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The BEST Chocolate Cake Recipe in the world. This moist, rich chocolate cake with chocolate frosting is one of the most popular cake recipes. This 5-Star Rated Chocolate Cake Recipe is the best homemade chocolate cake. Everyone will ask for this Chocolate Birthday Cake for every single birthday celebration!
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
Everyone loves this homemade chocolate cake recipe…just read the reviews!
I have been on a baking quest for years….trying out every single chocolate cake recipe that I can get my hands on. It’s my duty as a baker to ensure that I test them all, right? I wanted to test out every baking method, different ingredients, all types of brands of cocoa powder, butter vs. oil in cakes…all to find the best chocolate cake recipe.
My sister-in-law owns her own cake business and is the baking goddess. Years ago, she decided that every Sunday she was going to test out a different chocolate cake recipe. She did this for months on end and through her exhaustive research, she found her favorite.
Why you will love this Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipe:
This Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake is an adaption of her ultimate cake and it’s everything a perfect chocolate cake should be – rich, moist, fudgy, and the best chocolate cake you will ever eat. We’ve done the research for you so you don’t have to. This is a 5-star rated moist chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting.
I have been baking ever since I can remember with my Mom and Grandma. They have taught me so much over the years about baking and I will be sharing all of the tips and tricks I have learned to make a perfect homemade chocolate cake.
There are tricks of the trade to make sure the cake easily comes out of the pan and how to frost the cake so the frosting comes out smooth. Baking is all about ratios and you have to find that perfect balance. Here are some of the most important things I have learned about the art of baking cakes.
What ingredients are in Chocolate Birthday Cake?
- Oil: This makes the chocolate cake so moist and tender. I would suggest using a neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil in this cake recipe.
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Buttermilk: This gives chocolate cake the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Vanilla
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: See the section below on how to choose the perfect cocoa powder for baking.
- Flour: I suggest using all-purpose flour or cake flour in this recipe. You can always use half all-purpose and half cake flour.
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder + Salt: This helps the cake to rise while baking in the oven.
- Hot Water: See below as to why it is important to use hot water when making chocolate cake batter.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
- Butter: I suggest using salted butter to make this chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Powdered Sugar
- Cocoa Powder
- Heavy Cream: You can also substitute half-n-half or milk in place of heavy cream.
The cake is super moist as a result of using both oil and buttermilk. The buttermilk creates a tender crumb. The hot water (or you can use hot coffee) makes it extra moist and helps to dissolve the baking soda and activate it.
The chocolate buttercream frosting is made with sweet cream butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and heavy cream.
Why add hot water to chocolate cake batter?
Adding hot water to chocolate cake batter is a technique that enhances the flavor and texture of the cake. The hot water serves multiple purposes in the baking process:
- Dissolving Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder can sometimes have lumps or clumps. Adding hot water helps dissolve the cocoa powder, ensuring a smooth and consistent chocolate flavor throughout the batter.
- Intensifying Chocolate Flavor: Hot water intensifies the flavor of chocolate. The heat helps release and amplify the natural cocoa flavors, resulting in a richer and more robust chocolate taste in the finished cake.
- Moisture Retention: The addition of hot water contributes to the moistness of the cake. Moisture is a key factor in achieving a tender and soft crumb, making the cake more enjoyable to eat.
It’s important to note that the hot water is typically added towards the end of the mixing process, after the dry and wet ingredients have been combined. This helps create a well-balanced and velvety chocolate cake. While it might seem unconventional, this technique has been widely adopted in many chocolate cake recipes to elevate the overall quality of the final product.
What type of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder should I use in cake recipes?
According to America’s Test Kitchen, “Cocoa powder is the chocolate liquor that is processed to remove all but 10-24% of the cocoa butter. Cocoa Powder comes in natural and Dutched versions. Dutching raises the cocoa powder’s pH levels, which neutralizes its acids and rounds out its flavor. Both natural and Dutch cocoa will work in recipes. Dutch-processed cocoa will produce baked goods with a darker color and moister texture.”
If you notice in the photos of my Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake, I used two different types of cocoa powder, which creates different hues.
The chocolate cake recipe photos below use a Guittard Dark Dutch Cocoa Powder. This is a true black cocoa powder with an intensely deep, rich flavor thanks to a 10-12% cocoa butter content.
The homemade chocolate cake recipe photos that are lighter in color use a Callebaut Dutched Cocoa Powder. It has a warmer color with reddish-brown notes. It is slightly sweeter than the dark dutch cocoa powder. I find this unsweetened cocoa powder in the bulk section at Winco. It is much less expensive at Winco, than you can find online.
