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homemade chocolate cake
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4.78 from 36 votes

The Best Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipe

Savor the rich, moist goodness of homemade chocolate cake. Perfect for any occasion. Easy recipe for a delightful treat.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 15 servings
Calories: 250kcal
Author: Eden
Cost: $10

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. 
    liquid ingredients in a measuring cup and dry ingredients in a mixing bowl
  • 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.
  • 9x13 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. 
    9x13 baking sheet and chocolate cake
  • Bake for 30 minutes until the cake has risen in the center. 
    chocolate cake

Notes

  • Use whole, organic ingredients when possible. It does make a difference in the flavor and outcome of the cake.
  • Oil and grease your pans well; use parchment paper for easy removal.
  • 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.
  • If you want to make a dark chocolate cake, use Hershey's special dark cocoa powder.
  • This recipe pairs well with our chocolate buttercream recipe. It's a creamy, whipped frosting with semisweet chocolate chips and butter. 

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg