How To Measure Ingredients
If youve followed my blog for a while, you know I like to measure my ingredients using a scale. Its faster, cleaner, and more accurate than using measuring cups BUT for some of my easier and beginner cakes like this one, I also include the measurements in cups because honestly, the cake is so forgiving you dont need to be super accurate.
When measuring flour with cups, its important to spoon the flour into the cup then level it off with a knife. Do not pack your measuring cup or you could end up with too much flour which will make your cake dry and hard.
Easy Chocolate Cake Ingredients
No fancy ingredients here but some people ask me about substitutions.
This recipe calls for hot coffee which intensifies the flavor of the chocolate. It doesnt make the cake taste like coffee at all. If you dont want to use coffee, you can substitute a dark beer like Guinness or just hot water.
Im using Hersheys cocoa powder for this recipe because its a natural cocoa powder that is a little acidic. That acid reacts with the baking soda and actually tenderizes the gluten and makes the cake extra moist.
If you dont have Hersheys cocoa powder or want to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder like Cocoa Barry extra brut , then replace the baking soda with baking powder.
The oil in this recipe all makes the cake extra moist, if you want your cake to be even more moist, you can add an extra ounce of oil. Oil-based cakes always stay softer than butter-based cakes but they are a bit more delicate.
The Best Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipe
Published by Lauren on
Looking for the most delicious homemade chocolate cake recipe? You are in luck! This homemade chocolate cake is chocolate cake perfection! This best chocolate cake recipe it is super easy to make and results in the perfect from scratch chocolate cake recipe every time.
Read Also: Flights From Cak To Fort Lauderdale
Moist Triple Chocolate Cake
postedCakeWhizThis post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.Jump to Recipe
Super easy, moist and best triple chocolate cake recipe from scratch, homemade with simple ingredients! Loaded with cocoa powder and coffee. This is the ultimate one bowl cake and pairs perfectly with chocolate frosting.
If you have been looking for the perfect cake for your next party, I assure you that your search has come to an end! I have tried many recipes and always find myself coming back to my true and tested family recipe. The texture is perfectly soft and moist but not so soft that it falls apart. The chocolate flavor is very balanced. Its not too bitter and not too sweet and pairs well with many of these Frosting and Filling Recipes.
Favorite Recipes Using Espresso Powder
Once I discovered the power of a little espresso powder to enhance the flavor of chocolate baked goods without leaving a bitter, coffee aftertaste, I never looked back! Ive included a list of some of my favorite recipes using it for you below. These are all a great way to get started using this in your baking!
and more
Also Check: Nothing But Bundt Cakes Lexington Ky
How To Make Ahead And Store The Homemade Chocolate Cake:
Both the cake and the chocolate frosting can be made ahead. Allow the cakes to cool completely, wrap them well in plastic wrap and place each layer into a gallon zip-top freezer bag. Freeze the cake layers for up to one month.
To frost the cake, simply remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator with wrapping intact. Then, frost the cake once it has completely thawed.
Store the cake at room temperature on the counter. I like to store under a cake dome to keep the cake fresh.
Chocolate Cake Recipe: Ingredients And Substitutions
Many people ask how to make a cake super moist. It’s all in the ingredients. I made sure to choose ingredients that would create a moist chocolate cake with a rich chocolate flavor that everyone raves about. So let’s chat about the ingredients and some possible substitutions – although it took me years to perfect this chocolate cake recipe so I really don’t suggest tampering with it.
Don’t Miss: Where Can I Buy Cake Sparklers
Recipe For Chocolate Cake From Scratch
- 1 c. very hot water
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease your pans
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients
- Add all wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined
- Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until center is set
- Let cool completely and frost as desired
Im honestly not a huge cake fan but in my experience, from-scratch cakes have often tasted drier and less flavorful than cake from the box.
