The Best Chocolate Cake

Seriously.  Do you have a 'go to' recipe?  If no, you do now.

I have made five chocolate cakes in the last week.  I am testing out recipes and I think I have finally found one that I adore.

Well.  That sure doesnt look like a chocolate cake.

Next picture please!

We're getting warmer...

 

 

Much better.

This chocolate cake is light and moist and rich and oh so delicious.

This piece no longer sits on a bright white plate next to a clean fork.

I sorta ate it about 32 seconds after I took the picture.

Just keepin it real folks.

Would you like the recipe?  Oddly enough, the recipe that I ended up liking as the best was one I had made before!

 

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare you cake pans.  I used 8in rounds, you can use rectangle pans or cupcakes or whatever floats your boat!

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and mix until combined.

In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With 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 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

You can share with others but I dont recommend it.

Then there would be less for you.

I'm kidding. 

Kinda.

 

Comments

[Megan Orsini]

question: I made this, in 2 greased and floured 8 in. pans and it totally overflowed...did I over mix it or what? I would try the recipe again but in 9 in. pans...just wondered if you could figure out why mine totally overflowed? Thanks!

[Monica]

Hi, Amanda, This cake is very sophisticated. I checked out the Spring Celebration Cake. Did you use the same cream cheese frosting or buttercream for the cake in this post? What type of frosting did you use on the top?

[Denise]

Hi, I love how this cake looks, just beautiful!!! :) I was just wondering on the icing/filling recipe and what you used as the topping?

[Zita Gavin]

love the cake. but where can we get the frosting recipies please. thanks
zita

[Sherri Jo]

This looks awesome - mybakingaddiction sent me here - I'm on the hunt for a chocolate cake recipe for a groom's cake. Is this one sturdy enough for two tiers? I've heard wedding cakes are a different breed, is this true? Have you ever made your own fondant?

[Robyn Wardlaw]

I was thinking that a cup of hot chocolate instead of coffee might make this delicious! ??

[Tamara R.]

LOOKS YUMMY!!! Going to try this out for a birthday party tomorrow. =)

[Daniela]

hi! i'm from chile :) so i don't understand this:
"1 cup buttermilk, shaken"
what's buttermilk?

thanks!

[michelle]

would really like to know the two frosting recipes and how you assembled everything

[Robin]

GIRLFRIEND, GIRLFRIEND, GIRLFRIEND!!!!THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER. And I mean EVER! I was searching for a great choc. cake recipe for my daughter's 23rd birthday. She requested a "chocolate cake". I didn't want to settle. It was RIDICULOUS! TASTY AND MOIST. Everyone Ooohed and Aaahhed as they took their first bite and their last. I filled it with real whipped cream and homemade choc. frosting (on hershey's cocoa canister) and then topped the cake with sinful ganache frosting and let it drizzle down the sides. I put the hershey's frosting in the middle then placed gobs of whipped cream onto that. I frosted the entire cake with the hershey's recipe THEN the ganache all drizzly on top. It was oh so pretty and wicked, wicked good. Thank you for your excellent recipe. Oh, and to those who think the coffee in the recipe will spoil it. NO WAY. YOU TASTE IT IN THE BATTER, BUT NOT IN THE FINISHED PRODUCT. JUST MAKE IT!!!! You will not regret it.

[Kulsum]

I was looking for a good recipe and remembered your blog..! and i am going to try this one today...! Thank you...!

[Account Deleted]

Hi,
I came across your recipe when I was searching the net for good chocolate cake recipes and boy did I get the right one. As soon as I saw the pictures and recipe, I couldn't wait to try it, so the next day I did! It was amazing. I got good comments from my family and I even blogged it and posted a link to your blog!
thanks for sharing! will definitely bake it again.
btw, cute daughters!

-diyana-

[john]

nicely work done by you, looking awesome work...
:)

[john]

nice work done...

[John]

Oh these cakes are awesome and I love to make and to taste it .

[catherine *K]

Love this recipe & Love the cake!! I made it on Saturday for a lunch party we had and today *Monday*..all gone...!! My husband had it for breakfast, lunch & tea...I used Chocolate Ganace in between layers & the frosting..high level of Chocolate...

[Christie]

I am making this cake for the second time tonight. My boyfriend and his family loved it the first time... he is coming home from a month long Army training and I know he will be happy to have some delicious cake!!

[Cristine]

The frosting on the sides looks amazing! and the filling, does it have chopped strawberries in each layer? Topping? can you share the frosting receipes?

[Lindsey]

I'm making this cake for a friend's birthday and was wondering if you use 2 round pans and cut the cakes in half or 4 rounds? thanks so much! can't wait to taste it!

[chocolate cake]

I like Chocolate Cakes Banoffee I make it my birthday. yammmmmy.

