This is hands-down the BEST basic chocolate cake recipe with buttercream frosting EVER!
I am so excited to be sending some happy birthday wishes to one incredible lady and blogger – Aubrey from Real Housemoms. Today a bunch of us are getting together to help her celebrate by throwing her a virtual birthday party!
Since we know that Aubrey is a chocoholic (just poke around her site for a bit), I’m sharing this recipe for the BEST chocolate cake with buttercream frosting.
This is no cake-from-a-box concoction (although I’m not ashamed to admit that I use them). This is the real McCoy. Homemade. From scratch. With love. And, so is the frosting.
This is a classic buttercream frosting. I love it because I can add any flavorings or colors that I want.
Once you see how easy this cake is, you’ll think twice about using boxed cake mixes or canned frosting.
Everyone needs a basic chocolate cake recipe. This is definitely a recipe you want to book mark, print out, pin and save for your next special occasion.
So Aubrey, I hope you’re enjoying lots of family and fun today. And, of course, a big piece of cake! Happy birthday!
Don’t forget to check out all the other blogs celebrating Aubrey’s special day!
Bacon-Wrapped Chorizo Stuffed Dates from Bread Booze Bacon
Free Printable Birthday Card from I Should Be Mopping The Floor
Tropical Sangria Poke Cake from Frugal Foodie Mama
S’moretini from Life Tastes Good
Margarita Cupcakes from Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits from Self Proclaimed Foodie
Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Bites from {i love} my disorganized life
DIY Wine Charms from Home.Made.Interest
Fancy Feathered Drink Stirrers from View From The Fridge
Classic Chocolate Cake from It Is A Keeper
Citrus Sangria from Noshing with the Nolands
Tequila Sunrise Cupcakes from Around My Family Table
Lightened-Up Cake Batter Truffles from Happy Food Healthy Life
Samoa Martini from Wine & Glue
Buffalo Chicken Flautas from The Magical Slow Cooker
Cake Batter Shooters from A Night Owl
The Best Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting
Homemade Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2/3 cup cocoa
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups water
- 2/3 cup melted margarine or butter
Buttercream Frosting
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine - softened
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp to 2 milk
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Add melted butter, vanilla, water and vinegar.
- Grease a 13x9 inch pan and coat with cocoa.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester 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 additional tablespoon of milk until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- If frosting is too thick, add more milk, a few drops at a time.
- If frosting is too thin, gradually add small amounts of powdered sugar until thickened.
Notes
- Pan Trick: Use shiny cake pans if you have them, dark pans can dry out the cake.
- Enhance the Flavor: Add cayenne pepper or expresso powder or brewed coffee for a unique flavor.
- Chocolate Surprise: Try upping the chocolate. More chocolate to the cake, dark, milk, white or semi sweet chocolate will add extra moisture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Want to scale a recipe up or down? Simply type in a new serving amount and the recipe will automatically adjust!
- When a recipe call for House Seasoning Blend, you can use this recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- I always use unsalted butter in my recipes.
- I always use a meat thermometor to test for doneness when cooking meat. This one is my favorite.
- When a recipe is made in the oven, it should be pre-heated to the temperature in the recipe, unless otherwise noted.
- The nutritional information provided in this recipe is an estimate. Learn more on how I calculate nutritional information for my recipes.
Shera D McDaniel says
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!
Amanda says
If I am using this recipe to make a sphere cake how would I adjust the temp and time?
Christina Hitchcock says
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.
sandra says
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.
Christina Hitchcock says
It’s 2/3 cup…typo on my part.
Sheree says
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.
Christina Hitchcock says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Happy birthday to your hubby!
Karen says
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!
Christina Hitchcock says
I’ll have to check out the variations! Thanks for sharing the back story! 🙂
Jenny says
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!
Kristi Rein says
Am I seeing this right??? NO eggs in this recipe???
Christina Hitchcock says
Yes, ma’am!
Lindsay says
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!!
Christina Hitchcock says
I made it in a 13×9 baking dish, but two 8 inch cake pans should work too.
Marion@Life Tastes Good says
Ooooh I’ve had a craving for a good chocolate cake and that frosting sounds amazing!