You can top this dark chocolate cake with chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles. This chocolate birthday cake is the perfect cake to bake for any celebration!
How to make the PERFECT CHOCOLATE CAKE:
- Oil works best in chocolate cakes (in my humble opinion). Even though I am the biggest butter fan, adding oil to a chocolate cake batter creates a moist texture. I have used both canola and coconut oils and both turn out beautifully. When I use melted coconut oil, there is surprisingly no coconut oil taste in the cake. My favorite baking appliance when making cakes and cookies is my KITCHENAID MIXER. You can find all types of colors and sizes by clicking HERE.
- Cake flour does make a difference in the tender crumb of the cake but you can substitute all-purpose flour.
- A high-quality cocoa powder can change the depth of chocolate flavor. I use Callebaut Cocoa (which I find in the bulk section at Winco. It is so inexpensive when you buy it from the bulk bins. You can buy as little or as much as you need).
- Using both baking soda and baking powder gives it the best rise. Homemade cakes don’t puff up as much in the middle as boxed cake mixes do so don’t be surprised when they are a tad flatter. It makes them so much easier to stack and frost.
- Buttermilk is a must because it gives it the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Don’t overbake your cake. You want that moist, tender crumb so watch it carefully.
- My favorite baking pans are these ones —
and
USA Round Cake Pan, 9 inch. A flat spatula to frost a cake is essential and is only around 5 bucks —
Wilton Angled Icing Spatula.
Tips for making the Best Chocolate Cake:
- Quality Ingredients Matter: Invest in high-quality cocoa powder and chocolate for an intense and rich flavor.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Bring eggs, milk, and butter to room temperature before using to ensure even mixing.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to remove lumps and achieve a smooth batter.
- The Boiling Water Trick: Adding boiling water at the end enhances the chocolate flavor and results in a moist crumb.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the batter until just combined to avoid a dense texture. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake.
How to know when the chocolate cake is done baking?
How to Know When Your Cake is Done Baking:
- Toothpick Test: Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), the cake is done.
- Springy Top: Gently press the top of the cake with your finger. If it springs back, it’s ready.
- Edges Pull Away: The edges of the cake should slightly pull away from the sides of the pan when it’s done.
What cake pans should I use?
To make this homemade chocolate cake, I usually use three 8-inch cake pans to make three thin layers. You can also use two 9-inch thicker layers, if you prefer. To see which brand is my favorite, you can find the links above. This chocolate cake recipe makes at least 12-24 slices of cake, depending on how you slice it. It is the perfect chocolate birthday cake to feed a crowd!
Every Valentine’s Day, I make my husband his very own chocolate cake. The problem is that he goes to work, leaving me at home staring at a triple layer chocolate layer cake that is begging to be eaten….by me. Oh, the torture. But I always say that if I am going to eat the calories, make it worth it. This cake is worth every single calorie, I promise.
This is also our most requested birthday cake. This chocolate birthday cake with chocolate frosting is always a crowd-pleaser!
So what’s with the name — Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake?
I was fresh out of high school and about ready to embark on my freshman year in college when I met HIM. You know the guy that stops you in your tracks and makes your jaw drop to the floor. He was sipping water out of the drinking fountain at a college dance and my friend grabbed me and said, “did you just see the eyes on that guy?”
I looked over to see this tall, dark, and handsome guy with piercing blue eyes walking down the hallway. My friend, who felt that she just found her soulmate, ran after him to ask him to dance. I tried to play it a little bit cool even though my heart was beating out of my chest at first glance.
As we walked outside to the dance, the music was starting to fade as a slow song begun. I was standing in a large group of friends when I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around to see “him.” He was even better looking close up and I didn’t think that was even possible. He asked if I wanted to dance and of course, I answered a resounding “yes” as he grabbed my hand to guide me to the dance floor.
The connection was instant and undeniable and I thought to myself that I didn’t want it to end. Lucky for me, before the end of the night he asked for my phone number and I was one giddy girl all the way home.
So that “love at first sight” encounter actually turned into real life, true, unconditional love. This guy eventually got down on one knee in a small fishing boat in the middle of the lake, surrounded by candlelight to ask me to marry him.
I was a young 20-year old who had a lot of life to figure out but we decided that we were ready to grow together – to learn, to make mistakes, and to eventually start a family together. We will hit our 20 year anniversary this November (woo hoo!) and I love him so much more now than the day we got married.
