Description
This easy chocolate cake recipe creates a moist, rich, and fluffy chocolate cake using simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for birthdays, family gatherings, or an everyday dessert, this homemade chocolate cake delivers deep chocolate flavor with a smooth and creamy chocolate buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 cup unsalted butter (for frosting)
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder (for frosting)
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (for frosting)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease two 9-inch cake pans.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes.
- Slowly mix in hot water until batter is smooth.
- Divide batter into pans and bake for 30–35 minutes.
- Cool cakes completely on wire racks.
- Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cocoa.
- Add milk and vanilla until frosting is smooth.
- Frost cake layers and serve.
Notes
Use hot water to enhance the chocolate flavor. Do not overbake to keep the cake moist. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness. Cake layers can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 40g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 65mg