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December 23, 2022 BASICS

Amazing Chocolate Cake (+VIDEO)

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In this post, I'm sharing how to make the BEST classic-style chocolate cake I’ve ever had. Use this recipe for ANY cakes and desserts you like for special occasions.

Jump to Recipe Video Print
a slice of moist chocolate cake on a plate

It is fluffy, not too dense, rich, and incredibly moist. And the best part is; it is so easy to make!

You can also use this recipe for cupcakes or pans of different sizes and shapes.

chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream
a cut look of chocolate cupcake

In this post, you'll learn essential baking tips such as:

  • How to make homemade buttermilk
  • The difference between baking soda and baking powder
  • The purpose of adding vinegar
  • How to check if the chocolate cake is baked enough
  • How to store chocolate cake properly ......and so on!
a slice of fluffy and moist chocolate cake on a plate
a slice of chocolate cake
Jump to:
  • 📌 Frequently Asked Questions
  • 📌 What's In Chocolate Cake?
  • 📌 How to make Chocolate Cake
  • 📌 Tips for Moist Chocolate Cake
  • 📌 As Cupcakes
  • 📌 VIDEO: Chocolate Cake
  • 📌 Uses For Chocolate Cake
  • 📌 Chocolate Buttercream
  • 📌 Printable Recipe
  • Moist Chocolate Cake

📌 Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store chocolate cake?

Wrap tightly with 2 layers of plastic wrap so that the cake does not get dried. Ideally, do not stack many layers together so that the cake does not get squished with the weight.

What is the shelf-life of chocolate cake?

Store in a fridge for up to 5 days or a few months in a freezer.

How can I check if the chocolate cake is baked enough or not?

There are 2 ways:
* Touch the center of the cake gently: If it bounces back VERY gently, it's ready!
* Insert a toothpick in the very center and see if it comes off clean. (You might see small pieces of crumbs. As long as it is not wet, the cake is ready!)

📌 What's In Chocolate Cake?

ingredients to make best chocolate cake

Dry Ingredients:

  • Granulated sugar
    • It helps to create a moist & soft texture.
  • All-purpose flour
  • Cocoa powder
    • I like to use dark high quality cocoa powder. Any regular cocoa powder works.
  • Baking soda
    • Baking soda reacts to acid (cocoa powder and vinegar for this sponge) and helps to create a fluffier cake with more volume. That is why it is often used for chocolate cake recipes.
  • Baking powder
    • Baking powder reacts to moisture and heat and helps to create a fluffier texture. It's often added more for white cakes, butter cakes, etc.
  • Salt

Wet Ingredients:

  • Whole milk
  • White Vinegar
    • If you don't have white vinegar, you can use any other regular vinegar such as apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, and even lemon juice!
    • The acid of vinegar reacts with baking soda and helps to create a fluffier cake with more volume.
  • Egg
    • It helps to create a soft texture.
  • Oil
    • I used olive oil as a healthier option. You can use any regular oils, also.
  • Vanilla extract
    • You can omit it if you like or add a different flavor.
  • Unsalted butter (melted)
    • It gives a richer texture.
  • Hot water
    • Use hot simmering water.

Additional Ingredients:

  • Butter (soft) or oil to coat all around pans

📌 How to make Chocolate Cake

The 8 Simple Steps:

  1. Mix whole milk and vinegar to make buttermilk.
  2. Apply a layer of soft butter all around the pan or spray oil and attach a cake liner on the bottom.
  3. Mix all the dry ingredients.
  4. Mix all the wet ingredients until they look even.
  5. Mix wet and dry ingredients until the batter looks smooth.
  6. Heat water and butter in a pot until the water starts simmering. Pour about ⅓-1/2 of it into 5 and mix well. Add the rest of the water and butter and mix until the batter looks even.
  7. Pour into pans. (540g | 19oz each for 3 8")
  8. Bake at 350F/176C until the center bounces back gently or a toothpick comes off clean. 3 8” pans: for about 30 minutes. Let them cool completely before you frost them.

One batch of this recipe makes 1 8" cake (2-4 layers) or about 24 regular cupcakes.

8 steps to make best chocolate cake

📍 The printable recipe is at the very end of this post.

