Name: Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup brown sugar; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup DARK unsweetened cocoa powder (no substitutions, must be DARK); 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 eggs; 1 cup milk; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup boiling water; 1 1/4 cup butter, softened; 6 cups powdered sugar; 1 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1/2 cup milk; 2 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

The Best Chocolate Cake is a legendary treat that lives up to every bit of its name: deeply chocolatey, incredibly moist, and crowned with the most luscious cocoa frosting. This is the cake I make when I want every guest at the table to swoon with bliss, but also when I’m craving a cozy baking day at home—no fancy ingredients or complicated steps, just pure, intense chocolate flavor in every bite. When you bring the Best Chocolate Cake to any gathering, expect the recipe requests to start rolling in!

Best Chocolate Cake Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of the Best Chocolate Cake comes down to a handful of pantry staples, each one essential for rich flavor, perfect texture, and that signature dark color. Don’t skip or substitute—trust me, every ingredient plays a delicious role!

Brown sugar: Adds depth and helps create that unbelievably moist crumb everyone raves about.
Granulated sugar: Balances the bitterness of dark cocoa and gives sweetness throughout.
All-purpose flour: Provides structure but keeps the cake tender and light—no fancy flours needed here.
Dark unsweetened cocoa powder: Must be dark! This is where the deep chocolate flavor and gorgeous color truly shine.
Baking powder & baking soda: Both combine for the perfect rise and airy texture—don’t skimp on fresh leaveners!
Salt: Just enough to wake up all the chocolate flavor without being overpowering.
Eggs: Bind everything together and add richness—you’ll notice a difference in the final cake.
Milk: Keeps the cake moist and adds a touch of creamy flavor; whole milk is best if you have it.
Vegetable oil: Makes this cake extra moist and tender, and helps it stay soft for days.
Vanilla extract: Rounds out the chocolate flavor and adds warmth to the batter and frosting.
Boiling water: The secret to blooming the cocoa powder and intensifying that chocolate punch.
Butter (for frosting): Softened so it mixes up fluffy and dreamy with the cocoa and sugar.
Powdered sugar (for frosting): Makes the frosting silky and perfectly sweet.
Unsweetened cocoa powder (for frosting): Gives the frosting its fudgy richness and deep chocolate taste.

How to Make Best Chocolate Cake

Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and give a 9×13 baking pan a good spray with nonstick spray. This ensures your Best Chocolate Cake will lift out easily, and makes serving those corners as satisfying as the center.

Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a big mixing bowl, sift together brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, the dark unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sifting is key here—it banishes lumps and ensures an even chocolate flavor and rise throughout your cake.

Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients

Crack in the eggs, pour in the milk, add the oil, and stir in the vanilla extract. Beat the mixture (a hand mixer or sturdy whisk works) until you have a silky, unified batter that almost looks too glossy to be true. Don’t overmix—just combine until everything is smooth.

Step 4: The Secret Step—Hot Water

Now for my favorite moment: carefully pour in the boiling water and give the batter a gentle stir. This will make the batter wonderfully thin—that’s exactly how it should be! The hot water wakes up the cocoa, making the Best Chocolate Cake irresistibly moist and deep in flavor.

Step 5: Bake to Perfection

Pour the glossy batter into your prepared pan and pop it in the oven. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. The hardest part? Letting it cool completely so it stays extra tender when you frost!

Step 6: Make the Dreamy Frosting

Cream together the softened butter, powdered sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder until everything is fluffy and light. Drizzle in the milk and vanilla extract, beating for a few minutes until the frosting is billowy and spreadable. Adjust with a touch more sugar or milk if you need to get the consistency just right.

Step 7: Frost and Finish

Once your cake is completely cool, slather on that luxurious frosting. Go thick—this is the Best Chocolate Cake, after all! If you’re making the cherry version, add a ring of frosting around the edge, fill the center with cherry pie filling, and top with the second cake layer before frosting the whole thing.

How to Serve Best Chocolate Cake

Garnishes

Make it unforgettable with garnishes! Try a sprinkle of dark chocolate shavings for drama, a scattering of fresh berries for brightness, or even a few delicate curls of white chocolate on top. If you’ve gone the cherry route, a glossy pile of extra cherries in the center makes your cake look like a showstopper.

Side Dishes

A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a cloud of sweetened whipped cream transforms every slice into a classic dessert experience. For something more grown-up, a drizzle of raspberry sauce or a side of espresso pairs beautifully with the deep flavors of the Best Chocolate Cake.

Creative Ways to Present

Don’t be afraid to try cupcakes, mini sheet cakes, or even layer cakes with this recipe. Frost cupcakes with big swirls, or serve squares topped with a scoop of ice cream sundae-style. For parties, cut the cake into small bites and stack them on a tiered tray for a fun, grab-and-go dessert.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Keep any remaining Best Chocolate Cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. The cake actually gets even more chocolatey and moist as it sits! If your kitchen is hot, pop it in the fridge and simply bring slices to room temperature before serving for maximum tenderness.

Freezing

You can freeze slices or the whole cake (frosted or unfrosted)! Wrap pieces individually in plastic wrap and stash in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 2 months—just thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying. This is a brilliant way to have emergency Best Chocolate Cake at the ready!

Reheating

For that just-baked warmth, microwave a slice of Best Chocolate Cake for about 10–15 seconds. The frosting gets a little melty, and the cake transforms into the most indulgent, gooey treat, almost like a lava cake. Top with ice cream and you’ve officially gone to chocolate heaven.

FAQs

Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of dark?

I strongly recommend sticking with dark unsweetened cocoa powder for the Best Chocolate Cake—it makes all the difference when it comes to color and flavor. Regular cocoa works in a pinch, but you’ll miss some of that signature richness.

What’s the secret to keeping the cake moist?

It’s a combination of the oil, brown sugar, and especially the boiling water! These ingredients work together to trap moisture, keep the crumb soft, and make sure the Best Chocolate Cake stays dreamy for days.

Can I make this into cupcakes or a layer cake?

Absolutely! The batter works brilliantly for cupcakes (just reduce the bake time to about 20–22 minutes) or as a two-layer cake. If doing layers, don’t forget the cherry filling variation—it’s always a showstopper.

Do I really have to let the cake cool completely before frosting?

Yes, it’s worth the wait. Frosting a warm cake can melt the frosting and make it slide right off. Letting it cool also keeps the Best Chocolate Cake perfectly tender and easy to slice.

What’s the best way to transport the cake for parties?

If you’re bringing the Best Chocolate Cake to an event, leave it in the pan for easy travel, covered tightly with foil or a lid. For layer cakes, a cake carrier is best. Always chill the cake briefly before travel to help the frosting set.

Final Thoughts

I hope you’re feeling inspired to treat yourself and your favorite people to a batch of the Best Chocolate Cake. This is more than just a recipe—it’s a guaranteed way to delight every chocolate lover at the table. Give it a try soon, and I promise you’ll see why it earns its name every single time!