Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe
Today I'm sharing a deliciously moist Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe from scratch. This homemade cake recipe has all of the flavor that you love in a chocolate chip cookie!
In the past, I've always made chocolate chip cakes by adding chocolate chips to my favorite yellow or white cake recipes.
There's nothing wrong with going this route because most things taste even better with some chocolate chips thrown in, but THIS recipe takes the chocolate chip cookie flavor to a new level!
Table of Contents
Brown Sugar adds wonderful flavor to this cake
The brown sugar, in addition to the amazing flavor combination of butter, vanilla, and chocolate chips gives this cake all of the familiar deliciousness that we love in a chocolate chip cookie!
This recipe is the first chocolate chip cake that I've tried that contains brown sugar and it really makes a difference!
Brown sugar not only adds wonderful flavor to the cake recipe, but it also makes for a cake that is even more moist and tender.
How to Make a Chocolate Chip Cake
You can find the full, printable recipe further down in this post but here is a quick rundown of our steps!
- Preparation: Preheat the oven, prepare three 8 inch cake pans (grease & flour- I also line the pans with parchment)
- Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of your mixer add the dry ingredients (all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.) Hand whisk for at least 30 seconds to make sure that the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Egg Mixture: In a separate bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Stir with a fork to combine.
- Butter: With an electric mixer on low speed (and using a paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) gradually add the slices of butter, a few pieces at a time. Increase the mixer to medium speed and mix until the dry ingredients look crumbly and moistened. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Adding Wet Ingredients: Next, add half of the egg mixture, (do not beat above medium ) for 1 ½ minutes. The cake batter will become thick and fluffy Add the remaining egg mixture in two pourings, mixing for 20 seconds after each addition.
- Chocolate Chips: Fold in the mini chocolate chips (We used semi-sweet chocolate chips)
- Fill the Pans: Divide batter between two prepared 8 inch round cake pans
- Time to Bake! Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
- Allow the 8 inch round cakes (still in their pans) to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before turning out.
Reverse Creaming Method of Mixing
This recipe uses the Reverse Creaming Method of mixing. We use this method of mixing for many of our recipes (chocolate cake from scratch, chocolate sour cream cake, orange dreamsicle cake) because we find that it gives the cakes a tighter crumb and velvety texture.
If you've never used the Reverse Creaming Method before, it is not difficult but it takes a little getting used to. This is because the ingredients are added in a different order than the traditional mixing method.
The steps in our recipe are easy to follow, however if you would like more information on this method, hop over to our free video tutorial: Reverse Creaming Method of Mixing.
What Pairs well with Chocolate Chip Cake?
We've frosted our Chocolate Chip layer cake with our FAVORITE Classic Chocolate Buttercream and filled it with Chocolate Chip Buttercream filling (which is our Classic Vanilla Buttercream + Mini Chocolate Chips).
You could also use chocolate buttercream frosting for the filling, or a simple Chocolate Ganache Frosting if you're looking for something even more rich.
Decorating the Cake
Once these moist chocolate chip cake layers have cooled completely, it is time to put it all together!
You can decorate however you like. Here are our steps:
- Place the first cake layer on a cake plate or pedestal.
- Then, spread with a layer of chocolate chip buttercream (or chocolate buttercream).
- Top with the second cake layer and frost the cake with chocolate chip buttercream.
- I like to crumb coat the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting before adding the decorative piping, which I did with a star tip 21.
- I added a top shell border, and sprinkled the top of the cake with mini chocolate chips.
More Chocolate Chip Cakes
Here are a few of our favorite chocolate chip cakes from our Recipes section! A few of our favorites are Chocolate Chip Cupcakes, Chocolate Chip Cake- Doctored Cake Mix Recipe, Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake, and Mint Chocolate Chip Cake.
Enjoy the Recipe!
Thanks so much for stopping by. We hope that you enjoy the cake!
It would make the perfect birthday cake recipe as well as other celebrations- or just because.
Don't miss our full collection of favorite cake recipes as well as hundreds of free cake decorating tutorials!
Have you made this? We would LOVE for you to leave a ⭐️ rating as well as a comment and photo below! We really appreciate your feedback!
Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe
This homemade Chocolate Chip Cake recipe has all of the flavors that you love in a chocolate chip cookie. You'll love the hint of brown sugar flavor!
RATE THIS RECIPE
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 ¾ cup all purpose flour (332g)
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar (packed into the cup) (325g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder (7g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (3g)
- ½ teaspoon salt 93g)
- 1¼ sticks unsalted butter, softened (141g)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature (if in a hurry, place in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes)
- 1 ⅓ cup buttermilk (302g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (8g)
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips (170g)
For the Chocolate buttercream
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened (339g)
- 7-8 cups powdered sugar icing sugar in UK (920g) more if needed. Adjust amount up or down to your liking.
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa (82g) Measure then sift
- ½-¾ cup milk (180g) Add a bit more as needed for desired consistency
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (12g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (6g)
Vanilla Buttercream Filling
- Chocolate Buttercream filling is great for this cake also!