Let’s get back to this Love at First Sight Cake because I am falling in love with this more and more by the minute. This is seriously the BEST Chocolate Cake Recipe.
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Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 3/4 cup Flour
- 1 3/4 cup Sugar
- 3/4 cup Cocoa high quality
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 cup Oil canola or coconut oil
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 1 cup Hot Water
Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1 1/2 cups Butter softened
- 1 cup Cocoa
- 5 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/3 cup Cream Half n Half or Milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. If you have a flour sifter, sift all dry ingredients.
- In mixing bowl, beat oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla for 1 minute. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour in hot water and mix together. The batter will be liquidy but that’s a good thing — it will create a moist cake.
- Spray two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. You can also use three 8-inch cake pans for this recipe. Pour batter evenly into each pan. Bake at 22-27 minutes. Place toothpick or cake tester in the center of the cake to check if it comes out clean.
- Let cool before frosting.
To make Chocolate Buttercream:
- In mixing bowl, cream together Butter, Cocoa, Powdered Sugar, and Cream until light and fluffy. You may want to add more cream or milk depending on consistency. Once the cake has cooled and has been removed from pans, frost each layer with frosting.
- Top with chocolate shavings, chocolate chips, sprinkles, M & M’s or whatever your heart desires.
Video
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Go get a fork, a plate, and dig into the best chocolate cake on the planet.
Happy Baking!
Hello!! I’m so excited to have found this recipe. My daughter will be 2 on Friday and I wanted to try a new recipe. We recently moved back to the States after living abroad for a year–we gave everything away before leaving the USA because we thought we would be gone for five years. So, I don’t have much in the way of kitchen essentials. I’m going to use my 9×13. I don’t have a mixer any longer or a sifter so I’m totally going old school! 🙂 My question is this– I have the NOW organic cocoa powder which I just realized is nowhere near as decadent as Callebaut cocoa. Would you recommend adding fat or sugar or anything else because of this? I’m so late in planning! I hope you see this soon. Thank you so much!!
Hi Keani! Happy 2nd Birthday to your little girl! How fun to live abroad…I hope it was an amazing experience. You can definitely use a 9 x 13 and you will just increase the baking time since it is thicker. You can completely do this old school. I looked up the NOW Cocoa Powder and compared it to the Callebaut (gram to gram so it was accurate) and you should be all good to use that cocoa powder. It has similar fat (both 1 gram) and sugar (both zero grams) as the Callebaut. I think it will turn out amazing. Good luck to you! – Melissa 🙂
Melissa, you ROCK!!! Thank you for getting back to me so quickly!!! I am so pumped to make this. Cannot wait!! Thank you for researching the cocoas and helping me. I’m more confident now that this will be divine.
And thank you for the bday wishes for Emersyn!! I can’t believe she’s not a baby anymore. *Sigh* She’s a lot of fun. Can’t wait to impress her with this cake!!!
Yes, living abroad was an adventure!! I would love to do it again, but in a country where I can learn the language easier!! My son is leaving for his adventures abroad next spring. Poor momma. Ha!
I will let you know how this cake turns out. Thank you again for the help–and for the recipe! 😉
Oh my goodness!! This was the best and most delicious chocolate cake ever! I baked it for my hubby’s birthday with a crowd attending and got rave reviews from everyone! Plus, I was very proud of myself for how pretty it turned out as well. Love you Melissa and your tasty treats and food. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, the cake looks very impressive and have plans to bake it soon. Could you please specify the temperature of the water on your recipe. Thanks
Hi Tehney! I like my water to be hot to the touch. You can place it in the microwave for 20 seconds. It helps dissolve the cocoa powder. Hope that helps!
I made this for my dad’s birthday a couple weeks ago and it really was the best chocolate cake ever. A huge hit. Relatively simple and looks impressive. I wish I could post a picture! I used the recipe as-is except I substituted coffee for water. Made 3 8-inch layers (didn’t multiply the recipe at all). Had a LOT of frosting left over and wasn’t sure what to do with it lol. I got a cake cover-platter-traveler or whatever it’s called from Meijer (similar to Target) for around $8. Rubbermaid or something – nothing fancy but it meant I didn’t have to use foil or even refrigerate (don’t like cold cake or frosting). Am going to make again this week for an out of town visitor. Can’t wait!
So happy to hear that! Yay! Thank you for taking the time to write such a positive comment. That is so smart to have one of those cake travelers. I am always so nervous traveling with food in my car but that is a major cake saver. Thanks for the great tip!
