I found this recipe and many others from this site. ★★★★★”
Another reader, Todd, commented: “Outstanding! One of the best cakes I have ever made. Moist, chocolatey, beyond delicious! ★★★★★“
Key Chocolate Cake Ingredients & Why
Each ingredient serves an important role. For best results, do not make substitutions.
- All-Purpose Flour: The structure of the cake. Unlike confetti cake where you can use either, do not use cake flour here—when combined with ultra-light cocoa powder, cake flour is too fine for this cake.
- Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder: Do not use dutch-process cocoa powder. Save it for another recipe, like these homemade brownies. If you’re interested, see dutch-process vs natural cocoa powder for an in-depth explanation.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Remember the differences in baking soda vs baking powder? We use both here for lift.
- Salt: Salt balances the flavor.
- Espresso Powder: Espresso powder is optional, but I recommend its addition because it enhances the chocolate flavor. The chocolate cake will not taste like coffee, I promise. I use espresso powder in my chocolate zucchini cake, Guinness cake, chocolate raspberry cake, and marble loaf cake too!
You can find it in the coffee aisle at the grocery store or online. - Oil: Don’t use butter in this cake batter. Cocoa powder is a particularly drying ingredient, so this cake needs oil for suitable moisture. Same goes for my chocolate cake roll recipe, too.
- Eggs: Use 2 room temperature eggs. To speed up the gently warming, place refrigerated eggs in a cup of warm water for 10 minutes. Did you know what the temperature of your ingredients has a direct correlation to the success of your recipes? Unless otherwise noted, use room temperature ingredients.
- Buttermilk: This chocolate cake requires the moisture and acidity from buttermilk. Lately I’ve been using a mix of sour cream and buttermilk, as well as reducing the hot liquid. You can read more about this next and see my dark chocolate mousse cake, tuxedo cake, black forest cake, German chocolate cake, and chocolate peanut butter cake recipes.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds flavor.
- Hot Coffee or Hot Water: Hot liquid enhances the cocoa powder’s flavor. It also encourages it to bloom and dissolve appropriately. You’ll notice I don’t use hot liquid in my chocolate cupcakes recipe. That’s because there isn’t the same volume of dry ingredients. With this amount of cake batter, we need a hot liquid to break up the cocoa powder lumps resting in all that flour. If you don’t drink coffee, you can use hot water. For deeper and darker flavor, though, use coffee. (Decaf coffee works!) You use it in this black velvet cupcakes recipe, too.
What an Easy Cake!
No mixer required for the batter, simply whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients (or vice versa, it doesn’t make any difference), add the hot coffee, then whisk everything together. The cake batter is thin. Divide between 2 9-inch cake pans. You can easily stretch it to 3 or 4 8-inch or 9-inch cakes if needed. Or make a quarter sheet cake using a 9×13-inch cake pan. See my recipe notes for details.
Need a 1 layer cake? Use this mint chocolate cake recipe for 1 9-inch round cake.
Need cupcakes? Use either my super moist chocolate cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting, or cream-filled chocolate cupcakes recipe.
Lately I’ve Been Using Sour Cream
As mentioned above and in the video tutorial, there are two ways to prepare this cake batter and the slight difference involves the wet ingredients. You can follow the recipe as written using buttermilk and hot coffee/water. Or you can add sour cream. Whichever way you make it, the process is the same. (Just reduce the liquids and add sour cream!)
- Original Version (pictured and written below): The original recipe produces a very thin batter. The cake is extra soft with a deliciously spongey texture.
- Sour Cream Version (written in recipe notes and shown in video tutorial): By replacing some of the buttermilk and hot coffee with sour cream, the cake batter is slightly thicker and produces a slightly denser cake with more structure. I love using sour cream in my vanilla cake, too!
Both cakes are equally moist and chocolatey with the same flavor and ease of preparation. It just depends if you want a spongier cake or not. 🙂
Silky Chocolate Buttercream
Like my yellow cake, I use my favorite chocolate buttercream. I slightly increase the amount of each ingredient to produce extra frosting. If you prefer a thinner layer of frosting, use the chocolate buttercream recipe. But if you crave extra buttercream, follow the frosting measurements below. You need 6 ingredients total:
- Unsalted Butter
- Confectioners’ Sugar
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Heavy Cream or Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
Because there is no leavening occurring, you can use either dutch-process or natural cocoa powder in the buttercream. Heavy cream provides an extra creamy frosting, but milk can be substituted if needed.