- *This is a approximately a ¼ batch of our Classic Vanilla Buttercream
- ½ stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 teaspoons milk adjust to your desired consistency
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans
- In the bowl of your mixer add the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Hand whisk for at least 30 seconds so the ingredients are well combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir with a fork to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed gradually add the slices of butter, a few pieces at a time. Increase the mixer to medium speed and beat until the dry ingredients look crumbly and moistened by the butter. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add ½ of the egg mixture, beating at medium ( do not beat above medium ) for 1 ½ minutes, the batter will become thick and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Divide cake batter between the two prepared 8 inch round cake pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
- Let the cake cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out.
- Makes 7 cups batter
- Will hold up to fondantThis recipe works well for cupcakes, they will have very little dome.
For the Chocolate Buttercream
- Add butter and mix on low to medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla and blend into the butter. Add powdered sugar, salt, and cocoa powder.
- Add most of the milk. Begin mixing at low speed so you won't have a cloud of powdered sugar in your kitchen.
- Continue to mix adding remaining milk as needed. It may take 5 to 6 minutes to reach the smoothness and consistency you like. It will take longer if using a hand mixer. As you mix the frosting will become very smooth. You can add additional milk (1 Tablespoon at a time) if the frosting is too thick or additional powdered sugar if too soft.
- This recipe makes approximately 7 cups of frosting.
For the Vanilla Chocolate Chip Filling
- Cream the (slightly softened) butter until smooth. Blend in the vanilla.
- Add the powdered sugar and milk.
- Mix at medium speed until well incorporated and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. If it needs thickening, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it needs thinning, add a bit more milk.
- Fold in desired amount of mini chocolate chips.
Notes
- The cake layers can be baked and frozen ahead of time, up to three months in advance!
- Simply bake, wrap in plastic wrap and foil (we often do this when the layers are still slightly warm), and freeze. To thaw, place on countertop, still wrapped, until thawed to desired amount for decorating.
Loved This Recipe?!
Check out @mycakeschool for more!
Hi Kristina, It will be fine to keep the crumb coated cake out overnight and decorate tomorrow to serve on Tuesday.
I made this cake yesterday to take to a baby shower, and it was a hit! It did fall apart when I was removing it from the pans, but that was probably my fault for not flouring the pans after greasing them, as well as my lack of expertise -- it was my first shot at making a cake from scratch. I was able to stick it back together with some icing (I used a different recipe, since I didn't have powdered sugar), so it was still presentable.
Now that I've made a cake from scratch, I'm afraid I'll never be able to go back to the boxes again :). It was so much fun to make and so much more scrumptious than a cake mix. Have you ever made this cake with white chocolate chips or used another recipe to make a white chocolate chip cake? I turn eighteen next week and feel the need to celebrate with a big white chocolate chip cake.
Hi Anna, I'm happy that you were able to save the cake and that you enjoyed it. Yes, you should flour the pans. Turning the cake out of the pan immediately out of the oven can also cause it to break apart. Let it cool 5 to 10 minutes before turning out. If you leave in the pan too cool for too long (20 or 30 minutes) it can cause the cake to stick to the pan. We have not tried adding white chocolate chips to the recipe but there should be no problem in doing so. I don't think the white chocolate chips are available as mini chips so you may have a few more sinking to the bottom of the pan. Thanks so much for posting and best wishes for a Happy 18th Birthday,
Made this cake today. Very soft and yummy!!
Just had a problem of the chips going to the bottom of the cake
I didn’t use the reverse creaming method, don’t know if that caused it
Also I tapped the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles before putting in the oven, will that have caused them to move down?
I made this cake for a birthday and it was so delicious!! I might even use it sans chips as my standard yellow cake. Love the cookie-ish feel the brown sugar adds. Thank you!
Hi KG, Wonderful! I'm very happy you gave the recipe a try and enjoyed it. Thanks so much for posting!!
Can I substitute cake flour for all purpose flour? I read I should add 2 TBS of extra cake flour per cup of all purpose flour. Is this correct? Will the cake be too fluffy/tender?
Hi Jennifer, When we used cake flour for the recipe, it did not support the chocolate chips. If you decide to give it a try, you should add 2 additional Tablespoons cake flour for each cup of cake flour used in the recipe. So for this recipe you would use 2 3/4 cup cake flour plus 5 additional Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cake flour.
This recipe looks so good especially with the brown sugar and mini chips. I want to make it but I do not have eight inch cake pans. Will nine inch cake pans work? That's all I have.
Hi Cathy, Yes, you can bake this recipe in 9 inch pans. I hope you will enjoy the cake.
can i still use this recipe even if the pans are not the same? i mean, maybe a larger or smaller one than yours?
Hi Althea, You can use a different size pan but the baking time will change. If you bake in two 9 inch round pans the baking time will be shorter because there will be less cake batter than in two 8 inch round pans. Keep an eye on the cakes if you change the pan size. Hope you will enjoy the recipe.