Listen, I’ve had my share of chocolate cakes in this lifetime. From birthday parties to late-night cravings, boxed mixes to bakery slices—I’ve been around the chocolate block. But one day, after a wild baking experiment during a rainy weekend (because what else do you do when you’re trapped inside with a sweet tooth?), I stumbled upon something special. And I’m telling you—this is it. This is THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE you’ll ever eat.
Don’t just take my word for it. This cake has earned rave reviews from my entire neighborhood. Even my cousin, who swears he doesn’t like chocolate desserts (he’s clearly broken), went back for seconds. It’s moist, rich, and has that deep, intense chocolate flavor that makes you close your eyes and sigh after the first bite.
But fair warning: if you make this once, you’ll be asked to make it forever. And you might find yourself mowing through the leftovers with a fork in one hand and zero shame in the other.
Table of contents
What Makes a Cake The Best?
So what makes this particular cake such a showstopper? It’s all about a combo of technique and ingredients:
- Moist and rich texture – thanks to a magical combo of buttermilk and boiling water.
- Dark cocoa powder – seriously, it must be dark cocoa. That’s where that bold, devil’s food cake intensity comes from.
- One-bowl magic – because we don’t have time for three bowls and a stack of dishes.
- Homemade vs boxed – once you taste this, there’s no going back. It’s an easy chocolate cake with all the depth you expect from a chocolate cake from scratch.
And if you’re already drooling, check out our easy carrot cake recipe for another sweet win.
Ingredients (Cake)
Here’s what you’ll need for this dark chocolate dream:
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water (yes, boiling!)
Optional: 1 tsp espresso powder for extra chocolate oomph.
Ingredients (Chocolate Buttercream Frosting)
For that fluffy, swoon-worthy chocolate buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Want it extra fluffy? Whip it a little longer with a stand mixer. Trust me.
Instructions
1. Preheat & Prep
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add Wet Ingredients
Crack in the eggs. Pour in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
4. Add Boiling Water
Now for the magic: slowly stir in the boiling water. Batter will look thin—don’t panic. That’s how it gets its moist and rich texture.
5. Bake
Pour batter into your pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool & Frost
Cool completely. Slather on that fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting. Go wild with the layers.
If you’re a true chocolate lover, treat yourself to our braided chocolate chip brioche too. It’s unreal.
Chocolate Cherry Cake Variation
Feeling a little extra? Here’s how to remix this into a stunning chocolate cherry cake:
- Fold in 1 cup of cherry pie filling to your batter before baking.
- Use two 9-inch pans and bake as directed.
- Frost the first layer, then spoon a thick cherry filling center before topping with the second layer.
- Use a piping bag with a star tip for decorating. Add chocolate curls and maraschino cherries if you’re feeling fancy.
Want a quicker option? Bake in a 9×13 pan and pour the cherry filling right on top after frosting.
Keywords? Check: cherry filling center, cake decorating with piping tips, chocolate cherry cake.
Pro Tips for the Perfect Chocolate Cake Every Time
- Use room temperature ingredients for a smoother batter.
- Don’t overmix! Stir just until combined.
- That boiling water step? Don’t skip it.
- Use a toothpick to test doneness—should come out clean.
- Store covered at room temp or refrigerate if it’s hot out.
Want something decadent for date night? Our red velvet Oreo cheesecake is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
FAQs
Yes! Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Not for this one. Stick to natural dark cocoa to activate the leaveners properly.
Wrap unfrosted layers in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months.
Totally. Just use two 9×13 pans or make it a three-layer showstopper.
You can… but why would you when this is almost as easy?
More Chocolate Dessert Ideas
Chocolate fiend? Same here. Try these:
- Bakery-style chocolate chip cookies
- Decadent red velvet brownies
- Easy carrot cake – not chocolate, but SO worth it
More to come: molten lava cakes, no-bake mousse, and that cookie-dough-stuffed thing we can’t stop dreaming about.
THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Moist, rich, and intensely chocolatey, this cake is the ultimate dessert for chocolate lovers. It’s simple to make and absolutely unforgettable.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- Optional: 1 tsp espresso powder
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Slowly stir in boiling water. Batter will be thin.
- Pour into pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely and frost with chocolate buttercream.
- For a chocolate cherry variation: fold in 1 cup cherry pie filling before baking. Frost first layer, spoon cherry filling in center, top with second layer and decorate.
Notes
Use room temperature ingredients and avoid overmixing. Stick to dark cocoa powder and don’t skip the boiling water for the moistest cake.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Final Thoughts
This cake is rich, chocolatey, moist, and unapologetically indulgent. It’s the kind of dessert that makes people hug you after one bite. It’s the best chocolate cake for birthdays, Wednesdays, and everything in between.
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