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Homemade Chocolate Cake

Homemade Chocolate Cake

Published: February 12, 2020 Last Updated: June 22, 2020

This post may contain affiliate links.  For more information, read my disclosure policy here.   

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Homemade Chocolate Cake is a staple must have recipe in your baking repertoire. It is the best birthday, celebration, or no occasion cake, because this cake comes out perfect every time!

Homemade chocolate cake with crumbs on plate

Homemade Chocolate Cake is like a hug, you need it often and sometimes for no reason but you always feel better after you have one.

This Homemade Chocolate Cake is moist, rich, and very satisfying.

Why this Homemade Chocolate Cake Works

This homemade chocolate cake works because it is so simple. You will not believe how quick it can be made and how delicious it is. The best part is that you made it from scratch and can take all the credit!!

How to Make This Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe

  • Step One: First, preheat oven to 350 degrees and then place all your dry ingredients for this moist chocolate cake recipe in a bowl. (Photo 1 below)
  • Step Two: Next, combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. (Photo 2 below)
  • Step Three: Then add the melted butter to the dry ingredients. (Photo 3 below)

Step by step instructions for making homemade chocolate cake

  • Step Four: Next, add the rest of the liquid ingredients. (Photo 1 below)
  • Step Five: Then mix all the ingredients until well combined (Photo 2 below)
  • Step Six: After well blended, place in baking dish lined with cocoa powder. Bake and allow to cool. (Photo 3 below)

Step by step instructions for making moist chocolate cake recipe

  • Step Seven:  First, in another bowl place the powdered sugar and butter. (Photo 1 below)
  • Step Eight: Next, add milk and blend (Photo 2 below)
  • Step Nine: Continue to blend until smooth. Add additional milk until the right consistency. (Photo 3 below)

Step by step instructions for making best chocolate cake

  • Step Ten: Set cake out to cool. (Photo 1 below)
  • Step Eleven: Spread icing liberally and enjoy. (Photo 2 below)

Step by step instructions for making homemade chocolate cake recipe


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Looking for more? Check out all of the Easy Dessert Recipes on It Is a Keeper.


Recommendations for Making Best Chocolate Cake

This best chocolate cake has very few ingredients so you should use the best ingredients that you can. Therefore, use really fresh ingredients and the best cocoa that you can get.

Homemade chocolate cake recipe with frosting half spread on top

How to Tell When your Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipe is Done

It can be hard to tell when this homemade chocolate cake recipe is done because of the color. You can’t really see if it is brown. Therefore, there are few tried and true ways to check to see if it is done.

  •  Check to see if the cake around the pan has pulled away from the sides and looks dry. If it has it is probably done.
  • Place a skewer or tooth pick in the middle of the cake and see if comes away clean.

If you are new to baking, wikihow has a lot of great tips and tricks for baking a cake here.


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Homemade chocolate cake with vanilla frosting on top

Expert Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

  • Pan Trick: Use shiny cake pans if you have them, dark pans can dry out the cake.
  • Enhance the Flavor: Add cayenne pepper or espresso 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.

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If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it in the comment section below.

Homemade Chocolate Cake

Homemade Chocolate Cake is a staple must have recipe in your baking repertoire. It is the best birthday, celebration, or no occasion cake, because this cake comes out perfect every time!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, chocolate, easy dessert
Servings: 12
Calories: 510kcal
Author: Christina Hitchcock
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.18 from 28 votes

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
US Customary - Metric

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

Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 517mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 473IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Show me on Instagram! Mention @itsakeeperblog or tag #itisakeeper! I'd love to see what you're up to in the kitchen!
Helpful Tips for All Recipes on It Is a Keeper
  • 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.

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Comments

  1. Shera D McDaniel says

    September 19, 2018 at 12:06 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Christina Hitchcock says

      September 20, 2018 at 12:28 pm

      Sounds like it’s going to be great! I hope everyone enjoys it! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Amanda says

    August 25, 2018 at 11:17 am

    If I am using this recipe to make a sphere cake how would I adjust the temp and time?

    Reply
    • Christina Hitchcock says

      August 27, 2018 at 9:43 am

      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.

      Reply
  3. sandra says

    July 27, 2018 at 8:39 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Christina Hitchcock says

      August 23, 2018 at 5:57 pm

      It’s 2/3 cup…typo on my part.

      Reply
  4. Sheree says

    June 25, 2018 at 6:21 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Christina Hitchcock says

      July 13, 2018 at 11:45 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Happy birthday to your hubby!

      Reply
  5. Karen says

    October 24, 2016 at 3:26 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Christina Hitchcock says

      November 15, 2016 at 8:01 pm

      I’ll have to check out the variations! Thanks for sharing the back story! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Jenny says

    February 29, 2016 at 8:49 pm

    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!

    Reply
  7. Kristi Rein says

    February 22, 2016 at 1:04 pm

    Am I seeing this right??? NO eggs in this recipe???

    Reply
    • Christina Hitchcock says

      May 25, 2016 at 3:54 pm

      Yes, ma’am!

      Reply
  8. Lindsay says

    December 10, 2015 at 8:59 pm

    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!!

    Reply
    • Christina Hitchcock says

      December 12, 2015 at 3:02 pm

      I made it in a 13×9 baking dish, but two 8 inch cake pans should work too.

      Reply
  9. Marion@Life Tastes Good says

    March 5, 2015 at 11:42 am

    Ooooh I’ve had a craving for a good chocolate cake and that frosting sounds amazing!

    Reply
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