The Ultimate Chocolate Cake
This is the only chocolate cake recipe you'll ever need! Incredibly moist, intensely chocolaty, and amazingly simple with a one bowl method. Topped with lush chocolate buttercream, it's perfect for birthdays and celebrations.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
For Frosting:
- 1 1/2 batches Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk in the sugar and salt.
- Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Whisk for about 30 seconds until smooth and combined.
- Carefully pour in the boiling water and whisk until the batter is smooth. It will be very thin.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a wire rack, flip right side up, and allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost the cooled cake layers with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Notes
- Batter: The thin batter is normal. Pour slowly into pans.
- Pans: For springform pans, place a baking sheet on the rack below to catch potential drips. For other pan sizes (like a 9x13" or Bundt), adjust baking time (see blog post for guides).
- Cooling: Cakes must be completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate if frosted and in a warm climate.