Rich, fudgy, and incredibly easy — this is the chocolate cake recipe everyone asks for!
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Total Time
50 minutes
Servings
12 slices
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (240ml) whole milk
½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) boiling hot coffee (or hot water)
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (optional but recommended):
1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder
3–4 cups (360–480g) powdered sugar
½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer (or whisk vigorously) for about 2 minutes until smooth.
Stir in the boiling coffee (or hot water) — the batter will be very thin. That's normal!
Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting: Beat butter until creamy. Add cocoa, 2 cups powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth. Add more powdered sugar until desired consistency.
Frost the cooled cake layers and decorate as desired. Enjoy!
Tips: The hot coffee enhances the chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee. You can substitute with hot water if preferred. Cake layers can be made ahead and frozen for up to 2 months. This recipe also works great as cupcakes (18–20 cupcakes, bake ~18–22 min).