Hi, I was wondering if I could use this exact recipe and buttercream frosting for cake pops? Thank you
Hi Sandelle! Absolutely. Everything always tastes better from scratch so I think it would be fabulous. 🙂
I used this recipe for a HUGE baby shower cake! I was initially worried about it being too tender for stacking but it worked out just fine. And the best part… I received a text saying it was the best chocolate cake they had ever eaten! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe. I’m currently baking my Halloween cakes with it too, this will be my go to for chocolate cake from here on out!
Awww I love to hear that, Suzette! Thank you so much! I am so glad that it was a hit at the baby shower…..receiving those positive texts after putting in so much work is always the best. Thanks for your comment.
Do you have any advice for stacking this cake?
hi Melissa,
i am just thinking to make this cake. i wanna ask can i use this cake under fondant? would it bear the burden of fondant and not collapse?
Hi Ayesha. That is a great question! I am not a fondant expert as I don’t really use it but it should hold up. I like to freeze my cake layers to make them even sturdier before I frost a cake (or lay fondant on it). I hope that helps!
Hi Ayesha, I’m making this cake for my daughters wedding. How did the cake go under the fondant? I would really love to find out. Making cakes in the next couple of days. Looking forward to s reply, thanks in advance, Margaret from Australia
Hi!
This recipe looks great and not a bad comment in sight so I figured I’d give it a try. The problem is I was originally looking for a great chocolate cake recipe that I could kinda try and turn into a great chocolate orange cake recipe haha and thought that if it used chocolate pieces or something I could replace them with chocolate orange pieces or replace vanilla essence with orange essence etc etc, however this recipe has none of those things haha – I wondered if you had any advice as to what I could add/replace to this recipe because it seems so good so make it into a chocolate orange recipe… would any of the ingredients cause a problem with this or ‘react’ weirdly with orange flavour additions??
Sorry for the very long comment and hope to hear from you soon!
Hi Sarika! Thank you! I think a chocolate orange cake sounds divine. I would focus on the frosting and add some high-quality orange extract to it and possibly a little orange zest. Chocolate covered orange peels or orange infused chocolate would be beautiful on the top of the cake. Now I am craving a chocolate orange cake. Yummy!
Thank you! That sounds great, so keep the cake as it is in all it’s chocolatey goodness and just give it a nice orange chocolate frosting or filling 🙂 yum! Can’t wait to try this and thank you for getting back to me.
Haha I’ve been craving it too, maybe you can try it out as well 😀
I am actually looking to convert this into a chocolate orange cake too! My fiancé’s father requested it for thanksgiving and i really want to impress them 🙂 I was wondering if I can replace the hot water with hot orange juice? I also intend on adding orange zest to the frosting and candying some orange peels for decoration. Also, do you think this cake is too light/moist to cover in a ganache? I’m concerned the weight would deflate the cake. Thanks!
Dear Melissa,
Came across this recipe by chance and after baking for so many years and trying out several fantastic recipes I have to say that this once seems to be the only one with 100% positive comments. Kudos to you!
I am really looking forward to trying this out today for my son’s birthday tomorrow. It will be 9 inch rectangular double layered football field/match themed cake. Was wondering if I can actually leave it out over night after frosting it (The party is at noon). I live in India and the temperature is between 27 degrees during the day and 20 degrees at night. I usually leave all the cakes in the fridge but would love to know what you think about leaving it covered outside for a change? I hope you see this soon enough…
Cheers!
Rohini
Hi Rohini! I just happened to be on my laptop when your comment came through so it was perfect timing. Great to have you from India! Thank you for trying out my recipe. Happy early birthday to your son! You can absolutely leave it out overnight. I tend to like it even better the next day because the frosting has some time to soak into the cake and it becomes even moister. I hope that helps! Let me know how it turns out! 🙂 – Melissa
It was a small slice of heaven…
Thanks a tonne ! Would’ve loved to share a picture with you but I don’t see an option here for an attachment . I filled it with your frosting(two layers) and covered it with ganache. Let it soak overnight, then worked on it to create the football field on top with with BC Fondant. It was death by chocolate if you please!! Lol
I just made this cake. I’m actually sorry you published it. I see much more gym time in my future. Holy cow it’s AMAZING!! I didn’t even have cake flour and I didn’t have buttermilk (so I substituted a combo of whole milk and yogurt) and it still turned out light, crumbly and exquisite. This is a definitely keeper!!
Haha Angela! I completely get you! When I make it, I have to give it away as soon as possible because I love it so much. It is way too tempting! Great idea to use that as a substitute. So glad to hear it turned out well. Thanks so much! – Melissa