Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
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This chocolate cake recipe is rich, moist, deeply chocolatey, and layered with creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s the kind of homemade chocolate cake that feels bakery-worthy but comes together with simple ingredients and simple steps. The soft cake layers stay incredibly moist thanks to yogurt, oil, and freshly brewed coffee, while the creamy chocolate frosting pulls everything together. Whether you’re making it for a birthday, holiday, celebration, or just because you need a really good slice of chocolate cake, this recipe always delivers. If you’ve been looking for a classic homemade chocolate cake recipe that feels dependable, rich, and worth every bite, this is the one.
The Best Chocolate Cake Ever
My husband Joe will pick chocolate over just about any dessert, so I knew this cake had to be good. After testing different versions, this is the one we keep coming back to. It has the softest chocolate cake layers, rich chocolate flavor, and the kind of frosting that makes you sneak a bite straight from the bowl. This is the chocolate cake I make for birthdays, celebrations, or honestly just when we want a really good homemade cake. It’s simple, classic, and truly one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever made.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Rich chocolate flavor in every bite
- Soft, moist cake layers
- Creamy homemade chocolate buttercream
- Easy enough for beginner bakers
- Perfect for birthdays and celebrations
- Freezes beautifully
- Made with pantry-friendly ingredients
Ingredients Needed For This Chocolate Cake Recipe
Make sure you scroll down to the recipe card to see the full list of ingredients needed for this recipe.
For The Chocolate Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Greek yogurt
- Vegetable oil
- Espresso powder
- Fresh brewed coffee
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Buttercream
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Milk
- Espresso powder
- Vanilla extract
WOW. THIS BISCOFF CAKE.
This cake is basically what would happen if Biscoff and sticky pudding had a baby. It’s sticky, gooey, rich, and made to soak up every bit of that warm sauce. The kind of dessert that somehow gets better as it sits, which makes it perfect for making ahead.
Here is how it all comes together:
- Beat Biscoff spread with granulated sugar and brown sugar until light
- Mix in eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and maple syrup
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl
- Combine wet and dry ingredients just until smooth
- Bake until the center is set and the cake no longer jiggles
- Simmer butter, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and Biscoff spread into a silky toffee sauce
- Poke holes all over the warm cake and slowly pour the sauce on top
- Let it rest so the sauce can soak in before slicing
It’s great for gatherings, potlucks, or anytime you need a dessert you can bring in a pan and serve without stress. You can serve it at room temperature or warm it up, but it really shines with a scoop of ice cream melting over the top.
Oven Temperatures
Oven temperatures can vary significantly from one oven to another. To achieve consistent results, it’s crucial to know the exact temperature inside your oven. The safest and most accurate way to determine this is by using an oven thermometer. This simple tool can help you avoid underbaking or overbaking your treats.
How To Make This Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for about 3 minutes until lighter in color and slightly fluffy.
- Mix in the Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and espresso powder.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Gently stir in the freshly brewed coffee until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- Beat the butter until smooth.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Beat until creamy and fluffy.
- Spread frosting over one cake layer.
- Add the second layer and frost the top and sides.
How To Keep Chocolate Cake Moist
- Measure the flour correctly: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. Don’t scoop straight from the bag or you can pack in too much flour and make the cake dry.
- Mix only until combined: Once the dry ingredients go into the wet ingredients, mix just until you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing can make the cake dense.
- Use room temperature eggs and yogurt: Cold ingredients do not blend as smoothly, which can affect the texture of the cake.
- Do not overbake: Start checking the cake near the lower end of the bake time. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting: If the cake is even slightly warm, the frosting can melt and slide off.
Tips For The Best Chocolate Cake
- Use room temperature ingredients: This helps everything blend smoothly.
- Don’t skip the coffee: It boosts the chocolate flavor.
- Let the cake cool fully: Warm cake will melt your frosting.
- Use an offset spatula: This makes frosting much easier.
Storage
- Store the frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- For best texture, let refrigerated slices sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving.
Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Two 8-inch round cake pans
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Offset spatula or butter knife for frosting
- Parchment paper (optional, but helps the cakes release easily)
Video
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 oz unsweetened Greek yogurt (or dairy-free unsweetened Greek yogurt)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1.1 gluten free flour)
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup fresh brewed coffee
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1 1/2 cups butter (room temperature)
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray. For easier removal, line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and sugar. Beat for about 3 minutes, until the mixture looks lighter in color and slightly fluffy.
- Add the Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and espresso powder. Mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour in the freshly brewed coffee and gently mix until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Carefully remove them from the pans and place them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Chocolate Buttercream
- Add the room temperature butter to a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Beat on low speed at first so the sugar does not fly out of the bowl. Then increase the speed and beat until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable.
- If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time. If it is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
Assemble the Cake:
- Place one cooled cake layer on a plate or cake stand.
- Spread a thick layer of chocolate buttercream over the top.
- Place the second cake layer on top.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
- The batter will look thinner than most cake batters after adding the coffee. This is completely normal and helps create an incredibly moist cake.
- Spoon and level the flour instead of scooping directly from the bag so the cake does not turn out dry.
- Do not overmix once the dry ingredients are added. Mix just until the flour disappears.
- The cake layers need to cool completely before frosting or the buttercream will melt.
- For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.
- For a dairy-free option, use dairy-free Greek yogurt, dairy-free butter, and your preferred dairy-free milk.
- If the frosting is too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Coffee makes the chocolate flavor deeper and richer. The cake will not taste like coffee, but it will taste more chocolatey.
The Greek yogurt adds moisture and richness, while the oil keeps the cake soft even after it cools. Mixing just until combined also helps create a tender crumb instead of a dense cake.
Yes. You can bake the cake layers one day ahead. Let them cool completely, then wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap and store them at room temperature overnight. Frost the cake the next day.
Yes. Let the cake layers cool completely, then wrap each unfrosted layer tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the wrapped layers at room temperature before frosting.
Chocolate buttercream can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bring it to room temperature and re-whip it before frosting the cake.
Chocolate buttercream is classic, but this cake also works well with vanilla buttercream, peanut butter frosting, pistachio buttercream.
The cake is done when the center springs back lightly and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. If the toothpick has wet batter on it, keep baking.
Can i make this using greek yogurt & milk with dairy?
Hello, Yes- this recipe can be full dairy and full gluten
Thank you! This looks like a perfect cake and the recipe works for all of the things my sweet daughter-in-law can’t have. It’s gluten free and dairy free. Sadly she can’t have eggs. Have you ever tried an egg substitute that you like?
We have not personally tested any egg replacements for this recipe, but applesauce could be a good option. Try using 1/4 cup of applesauce as a substitute for each egg.
I do not want to use gluten free flour. May I use all-purpose flour?
YES!
Please print recipe with original post. Ads are irritating trying to get the recipe! Makes me not want the recipe!!!
At the top of the page, you can select “jump to recipe” to bypass the post 🙂
Looks so moist. May I use self raising flour instead of gluten free. And would you use the same amount
Hello, You can use all purpose instead of GLuten Free
Because I gently folded dry to wet it made a TOTAL DIFFERENCE …I ALWAYS BEÀT IT TO LO NG LOL.
Can I make this in a 9×13 pan? Temperature & time, if it can be done.
Yes, adjust the baking time, probably start checking around 17 minutes
Hi, Can this recipe be made without the coffee and powder? If so, what substitutes could be made for this change?
Yes, it can. The coffee: replace with warm water and the espresso powder, just omit
I have gathered all my ingredients and would like to make this for 4 servings, as it’s only 2 of us. What size pan do you recommend and baking time?
Hello, this cake is 10 servings (slices) You can cup this recipe in half and do one pan or two pans with thin layers for a smaller version
Can you use margarine instead of butter for the icing
you can. Sometimes margarine isless stable than better so the consistency may be off some.
you can. Sometimes margarine is less stable than better so the consistency may be off some.
Thanks for sharing your recipe. God bless.🙏❤️
Thank you for the recipe I will try this weekend