Chocolate Cake from Scratch
This amazing Chocolate Cake from Scratch is ultra moist and so rich and decadent!
We always get rave reviews from this chocolate cake recipe. It is one of our go-to chocolate cakes for all sorts of fillings and frostings (from Almond Joy Cake and Mint Chocolate Chip Cake to Chocolate Oreo Cake and more.)
Table of Contents
Why we Love It
There are so many reasons to love this amazing chocolate cake. Here are just a few:
- Velvety soft, moist texture
- Decadent and rich cake for chocolate lovers
- Makes plenty of batter for an impressive three layer cake
- Perfect go-to chocolate cake for birthdays and other special occasions
How to make a Scratch Chocolate Cake
*You can find the full, printable recipe for this rich chocolate layer cake further down in this post, but here is a quick rundown of how we made the cake!
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour three 8 inch cake pans (We often line our pans with parchment paper as well)
- In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients: sugar, all purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients for 1 minute to blend.
- Add softened butter a few pieces at a time while the mixer is on low speed. Mix until the dry ingredients look like coarse sand and the dry ingredients are moistened. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, milk , oil and vanilla until blended.
- With the mixer on low speed, SLOWLY add about half of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 ½ minutes at medium speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, beating for 20 seconds after each pour. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl.
- Next, slowly add the cup of hot coffee (prepared instant coffee or brewed) and mix another 30 seconds until blended. The chocolate cake batter will be very runny. Don't worry!
- Pour into 3 prepared 8" pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back to the touch or a small wooden pick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.The cake layers will pull away ever so slightly from the sides of the pan.
- Cool the cakes 10 minutes on a wire rack and then turn out of the pans.
- *Yields approximately 9 cups of batter, plenty for three 8 inch cake pans and a nice, tall cake!
Recipe FAQs
More Chocolate Cakes
Aside from today's rich chocolate cake, we have created many more Chocolate Cakes that we love!
Some of our most popular are: Marble Cake, Chocolate Velvet Cake, German Chocolate Cake, and Black Forest Cake.
Chocolate Cake from Scratch
This moist, decadent classic chocolate cake from scratch is the BEST! This cake recipe uses the Reverse Creaming Method of mixing, creating an extra moist cake with a tight crumb and velvety texture.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¾ cup (322g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (82g) unsweetened cocoa (lightly spoon into cup then sift)
- 2 teaspoons (10g) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (2g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (2g) salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, softened (do not soften in microwave)
- ¼ cup (54g) vegetable oil (we use Canola oil)
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup (220g) milk
- 1 teaspoon (4g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (220g) hot coffee, it can be instant or brewed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease and flour THREE 8 inch cake pans
- In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk for 1 minute to blend.
- Add softened butter a few pieces at a time while the mixer is on low speed. Mix until the dry ingredients look like coarse sand and the dry ingredients are moistened. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, milk , oil and vanilla until blended.
- Method is important when using the Reverse Creaming Method. With the mixer on low speed, SLOWLY add approximately ½ of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 ½ minutes at medium speed. Don't mix above medium speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, beating for 20 seconds after each pour. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl.
- Slowly add the cup of hot coffee and mix another 30 seconds until blended. The batter will be very runny. Don't worry!
- Pour into 3 prepared 8" pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes 10 minutes on a rack and then turn out of the pans.
- *Yields approx 9 cups of batter.
- Making cupcakes? Check out our Classic Chocolate Cupcake Recipe (conventional method of mixing for fluffier cupcakes) Holds up well to fondant
Notes
- These cake layers can be wrapped individually in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, and frozen for up to three months.
- Thaw at room temperature, removing the wrapping after 30-45 minutes.
Loved This Recipe?!
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Hi Daphne, I'm glad that you made the cake! I'm sorry that you had cracks! It sounds like the cracking was from flipping the cake so that the domed side was down. When you flipped the cake onto the board, the domed section met the cake board while the rest of the cake had no support and so they cracked. In the future, you'll want to trim away the dome so that it is level before flipping....either that or flip out the cake and flip it again so that the domed side is up.
So glad that you thought that the cake was delicious, I hope you'll try it again! xo
Hi BeBe thanks for your reply I have baked the chocolate cake scratch receipe again using natural cocoa powder and yes there is a huge difference thanks for your reply and clarification. I loved it
HI Mariam, Thank you for letting me know. I'm so happy you gave the recipe another try, and liked it!!
BeBe I am a home bakers and I delivered 5 cakes using this chocolate cake receipe the clients were so happy with the result now this is my go receipt thanks again just a note I have used it for 2 tiers cakes and covered with fondant as well
Wonderful, Mariam!! Thanks for posting that it holds up well to fondant, that will help other bakers who have that question. I am going to add that information to the end of the recipe.
Hi, I need to make this cake in rectangular size for about 20 people and high enough to look well to be decorated with fondant. Do you know what pan size I should use and whether these amounts are ok or should I make two cakes? Thank you!
Hi Graciela, This is a link to the Wilton Serving Chart, http://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html. I think I would use the a 9x13 size pan. It needs 10 cups of batter and will give you 36 party servings. This recipe makes 9 cups of batter, but you will be fine using 9 cup batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. You may need to cover the top of the cake with aluminum foil at about 40 minutes if the top begins to get too brown. You could also add a rose nail to the center of the pan for more even baking.
Thank you so much!!!!
Hi !
Just read the recipe and seems great, one question regarding the cocoa, I always use and prefer Dutch processed cocoa powder, which is more alkalized, can I use it here ? Cuz I noticed the recipe has more baking soda than baking powder...
Thanks!
Hi Hudase, Since this recipe uses both baking soda and baking powder you will need to follow the recipe and use natural unsweetened cocoa to get the proper balance of acid and alkaline
Hi I am having a problem that the cake has a huge craks on top of the pan when it is still in the oven do you have any idea why this is happening
I tried this recipe and I must say it is the BEST chocolate recipe I've ever had. It was moist, chocolatey, and delicious. I loved it!!!! This is going to be my go to chocolate recipe.