This is the best moist chocolate cake recipe! It is super easy to make and a hit every event. This cake has a fluffy texture and a perfect chocolate flavor. We’ve been making this recipe for years; it turns out perfect every time!
If you’re a chocolate lover, you’ll want to try my chocolate ganache bundt cake, chocolate pie, and easy chocolate souffle.
Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe
This cake has a beautiful chocolate flavor, and its fluffy texture makes it perfect for any occasion.
My mother-in-law passed this recipe to me years ago, and I’ve been making it ever since. She initially got this recipe from the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa Powder box, and it’s a classic we always make!
This delightful cake is versatile; it can be made as a sheet or layered round cake. The process is quick and easy—mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, and then combining them with a mixer.
I use boiling water to help create that tender, moist texture that we all love in a chocolate cake.
Topping the cake with creamy homemade chocolate frosting makes every bite a perfect treat. Feel free to experiment with other frostings to fit your preferences. Still, one thing’s for sure—this cake is ideal for all chocolate lovers!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cake Recipe
Incredibly moist texture: This cake’s moistness makes every bite enjoyable and leaves you craving more.
Versatile: You can create a sheet cake, layered cake, bundt cake, or even cupcakes using this recipe.
Rich chocolate flavor: While the taste is indulgent, it isn’t overwhelmingly sweet. Even without frosting, it’s scrumptious!
Simple to make: This easy homemade cake recipe is perfect for beginners and experts.
Tried and tested: I’ve made this moist chocolate cake recipe multiple times, and it always produces excellent results.
Moist Chocolate Cake Ingredients
Here is a list of ingredients you’ll need for this scrumptious chocolate cake, easily found at your local grocery store:
Granulated sugar: White sugar is excellent for sweetening and adding the perfect texture.
All-purpose flour: Provides structure and a light, tender texture. I use King Arthur Flour for this recipe. The flour helps provide structure and form to the cake. It also helps give the cake a light, tender texture. Make sure to measure your flour when baking correctly. Remember to measure your flour accurately.
Unsweetened cocoa adds an intense, rich chocolate flavor to the cake. Try Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa or Hershey’s Natural Unsweetened Cocoa. You can use unsweetened dark cocoa for an even richer chocolate flavor. The cake will have a deep color as well.
Baking soda and baking powder: These leavening agents help create a moist, fluffy cake with an even texture.
Milk: Contributes to texture and moisture. Both whole milk and 2% work well.
Eggs: Offer structure and stability. Organic eggs are preferable when possible.
Vegetable oil or canola oil: This chocolate cake recipe is made with oil to give the cake extra moistness and a fluffy texture. You can use vegetable or canola oil, as both have a neutral flavor that won’t overpower the other ingredients in the cake.
Vanilla extract: Enhances flavors; use pure vanilla extract for best results.
Boiling water: Helps incorporate cocoa powder and maintain a moist, tender cake.
How to Make Moist Chocolate Cake
Prepare the oven: Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients: Measure all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.
Combine wet ingredients: Add all wet ingredients except boiling water to a separate bowl or measuring cup.
Mix together: Slowly combine wet and dry ingredients with a mixer on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on medium for 30 seconds.
Add boiling water: Pour in boiling water with the mixer on low for a liquid batter consistency.
Prepare pan: Oil a 9×13 baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Bake: Bake for 30 minutes until the cake rises in the center.
Cool and frost: Let cool completely before frosting with chocolate buttercream.
Storage
Refrigerate
Wrap the chocolate cake leftovers tightly with plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container. Doing this lets the cake maintain moisture and keeps it delicious for days.
Freeze
The best part about making a classic homemade cake is that you can make it beforehand. It’s best to freeze this cake without frosting, so bake the cake and let it cool completely.
Then, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container or a gallon zip-top freezer bag. Freeze the cake for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to serve, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Once it’s completely thawed, you can frost the cake.
Recipe Variations
I’ve discovered several delightful ways to customize a chocolate cake. For instance, you can:
Layered Cake: Create a layered cake by using two 8-inch round cake pans instead of a single sheet pan.
Frosting Options: Top this cake with any frosting you desire. I prefer chocolate buttercream, but you can add cream cheese, vanilla, Swiss buttercream, or gingerbread frosting.