Fine biscuit crumbs in a food processor. Melt 80g butter and add the crumbs with cocoa. Process to combine. Press 10 cm in six pans with melted bitter. Put in refrigerator for 20 minutes until a solid foundation.

[Helz]

A recipe I have is similar, but instead of coffee you add more cocoa to your dry mix (1 to 1 1/2 cups) and you add boiling water at the same time it states in this one to add the instant coffee. :)

I Have this cake in the oven now with the coffee though to see how it goes and how similar the end results are.

[esther]

Hi could you send me de frosting recipe. it looks amazing!

[sour sweets]

Chocolate for cake is my ultimate favorite flavor.And I'm happy that I find your site because you share information on how to explore more chocolate flavor to become more delicious and tasteful.

[Maria]

what else can I used for buttermilk/

[Sasha17Baker]

Looks yummy !!! I just made a lemon cake today. So I'll save this one for next week !!

***If I don't have buttermilk i just use regular milk and add a tablespoon of white vinegar for every cup !!***

[Sweet Hampers]

The cake you've made is mouth watering. It looks so delicious. I want to learn how to bake it.

[Dena]

I made this cake into cupcakes for a friend's birthday this last weekend. I substituted the coffee with boiling water and I was so nervous as the batter was SO thin! Made it kindof messy getting into the cupcake liners, but boy were they delicious! I topped them with big roses of your favorite buttercream frosting recipe and M&Ms made into ladybugs with a food writer pen (love those things). Had many many comments on the cake and frosting. Will be making again! Thank you!

[Angela]

OK, i made this cake into cupcakes today, and they taste delicious, however i was not able to make them rise enough to have the nice round puffy top you want on a cupcake, in fact some of them even sank slightly in the middle. What did i do wrong, or do you have any recommendations for me to improve next time??? Much appreciated!

Angela

[Ang]

OK i made this into cupcakes and they were very tasty, however they did not have the nice round cupcake top and in fact some of them slightly sank in the middle... Any suggestions?

[Mya]

This recipe is fantastic! I made cupcakes and everyone raved about them. The batter seemed too liquid-y at first, but they baked up into heavenly chocolate clouds! And the best part for me is that I always have these ingredients on hand. Thank you! :)

[Sonia]

Hola from Spain! I love chocolate cakes and I'm always searching for the Ultimate Chocolate Cake. Will this one be THE ONE? I'm trying this recipe tomorrow, with whipped cream and chocolate frosting, and I'll give the coffee a try.
Thanks for sharing. I love your blog. Mucho, mucho, mucho.
Un saludo.

[Leticia Petrocchi]

Hi from Brazil! Sorry by the awful english, but I NEED tell you... I made this recipe last weekend to my son's party and it was a success! It's beautiful, soft, easy e specially delicious!!! Thanks for sharing that with the world! :)

You make a wonderful job and your website is amazing!!!

[kim]

This cake looks awoesome!I cannot wait try this weekend.I need the recipe for the frosting please thanks!

[Donna S.]

Your cake looks awesome, can't wait to try it. Please, I would love to have the recipe for the frosting, would you share with me?

Thank You,
Donna

[Michelle]

Heehee, this has been my favorite chocolate cake recipe as well and I think I found the recommendation on your blog as well. I <3 the barefoot Contessa and just realized that I have the cookbook that she shares this recipe in... d'oh for having so many cookbooks that I forget what's in them. :)

[marcia ciscel]

Help please! making it for my sons bday. What do i use instead of coffee

[Cyndie]

I was asked to make someone an extremely chocolatey cake and this looks amazing however i'm not sure if this person likes coffee as i don't know them personally. When you eat the cake can you taste the coffee in it?

[Andrea Garner]

This cake is DELICIOUS!!! Seriously one of the tastiest chocolate cakes I have tried. I don't really taste the coffee for those that are concerned about that, but it definitely intensifies the flavor of the chocolate...um, yum!! My only issue was that it fell in the center but that was my fault for opening the oven before the cake set, oops! Thanks sooo much for sharing! This will be my "go to" chocolate cake from now on!

[kim]

I'm still awaiting the recipe for the icing to the your chocolate cake.thanks!!!!

[Kristin]

I have been hunting for the perfect chocolate cake recipe for years and so far, this one takes the cake (he he he... gotta love a good pun!) I've had more than a few compliments on this cake. One suggestion I will make is about the buttermilk. I always buy a carton of buttermilk for a recipe and never finish it (I don't have many recipes that call for it). The last time I made this cake my mother pointed out that you can make a buttermilk substitute with regular milk and a small amount of vinegar! I tried it and it worked beautifully. It saved me a separate trip to the grocery store and I didn't have to waste any unused buttermilk. Thanks "I am Baker" for the recipe and thanks Mom for always being one step ahead of me!