Jump to Recipe

📌 Tips for Moist Chocolate Cake

Now, let me share detailed tips on each step that are crucial for making chocolate cake successfully.

Step 1: Mix whole milk and vinegar to make buttermilk.

poring whole milk in a bowl
adding white vinegar in milk

👩🏻‍🍳 If you don't have buttermilk, no worry! You can make it by mixing milk and vinegar. Wait for 5-10 minutes until it curdles completely. That is why I always start with it first.

Step 2: Apply a layer of soft butter all around the pan or spray oil and attach a cake liner to the bottom.

coating butter all around a pan
8" pan with a cake liner on the bottom

💬 I always use parchment paper as a cake liner. You can also cover the side with a cake liner as well.

Step 3: Mix all the dry ingredients together.

adding granulated sugar to a bowl
sifting all-purpose flour
sifting cocoa powder
sifting cocoa powder into a bowl

💬 I recommend sifting flours when you have time but you can still make the delicious chocolate cake even if you don't. This recipe is pretty forgiving!

adding baking power and baking soda in a bowl
adding salt in a bowl
mixing all the dried ingredients with a whisk

Step 4: Mix all the wet ingredients.

By then, the buttermilk should be ready!

homemade buttercream
adding whole eggs in buttercream
adding oil in buttermilk and eggs
adding vanilla extract in oil, egg and buttermilk

Mix until everything is evenly mixed.

mixing wet ingredients for chocolate cake
mixed wet ingredients for chocolate cake

Step 5: Mix wet and dry ingredients until the batter looks smooth.

adding dried ingredients to wet ingredients for chocolate cake

👩🏻‍🍳 At the beginning, it'll look lumpy like the image below but if you continue mixing, it'll get very smooth!

mixing dried ingredients and wet ingredients for chocolate cake
the batter for chocolate cake
Now it looks nice and smooth!

Step 6: Heat water and butter in a pot until the water starts simmering. Pour about ⅓-1/2 of it into 5 and mix well. Add the rest of the water and mix until the batter looks even.

cut butter and water in a pan
melted butter and hot water in a pan

💡 Pay close attention especially toward the end so that the water is not boiling out. Once it looks simmering gently, remove it from the heat. I usually start heating the pot right before I mix the wet and dry ingredients.

adding melted butter and hot water in chocolate cake batter
Add ⅓-1/2 first and mix.
chocolate cake batter
adding the rest of melted butter and hot water in chocolate cake batter
Add the rest and mix.
finished chocolate cake batter

Step 7: Pour into pans. (540g | 19oz each for 3 8")

pouring chocolate batter into a 8" pan

💬 You can also do 2-4 layers as you like. Just know that baking time changes depending on how big the pans are and how thick the batter is. I do not recommend pouring it too deep in one pan (although it's possible) since the finished cake gets heavier as well due to the weight.

Step 8: Bake at 350F/176C for about 30 minutes with 3 8" pans

Bake until the center bounces back gently or a toothpick comes off clean.

3 8" pans in the oven
3 8" chocolate cakes in the oven

Let them cool completely before you frost them.

👩🏻‍🍳 The cake is VERY soft and fragile while it's hot. Try not to flip the pan vigorously. Wait until it cools down or flip it very gently.

flipped chocolate cake on a cooking rack

📌 As Cupcakes

Bake at the same temperature for 16-18 minutes for regular-size cupcakes.

regular cupcake pan with chocolate batter
regular chocolate cupcakes in the oven
regular chocolate cupcakes just taken out from an oven

📌 VIDEO: Chocolate Cake

To learn how to make this chocolate cake visually and have a deeper understanding of all, watch this video.

Don't forget to subscribe if you liked it😉

📌 Uses For Chocolate Cake

Use this cake as a classic buttercream chocolate cake, wedding cake, birthday cake, loaf cake, or sheet cake... enjoy it in many shapes and sizes!

cutting a slice of fluffy chocolate cake with a fork
cut chocolate cake with a fork

Check out this post to see all of my tips to frost a cake professionally.