However, for a non-cake-lover, I was pleasantly surprised by the texture and moisture of this from-scratch cake. And although I never mentioned that the chocolate cake was from scratch, I got several compliments on it at Simons party
Also, as I mentioned above, this from-scratch cake mix makes A LOT more cake than a boxed mix .
I certainly dont anticipate making all future cakes from scratch, but I am happy to know I have a go-to recipe in case I ever run out of the boxed mixes again
An Easy Classic Chocolate Sheet Cake
Well since the other version is a slow bake cake that bakes at 300 degrees and that can sometimes throw people off, not to mention it takes longer to bake, I decided to make a version that bakes at the usual 350. I wanted to be sure it was just as tasty though! Surprisingly, that wasnt as easy of a task as Id expected.
There was a fair amount of experimenting, but the big thing was decreasing some of the liquid so allow for a quicker baking cake. I played around with decreasing the milk, oil and water. They all have similar effects on the cake, but produce slightly different results. I primarily went back and forth on the oil and milk. I ended up with a little more milk than oil. Oil adds great moisture to the cake, but too much makes it a bit of a firmer cake. Reducing it a touch and leaving more milk makes it a little lighter and softer. The final result is perfect and so delicious!
Don’t Miss: Where To Buy Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Does Espresso Powder Leave An Aftertaste In Your Recipe
No. I believe that there is no aftertaste in your chocolate recipe when using the right amount of espresso powder in your recipe. Again, youll want to make sure you arent adding too much espresso powder to a recipe when using it. I make sure to test, test, test my recipes to make sure that the ratios are perfectly balanced especially when including an ingredient like espresso powder.
As a matter of fact, when I was testing my chocolate cake recipe, I made the cake using a cup of coffee instead of boiling water. It left a strong coffee flavor with an aftertaste. For my next test, I tried using instant coffee granules and boiling water. Still a strong coffee flavor with a bitter aftertaste. Then, I tested with espresso powder and found that it heightened the flavor of the chocolate without adding the flavor of coffee and there was no bitter aftertaste! Eureka!
Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Both frostings can be made ahead and placed in a covered container in the fridge. The coconut frosting will keep for 1-2 weeks, depending on the freshness of the ingredients used. The chocolate frosting will keep for 2-3 weeks. Remove frostings from the fridge an hour before youre ready to frost the cake, to give them time to come to room temperature.
To Freeze: After baking the cake layers, allow them to cool completely, then wrap them well in plastic wrap and stick each layer in a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Frost the cakes when they are frozenthey are much easier to frost this way! The assembled German Chocolate Cake can also be frozen, covered well, for 2-3 months . Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Also Check: First Birthday Cake Smash Outfit Girl
How To Bake A Chocolate Cake
Setting Your Oven Temperature
Make sure your oven is fully pre-heated to 350 before you place your cakes in the oven. If your oven is too hot, your cake may burn or become dry. If its not hot enough, you could have a gooey center with overdone edges. If youre unsure of your oven temperature, you can test it with an oven thermometer, just to be sure.
Its also important to avoid putting your cakes in the oven as its preheating. The oven heats up very quickly when preheating, so this rapid rise in temperature may cause your cake to burn. Just remember that, when it comes to baking, patience is a virtue.
Make Sure Your Pans are the Right Size
This chocolate cake recipe is specifically designed for a 9 x 2 inch round cake pan. Using a smaller pan can result in a cracked dome or under-baking from too much batter in the pan. Using a larger baking pan will result in a thinner, flatter cake layer since the batter will be more spread out.
As a general rule of thumb, cake pans should be filled 2/3 full to prevent spilling. If youre baking a smaller cake smaller than 9 inches and have leftover batter, you can always make cupcakes!
Prepare Your Cake Pans
Using a parchment paper circle is a great way to get a nice, smooth finish on your top cake layer. Simply peel the parchment from your cooled cake and youre ready to go.