While I love chocolate frosting here the most, this cake is also wonderful with vanilla buttercream or strawberry buttercream frosting instead!
So, why do I call it triple chocolate layer cake when it only has 2 layers? Well, chocolate is used three times: chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, chocolate chips. Press a handful on top like we do with warm chocolate chip cookies, or go with “the more the better” motto like we did. Let’s eat!
Print
Deliciously Moist Chocolate Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: serves 12-16
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is my favorite homemade chocolate cake recipe. With a super moist crumb and fudgy, yet light texture, this chocolate cake recipe will be your favorite too. Top with chocolate buttercream and chocolate chips for 3x the chocolate flavor. You can also prepare this chocolate layer cake as a sheet cake. See recipe Note.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 cup (62g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil (or canola oil or melted coconut oil)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) freshly brewed strong hot coffee (regular or decaf)
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 and 1/4 cups (282g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 cup (62g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or dutch process)
- 3–5 Tablespoons (45-75ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk), at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional for decoration: semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you can use a whisk) mix the oil, eggs, and vanilla together on medium-high speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water/coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Note: Even if they’re completely done, the cooled cakes may *slightly* sink in the center. Cocoa powder is simply not as structurally strong as all-purpose flour and can’t hold up to all the moisture necessary to make a moist tasting chocolate cake. It’s normal!)
- Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
- Make the buttercream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy—about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Do not over-whip. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or 1-2 more Tablespoons of cream if frosting is too thick. (I usually add 1 more.) Taste. Add another pinch of salt if desired.
- Assemble and frost: If cooled cakes are domed on top, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops to create a flat surface. This is called “leveling” the cakes. Discard or crumble over finished cake. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I always use an icing spatula and bench scraper for the frosting. Garnish with chocolate chips, if desired.
- Refrigerate uncovered cake for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing to help set the shape. After that, you can serve the cake or continue refrigerating for up to 4–6 hours before serving. Cake can be served at room temperature or chilled.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days. I like using a cake carrier for storing and transporting.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare cake through step 4. Wrap the individual baked and cooled cake layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature then continue with step 5. You can prepare the chocolate buttercream 2-3 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before spreading onto/assembling the cake. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or serve cold.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Cake Stand, Serving Plate, or Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Cake Carrier (for storing)
- 3 Layer Cake: You can also prepare this cake as a 3 layer cake. Divide batter between three 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans in step 1 and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This frosting will be enough for 3 layers. If desired, use the frosting recipe from my Piñata Cake if you want extra frosting.
- Cocoa Powder: Use natural cocoa powder in the cake, not dutch-process. (See dutch-process vs natural cocoa powder for more information.) Since there is no leavening occurring in frosting, you can use either natural or dutch-process in the chocolate buttercream.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough room temperature whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 cup. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Sour Cream Version: Lately I’ve been using a mix of sour cream and buttermilk, as well as reducing the hot coffee. Reduce the buttermilk and hot coffee to 1/2 cup (120ml) each. Add 3/4 cup (180g) of room temperature full-fat sour cream with the wet ingredients. You can see this described above, in the video tutorial, and in my dark chocolate mousse cake. That cake and this cake are both fantastically moist, but the sour cream version has a slightly sturdier crumb.
- FAQ: The sour cream version (note above) makes a sturdy enough cake that will hold under fondant.
- Amount of Cake Batter: This recipe (and the sour cream version) yields about 6 cups of batter, which is helpful if you need it for different Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about why room temperature ingredients are important.
- Espresso Powder/Coffee: Espresso powder and coffee will not make the cake taste like coffee. Instead, they deepen the chocolate flavor. I highly recommend them both. You can find espresso powder in the coffee aisle at the grocery store or online. You can use the same amount of instant coffee (the powder) instead of espresso powder if desired. If coffee isn’t your thing, you can leave out the espresso powder and use extra hot water or hot chai tea.
- Bundt Pan: I recommend my chocolate cream cheese Bundt cake but without the cream cheese filling. Reduce buttermilk in that recipe to 1/4 cup and increase sour cream to 1 cup.
- 9×13-inch Pan: You can bake this cake in a 9×13-inch baking pan. Same oven temperature, about 35-40 minutes bake time.
- Chocolate Cupcakes: Here is my favorite chocolate cupcakes recipe. Same unbelievable texture as this cake! (You’ll notice I don’t use hot liquid in that recipe. That’s because there isn’t the same volume of dry ingredients to break up. If you need more than 1 dozen chocolate cupcakes, use this chocolate cake recipe for 2-3 dozen. Same baking instructions as my chocolate cupcakes.