Gluten-Free Option: To create a delicious gluten-free chocolate cake, replace the regular flour with Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. Although the texture might slightly differ, the cake still turns out great!
Caramel Drizzle: Skip the frosting and drizzle homemade caramel on top instead for a different sweet experience.
Chocolate Cupcakes: Opt for chocolate cupcakes rather than a sheet cake. Reduce baking time to about 18-20 minutes.
Added Texture: Toss in some nuts or chocolate chips to the batter for an added crunch or extra chocolate pockets.
Chocolate Ganache: Smother the cake with a rich chocolate ganache instead of buttercream for an elegant finish.
Eden’s Tips
Use Quality Ingredients: Use whole, organic ingredients when possible. It does make a difference in the flavor and outcome of the cake.
Pan Preparation: Oil and grease your pans well; use parchment paper for easy removal. This ensures your cake comes out cleanly without sticking.
Mixing Technique: Mix well, but do not over-mix. Keep the mixer on low most of the time, and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure everything combines evenly.
Rich Chocolate Flavor: If you want to make a dark chocolate cake, try Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate experience.
Perfect Frosting Pairing: Pair this cake with our creamy chocolate buttercream frosting for the ultimate chocolate indulgence.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Always use room-temperature ingredients for the best results, especially eggs and milk.
Baking Time: Set the timer for 10 minutes less than directed, as baking time will vary depending on accurate oven temperature and location. Check with a toothpick inserted in the center – it should come out with a few moist crumbs.
Dutch Cocoa Powder vs. Natural Cocoa Powder
Dutch cocoa powder has been treated with an alkalizing agent to reduce acidity. This gives it a smoother taste, darker color, and better dissolving properties in liquids.
Natural cocoa powder is untreated, 100% pure cocoa with a lighter color and fruity, slightly acidic flavor. For this recipe, I recommend using Hershey’s Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder or Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa for that classic chocolate cake taste.
Both work in this recipe, though natural cocoa powder pairs particularly well with the baking soda due to its natural acidity.
The Secret to Moist Cake
Contrary to popular belief, the key is liquid, not fat! If you add more oil or butter, you actually make the cake more dense. This chocolate cake is moist because of the use of boiling water!
Why Didn’t My Cake Rise?
Oops! This means that one or both of your leavening agents are no longer good. To test them, drop a bit of baking soda in vinegar and look for fizzing. For baking powder, do the same experiment in hot water.
A good rule of thumb is that your baking powder and baking soda should be replaced every 6-12 months.
This is my favorite moist chocolate cake recipe, and I can’t wait for you to try it. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below. I promise it’s the only chocolate cake recipe you’ll need!
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The Best Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Perfect Chocolate Cake Recipe
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk, whole or 2%
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or canola oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- The oven temperature should be 350 degrees.
- measure the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. If using a stand mixer, use the fitted bowl for the dry ingredients.
- In another bowl or liquid measuring cup, add all of the wet ingredients except the boiling water, which gets added at the end.
- Slowly add the wet and dry ingredients with the paddle attachment and mixer on low speed. Scrape down the bowl's sides and bottom to ensure everything is mixing. Turn the mixer to medium speed for about 30 seconds, then back to low.
- Slowly add the boiling water with the mixer on low. The batter will have a liquid consistency, and that's how you want it to be.
- 9×13 baking pan is perfect for this cake. Oil it well and use some parchment paper on the bottom so the cake will be easy to remove.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the cake has risen in the center.
Notes
Gluten-Free Option
To create a delicious gluten-free chocolate cake, I replace the regular flour with Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. Although the texture might slightly differ, my cake still turns out good! Always remember to use room-temperature ingredients for the best results. Set the timer for 10 minutes less, as baking time will vary depending on accurate oven temperature and location.Cocoa Powder vs Extra Dark Cocoa Powder
Nutrition
This recipe is from Hershey’s Cocoa Powder.
Hello there! Thank you so much for the recipe. I would like to try to bake this into 8 inch round cake pans. Do you happen to know if the baking time and temperature would be the same as a 9 x 13 pan?
Thanks again!