8" whole chocolate cake with buttercream frosting
8" whole chocolate cake with buttercream frosting and fruits decorations

📌 Chocolate Buttercream

silky chocolate buttercream in a bowl

To learn how to make the delicious chocolate buttercream, I used for the whole cake and cupcakes, watch the video below:

In the video, I'm sharing how to make 2 kinds of chocolate buttercream; with cocoa powder and melted chocolate, using any plain buttercream. I'm sharing the difference between the two in the video. Pick whichever you like! I used chocolate buttercream with melted chocolate this time.

shiny chocolate buttercream made with melted chocolate

💬 If you loved this recipe, please share your feedback on this post! I always love to hear how you enjoyed it at home with your friends and family.

📌 Printable Recipe

a slice of chocolate cake

Moist Chocolate Cake

ayacaliva
Fluffy, rich, and incredibly moist chocolate cake. Use it for any cakes and desserts you like for special occasions!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share on Facebook Share by Email
Total Time 45 mins
Course a whole cake, cake, Chocolate, Chocolate cake
Cuisine Baking
Servings 12
Calories 367 kcal

Equipment

  • Bowls
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • Small pot
  • Baking pan of your choice! (I used 3 8" pans.)
  • Parchment paper or cake liner for pans

Ingredients
 
 

Dry Ingredients

  • 14.1 oz Granulated sugar 2 US cups
  • 7.6 oz All-purpose flour 1 ¾ US cups
  • 3.5 oz Cocoa powder 1 US cup - 3 Tbsp
  • Baking soda
  • Baking powder
  • Salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 10.5 oz Whole milk 1 & ¼ US cup
  • White Vinegar 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
  • 3.5 oz Egg 2 eggs
  • 4.4 oz Oil ½ US cup + 1 Tbsp
  • Vanilla extract
  • 2 oz Unsalted butter ½ US stick
  • 10.5 oz Hot water 1 ¼ US cup

Additional ingredient

  • Butter (soft), oil spray for pans

Instructions
 

Preparations

  • Mix whole milk and vinegar to make buttermilk.
    10.5 oz Whole milk, White Vinegar
    homemade buttercream
  • Apply a layer of soft butter all around the pan or spray oil and attach a cake liner on the bottom.
    Butter (soft), oil spray
    8" pan with a cake liner on the bottom

The Cake Batter

  • Mix all the dry ingredients.
    14.1 oz Granulated sugar, 7.6 oz All-purpose flour, 3.5 oz Cocoa powder, Baking soda, Baking powder, Salt
    mixing all the dried ingredients with a whisk
  • Mix all the wet ingredients until they are evenly mixed.
    3.5 oz Egg, 4.4 oz Oil, Vanilla extract
    mixed wet ingredients for chocolate cake
  • Mix wet and dry ingredients until the batter looks smooth.
    the batter for chocolate cake
  • Heat water and butter in a pot until the water starts simmering. 
    Pour about ⅓-1/2 of it into 5 and mix well. Add the rest of the water and butter and mix until the batter looks even.
    2 oz Unsalted butter, 10.5 oz Hot water
    adding melted butter and hot water in chocolate cake batter

Bake!

  • Pour into pans. (540 g | 19 oz each for 3 8")
    3 8" pans in the oven
  • Bake at 350 F | 176 C until the center bounces back gently or a toothpick comes off clean. 
    3 8” pans: for about 30 minutes. Let them cool completely before you frost them.
    3 8" chocolate cakes in the oven

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 6gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 258mgPotassium: 201mgFiber: 4gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 202IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 2mg
Keyword best chocolate banana cake, cake, chocolate cake, chocolate dessert, cupcake, simple dessert
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Also, if you have ripe bananas next time, try my chocolate banana cake recipe! It is so moist and tender and perfectly chocolatey. If you love this recipe, you'll like that one too!

a slice of chocolate banana cake on a plate

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About Aya Caliva Page on Pastry Living
Hi, I'm Aya!
Welcome To Pastry Living

Welcome to Pastry Living!

Hi, I'm Aya. I’m the pastry chef behind the blog.

I started my career in the baking world in 2009 and now opened up my blog so that you can get trusted recipes with detailed explanations anytime, anywhere for your special occasions!

More about me →

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