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten and originally from Hershey’s
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hello, this recipe is good for what size pan 10” or the 8” thank you!
Hi Rana, you can use the recipe as is for a 2 layer, 8 inch cake (bake time will be a bit longer for the thicker layers but same oven temperature). Or, see recipe Notes for making a 3 layer, 8 inch cake. Hope it’s a hit!
Oh. My. Gosh. This was an amazing recipe. So moist, rich, and actually delicious. 10/10 would definitely recommend.
Hello, what weight of dark chocolate chips is required to dress the cake as in the photograph
Hi John, I didn’t weigh or measure the amount I used, but if you have 2 cups (about 370g), it should be enough.
I made this cake yesterday. So delicious! The instructions were very detailed and easy to follow. I wonder if a cherry filling could be used, like in a black forest cake? The chocolate flavor in this cake is divine. I will make this again and again.
Hi Cathy! Yes, absolutely. Here’s our similar Black Forest cake recipe.
Havnt made this yet but wondering if it tastes like coffee at all
Hi Harriet, the coffee simply helps the chocolate to bloom, but the cake does not taste like coffee at all. If you’d like, you can use hot water instead.
Best chocolate cake recipe!!!!
Would it be possible to use Greek yogurt for the sour cream version?
Hi Brittany, yes, you can follow the sour cream version outlined in the recipe Notes, and swap the sour cream for an equal amount of yogurt. Full-fat or Greek yogurt is best. Hope you love the cake!
Best chocolate cake recipe ever! I make this constantly. Great for celebration cakes, but also for little treats. I sometimes will make the recipe into little cake cups that go in the freezer to be thawed one at a time at home or a bunch if I’m giving them away. The cake is incredibly moist and not too sweet, while the frosting adds the perfect sweetness and creaminess. Definitely recommend. I don’t ever need another chocolate cake recipe.
Sally did it again! 🙂
I made this cake last week and it was fantastic. My only comment was that I made it as a four layer cake and it did slightly lean as it is very light and soft. I made the sour cream version for more structure so I’m wondering whether I could reduce the coffee liquid slightly and it might have more structure?
Hi Eilidh, this is a pretty light and delicate cake, and 4 layers may be just a bit too high. You can always use cake dowels to help support layer cakes. We don’t recommend reducing the liquid at all. Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
I love this recipe and it is my go to family favorite. I do have a question. I am baking (2) 9×13 cakes can I double this recipe or make each separately?
Hi Lara, it is best to make two separate batches. Happy baking!
Thank you I can always count on Sally’s for all my baking fun
Best cake I have ever made. I made the buttermilk version and popped the top (meaning new cocoa powder, new expresso powder etc) on almost all the ingredients. This was moist and full of chocolate! It was for my daughters birthday and everyone asked that this cake stay in the family rotation! Delicious and it refrigerated well for the next few days. It did not last long.
How thick are the layers if you do 3 9 inch cakes ?
Hi Kaitlin, I’m unsure; I haven’t measured their thickness. They will be much thinner than pictured. If you want thicker 3 layers, use the 8 inch pans if you have them.
This is my go to recipe for chocolate cake for an event requiring one. Until this recipe I had never seen espresso powder used in a cake and I am a total convert. Do not skip this! Thanks for a great recipe that can be relied on time and time again!
So good, I made this for a potluck tonight Everyone loved it. It was so moist. Literally the best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. Thanks so much for such an easy and tasty recipe.
We love you so much sally ❤️ just made the cake it was fabulicious, just a quick question, is it normal for it to take a while to cook, not sure if we did something wrong?
Hi Eliza and Anouk, we find these cakes take about 23-26 minutes, but bake time can vary slightly depending on your oven. If you’re using a different size pan, bake time can change, too. It’s best to keep a close eye on the cakes and use a toothpick to test for doneness. So glad you enjoyed this one!
How many batches would I need for a half sheet?
Hi Logan, here’s everything you need to know about cake pan sizes and conversions. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Can I use vanilla yogurt instead of sour cream?
Hi Ashanti, yes, you can follow the sour cream version outlined in the recipe Notes, and swap the sour cream for an equal amount of yogurt. Full-fat or Greek yogurt is best. Hope you love the cake!
This was the first homemade cake and frosting combo I’ve ever made. So of course it’s easy to say it was my best. But we can’t stop there, because it was hands down the best homemade I’ve ever had. In fact while I may have had professionally made cake equally as good, I can’t remember any being better.
