Chocolate Cake with White Icing is a fantastic, must-have recipe you need in your baking stash. It’s the best celebration or no occasion cake because it’s quick, easy and bursting with chocolate flavor!
If you are a fan of chocolate cake, (like I am) try my Chocolate bundt cake with pudding and Triple Chocolate Cake.
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Why this Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Frosting Recipe is a Keeper
I love this chocolate cake recipe because it is so simple. You will not believe how quick it can be made and how moist and delicious and rich chocolate is.
- 15 Minute Prep: This recipe takes 15 minutes of easy preparation before baking for 30 minutes!
- Easy Ingredients: Chocolate dessert uses 11 common ingredients you often have on hand.
- Family Favorite: Everyone in the family will love your chocolate cake, making it a go-to treat for holidays or birthdays.
- Easy for Beginners: This perfect chocolate cake is a great recipe to try if you’re new to baking as it’s easy and comes out great every time!
How Can I Tell when my Chocolate Cake is Done?
You can tell when your cake is done by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out with little to no crumbs, it’s done; If the toothpick comes out with batter still on it, that means it needs just a few more minutes to bake.
Ingredient Notes for the Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
You will need just a few simple ingredients to make this chocolate cake scratch recipe. They’re all easy to find at the store, but you may even have some of the ingredients in your kitchen already.
- Cocoa Powder: Feel free to use your favorite kind of cocoa powder!
- Flour: Instead of special cake flour, this black magic chocolate cake with chocolate frosting uses all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: You will need both white sugar and powdered sugar to make the cake and frosting for the best chocolate cake ever.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for the Chocolate Cake Recipe with Vanilla Buttercream
Preparing steps ahead of time can help to save you time and kitchen space when it comes to making this moist chocolate cake recipe.
- Bake Ahead: Bake the a day or two in advance. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them at room temperature.
- Make Icing: Prepare the chocolate lovers icing in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before using on chocolate birthday cake.
Pro Tip for Iced Chocolate Cake
Don’t Overmix: Overmixing can lead to a tough cake. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
How to Make Chocolate Cake with White Frosting
This easy chocolate cake comes together in just 4 super simple steps. This black magic cake is so good, it will quickly become one of your favorite easy recipes!
These are the basic steps for making Chocolate Cake with White Icing. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Preheat Oven and Prep Baking Dish
Preheat the oven to 350℉, grease a 9×13 baking pan and coat with cocoa powder.
2. Make the Cake Batter
Mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder. Add melted butter, vanilla extract, water and vinegar to the dry ingredients.
3. Bake the Cake
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.
4. Make the Creamy Frosting
In a medium bowl, beat powdered sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Gradually mix in the additional tablespoon of milk until the frosting is smooth and spreadable to frost the cake.
How to Store and Freeze this Black Magic Cake
- Storing: Store any leftover chocolate cake with buttercream frosting in the fridge for up to 3 days. Be sure to store the cake in an airtight container once the cake has cooled.
- Freezing: Slice the cake and wrap the pieces tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze in freezer bags for up to 2 months.
Variations and Substitutions for Easy Homemade Chocolate Cake
The best recipes are super easy to customize to make your own! Try taking this cake to the next level by trying different flavors or changing up the consistency.
- Spiced Chocolate: Add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves to the batter. You can also try chocolate frosting by adding cocoa to white buttercream to make it chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Moist Chocolate Cake: Use buttermilk to make sure the cake is moist.
- Dense Chocolate Cake: Reduce the amount of leavening agents for a denser texture.
Homemade Chocolate Cake with White Frosting Recipe FAQs
Serve this recipe with Crock Pot Cheeseburger Dip, Peppermint Hot Chocolate Bombs or Easy Charcuterie Board.
Make sure your butter is completely at room temperature before you begin beating the powdered sugar and butter together.
To make a super moist chocolate cake, add just a bit of sour cream! It will keep your cake extra moist without adding flavor.
Yes! If you would rather use 9-inch cake pans instead of a 9×13 pan to make this cake recipe, you will end up with 2 round cakes.
Expert Tips for Loving This Cake with Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- Pan Trick: Use shiny cake pans if you have them, dark pans can dry out the cake. You can also line your cake pans with parchment paper.
- Enhance the Flavor: Add cayenne pepper or espresso powder or brewed coffee for a unique flavor added into the batter.
- Chocolate Surprise: Try upping the chocolate! Add more chocolate to the cake with dark, milk, white or semi sweet chocolate to add extra moisture and rich chocolate flavor.
- Frosting Variations: Try this cake with a cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting, marshmallow frosting, white chocolate frosting or chocolate fudge frosting.
- Frosting Consistency: If frosting is too thick, add more milk a little at a time. If frosting is too thin, add small amounts of powdered sugar until thickened.
Chocolate Cake with White Icing
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Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups Flour
- 2 cups Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons Baking soda
- ⅔ cup Cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons White vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 cups Water
- ⅔ cup Butter, melted
Buttercream Frosting
- 3 cups Powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup Butter, softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons Milk
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Add melted butter, vanilla, water and vinegar to dry ingredients.
- Grease a 9×13 inch pan and coat with cocoa.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool before frosting.
Frosting
- In a medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with a mixer on low speed.
- Stir in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk.
- Gradually mix in the additional tablespoon of milk until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- If frosting is too thick, add more milk, a little at a time.
- If frosting is too thin, gradually add small amounts of powdered sugar until thickened.
Christina’s Notes
- Pan Trick: Use shiny cake pans if you have them, dark pans can dry out the cake. You can also line your cake pans with parchment paper.
- Enhance the Flavor: Add cayenne pepper or espresso powder or brewed coffee for a unique flavor added into the batter.
- Chocolate Surprise: Try upping the chocolate! Add more chocolate to the cake with dark, milk, white or semi sweet chocolate to add extra moisture and rich chocolate flavor.
- Frosting Variations: Try this cake with a cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting, marshmallow frosting, white chocolate frosting or chocolate fudge frosting.
- Frosting Consistency: If frosting is too thick, add more milk a little at a time. If frosting is too thin, add small amounts of powdered sugar until thickened.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
One of the best and easiest chocolate cake I ever made!
The nutritional facts on the end… Is that per piece or for the whole cake w frosting or cake and no frosting?
Best chocolate cake I’ve ever made.Very most. Sorry,Mom.
I’ve been looking for a recipe like this!!! I hope you don’t mind that I plan to alter it just a bit. You see, my son’s birthday is coming up, and he LOVES mochas, mocha lattes, and coffee with chocolate flavored creamers (coffee helped get him through high school!) So I’m planning to add a couple tablespoons of his favorite instant double mocha capacino to the batter. And instead of a butter cream icing (he doesn’t care for it) I’m thinking a light chocolate whipped cream frosting to off set the bold flavor of the cake. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Oh, and I never thought to use bakers cocoa to ‘flour’ a chocolate cake. That’s brilliant!
Sounds like it’s going to be great! I hope everyone enjoys it! 🙂
If I am using this recipe to make a sphere cake how would I adjust the temp and time?
I’m not sure. I haven’t tried it in a sphere cake pan. I would leave the temperature the same and just test for doneness every few minutes (beyond the time in the recipe) with a cake tester.
Hello,
What is it mean 2/3 cub? would be easier if it would written gram. Tai n my country we dont count 2/3 or 1/3 how much it is? im confused. I really want to try to cook it. Looks amazing tasty and easy.
It’s 2/3 cup…typo on my part.
Hi …. I made this cake this weekend for my husbands birthday but in 2 8” rounds it turned out perfect and so moist. It was so good he went back for another slice lol …, the only thing I changed was the buttercream frosting I added cocoa to make it chocolate because my husband is addicted to chocolate and it was his DAY! Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Happy birthday to your hubby!
This recipe is the classic “Wacky cake” also called a “crazy cake” or “Despression cake” (eggs were hard to come by during the depression.
LOVE this cake – plus there are tons of variations online too – my fav (other than chocolate of course!) is a wacky spice cake.
Thanks for sharing!
I’ll have to check out the variations! Thanks for sharing the back story! 🙂
How would I change the time/temp to make 2 round cakes? Making for my daughter’s birthday and I want to make a round cake. Thank you!
Am I seeing this right??? NO eggs in this recipe???
Yes, ma’am!
Looks delicious. Just wanted to see what size cake this makes. Hoping to make a 2 tiered 8 inch cake. Should I double? Thank you!!
I made it in a 13×9 baking dish, but two 8 inch cake pans should work too.
Ooooh I’ve had a craving for a good chocolate cake and that frosting sounds amazing!