Why Youll Love This Recipe
This amazing homemade chocolate cake has been in my life for years now , and youve seen it paraded around as other cakes , and now I am presenting it in all of its simple chocolate cake glory.
This is my absolute favorite chocolate cake in one of the simplest, easiest ways to prepare it a three-layer cake filled and frosted with my favorite chocolate frosting. It gets rave reviews anytime I serve it, with most people exclaiming that it is the best chocolate cake theyve ever eaten, and wondering how it could be so moist.
You May Like: Best Cake You Can Order Online
How To Make Whipped Chocolate Ganache
Add 18 ounces chocolate chips in a bowl.
Pour 1 ½ cup heavy cream in a sauce pan and heat up until starts to simmer. Then pour it over the chocolate chips.
Allow it to sit for about 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let it cool off completely, then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
When ready, whip the ganache with a stand or a hand mixer until stiff peaks, but dont overmix.
What Frosting Goes Well With Chocolate Cake
There are lots of frosting recipes that pair well with chocolate cake. When I make this chocolate cake my go to frosting recipes are Old-Fashioned Chocolate Frosting or chocolate buttercream frosting. I am a big fan of double chocolate cakes. When I updated the photos for this chocolate cake I used the Old-Fashioned Chocolate Frosting, which is thinner frosting. If you are wanting thick frosting layers then you will want to go with the chocolate buttercream.
If double chocolate cake is not your preferred way to enjoy chocolate cake there are lots of tasty frosting recipes that pair perfectly with this homemade chocolate cake recipe that makes for tasty chocolate cake combinations. Check out some of my favorite frosting recipes that I love using when I make chocolate cake and want to change things up.
Read Also: Sam’s Club Themed Birthday Cakes
Super Simple Chocolate Cake
I have a confession to make I actually NEVER made a cake from scratch until about a month ago!
Ive always, always relied on boxed cake mixes because they are cheap, easy, and taste great so why mess with it, right?
Well, when I was baking up cakes for Simons birthday party last month, I realized that I was completely out of chocolate boxed cake mixes. I had plenty of yellow cake mixes, but I really wanted to do the cake with half chocolate, half yellow .
There was NO way I was loading up 2 kids to drive to the store just for one stinkin chocolate boxed cake mix when I knew it was most likely extremely simple to make the cake from scratch. So I googled a few different simple from-scratch cake recipes and came up with a winner.
Not only does this recipe have super-simple basic baking ingredients you most likely have in your pantry but it can also be made in ONE bowl which means hardly any dishes to wash!
If youd like to venture out into the crazy world of from-scratch cakes, I would highly recommend this super simple recipe!
Plus, look how cute my Thomas the Train cake turned out
Easy Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipe
Im such a softie when it comes to cake! My family knows this, so when they want to give me a special treat, its often one of my favorite bakery cakes. So indulgent! I love when they do that.
And, maybe a bit ironically, I also turn to cake when I want to do something special for my family! Making a cake from scratch is one of my favorite ways to show them that I care. Plus, its delicious. For everyone. Including me.
This particular cake is how can I say this? Perfect. Yep, perfect is the word! Its thick, fudgy, and moist while still being light. It goes beautifully with a whipped chocolate buttercream or any other type of frosting that you enjoy. This is the kind of cake that my kids beg for on their birthdays, because its just that special!
Don’t Miss: Cream Cheese Icing Recipe For Cake
How To Make From Scratch Chocolate Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with paper liners.
Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
In a separate bowl add the eggs, whole milk, oil, and vanilla.
Add the bowl containing the eggs, whole milk, oil, and vanilla to the bowl holding the dry ingredients.
Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients together until fully incorporated.
Beat for 3 minutes on medium.
Slowly add the boiling water starting with a small amount then pour in the remaining boiling water. The batter may be a little runny that is ok.
Pour batter into a 9×13 pan or 2 8 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes if using a baking dish.
Remove from the oven allowing to cool for 10 minutes.