I did skip the chocolate chips though.
Thank you for this recipe and the site.
This is my go to chocolate cake recipe. I make it exactly as directed and it never fails me (knock on wood lol).
I make a lot of different cakes, but this is by far the most requested cake by my friends and family.
Excited to make this cake for my nephew’s birthday! Any reason why I shouldn’t use a springform cake pan? Thanks!
Hi Troy, We always recommend using regular cake pans instead of springform pans unless a recipe specifically calls for a springform pan – the extra height on the pans can cause cakes to bake unevenly. That being said, some bakers have reported success baking cakes in springform pans. If you do use a springform pan, be sure to still make 2 separate layers rather than baking it all in 1 pan.
Hi Sally ☺️ Can I add melted chocolate in the batter before baking?
Hi Laetitia, we do not recommend adding melted chocolate to the batter, as it will change the ratio ingredients and the cake may not bake up quite the same.
This is undoubtedly the most moist cake I have ever eaten! I am not a great baker and a friend asked me to make a chocolate cake for his wife’s birthday party. Everyone at the party knew that I was not a big baker, so they were skeptical to try it. And since the birthday girl is an excellent baker, it had to be made from scratch and I was very nervous. But, everyone LOVED it! Some people even told me so 2 or 3 times, so I know they meant it. Even the birthday girl said she loved it, even though you could hear the surprise in her voice, haha. I was thrilled! The only part I had a little trouble with was the icing because I did not know what the “consistency” should be for icing. It was a little dry and hard to put on. So I dressed it up with white chocolate chips similar to the pictures above to make it look better, and it tasted OK, so even that turned out well. Thank you so much for making me look so good in front of my friends!
So glad this cake turned out for you, Annette! Thank you so much for giving our recipe a try.
I love Sally’s recipe, but sometimes I think she adds an unnecessary amount of sugar. I added 300 g of sugar to the frosting instead of the 420 g it called for. Still turned out perfect and held its shape well! I also added some raspberry jam in the center because I thought it was a little bland as plain chocolate cake. It was really yummy with this addition!
I loved this recipe. I’ve made lots of cakes in the past and usually resort to just cake mixes cause from scratch ones are always so dry. This one was perfect. Moist… easy to make and had such a good flavor. Definitely adding this to my arsenal of cake recipes. I made a 3 layer cake out of this recipe. Made it as a cake for a birthday party with a vanilla buttercream.
Can I make this a 3-layer cake and would I need to make additional frosting?
Hi Shan, see recipe Notes for 3-layer cake instructions and details on frosting amounts. Enjoy!
Oh, great! Thank you so much. I should have kept reading. I have your made your carrot cake and healthy banana bread and both are tremendously moist and amazing!!! So happy I found you!!
Can I replace with gluten free oatmeal flour or other gluten free flour?
Hi Lynn, we haven’t tested a gluten free version of this cake. We don’t recommend oatmeal flour, as it has very different baking properties than all-purpose flour. If you were to try a gluten free flour, we’d recommend starting with a 1:1 gluten free all-purpose flour—but again, we haven’t tested it to know the exact results. Let us know if you decide to give it a try!
We just celebrated my husband’s birthday and this was the cake I made him. He told me it’s hands-down the best cake I’ve ever made. Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
My cake sunk, a lot. I followed the directions. Any suggestions?
Hi Julie, cakes will sink when under-baked. Did you use a toothpick to test for doneness?
Amazing cake and so easy. I made chocolate buttercream for centre and your freeze dried strawberry buttercream icing for the outside it was a hit with everyone. Definitely be making again
I made this to celebrate Mother’s Day and my mom’s birthday. It was a hit even with my husband who isn’t big on chocolate.
I followed the original cake recipe exactly and it was a perfect bake.
I did add a little extra ingredient to the buttercream and it may be my most favorite frosting ever. I had some oranges hanging around so I tossed some orange zest into the creamed butter. It was like eating a chocolate orange. Utterly smooth and decadent.
I have made this cake at least 5 times now for different occasions. Everyone who has had remembers it even a year later—it’s that good! My sister specifically requested this cake for her birthday this year and I am so excited to make it again—mostly excited to eat it again!! 🙂 If you’re on the fence about whether it’s worth it, let me assure you, it is. I’ve made it both with and without the espresso powder and I can say from first hand experience it really does make a difference! If you can find it, it’s 100% worth putting it in!