Homemade Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Frosting Recipe

I just baked a Chocolate Cake From Scratch that’s stupidly moist, slapped with glossy chocolate frosting, and honestly anyone who likes chocolate will act like they made it themselves.

I am obsessed with this Homemade Chocolate Cake because it actually tastes like chocolate and not like a sugar bomb. I love that it’s a Chocolate Cake From Scratch and still somehow easy enough to make on a weeknight when I’m tired.

The crumb stays moist, the frosting gets glossy, and I never feel bad about licking the bowl. Unsweetened cocoa powder and boiling water or very hot coffee give it that deep, bitter-chocolate kick I crave.

It’s simple, messy, and honest. I want a slice now.

Always. I’ll take seconds and thirds without shame, every single time.

Always excited.

Ingredients

• Flour: gives structure and a tender crumb you’ll slice cleanly.
• Sugar: sweetens and keeps the cake soft, no dry bites.
• Cocoa powder: deep chocolate punch, a little bitter, very homey.
• Baking powder: adds lift so your cake isn’t flat.
• Baking soda: helps browning and a lighter, airy crumb.
• Salt: balances sweetness and makes flavors pop, oddly essential.
• Eggs: bind everything and add richness, they’ll make it sturdy.
• Milk: adds moisture and softens the texture, whatever you’ve got.
• Vegetable oil: keeps slices moist days later, not greasy.
• Vanilla extract: warms the chocolate, it’s subtle but needed.
• Boiling water or coffee: wakes up the cocoa, makes batter silky.
• Butter for frosting: gives richness and a creamy, spreadable base.
• Cocoa for frosting: deepens the chocolate taste, no fake stuff.
• Powdered sugar: sweetens and firms the frosting, sift if lumpy.
• Milk for frosting: loosens it up so you can spread it.
• Vanilla in frosting: adds warmth and rounds the sweetness.
• Pinch of salt: cuts cloying sugar, makes the chocolate honest.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temp, they mix better if not cold
• 1 cup whole milk (or whatever milk you have on hand)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water or very hot coffee for extra chocolate flavor
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, for the frosting
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for the frosting
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if you got lumps
• 1/3 cup milk, plus more if needed to reach spreadable consistency
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the frosting
• Pinch of salt to balance the sweetness

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round pans or line them with parchment, or use one 9×13 if you want a single layer cake.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt until well blended.

3. Add 2 room temperature eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 2 tsp vanilla. Beat by hand or with a mixer on medium for about 2 minutes until smooth. Don’t overmix, it will make the cake tough.

4. Slowly stir in 1 cup boiling water or very hot coffee. The batter will be thin, that is normal and helps make the cake moist. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for two 9 inch pans, or 35 to 40 minutes for a 9×13, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.

6. For the frosting beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter until creamy. Add 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa and mix until combined.

7. Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar and 1/3 cup milk, beating on low then higher until smooth. Add 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt. If the frosting is too thick add more milk, a tablespoon at a time, if too thin add a bit more powdered sugar.

8. If the cake layers domed, trim tops with a serrated knife for even stacking. Place one layer on a plate or board, spread a generous layer of frosting, top with second layer and frost the top and sides. You can crumb coat first and chill 10 minutes for cleaner finish if you want.

9. Tips: use room temp eggs and warm coffee for deeper chocolate flavor, warm your knife under hot water then dry it to make smoother slices, chill the cake briefly if frosting gets messy. Taste and adjust salt or sugar in the frosting if needed.

10. Let the frosted cake set 30 minutes before slicing for cleaner cuts. Store covered at room temp for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9×13 pan, plus parchment or nonstick spray
3. Large mixing bowl (for dry ingredients) and a medium bowl (for wet)
4. Whisk and rubber spatula (for scraping and folding)
5. Electric mixer or a sturdy hand whisk (you can beat by hand if needed)
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Kettle or saucepan to boil water or heat coffee
8. Serrated knife or cake leveler (for trimming domes)
9. Cooling rack and a cake plate or board for assembling and serving

FAQ

Homemade Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Frosting Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: use same amount of cake flour plus 2 tablespoons, or 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour for nuttier flavor (may make cake a bit denser).
• Granulated sugar: swap with 1 3/4 cups brown sugar for a deeper, caramel note (pack it slightly), or use 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar but expect a darker color and milder sweetness.
• Whole milk: replace with equal amount oat milk or almond milk, or use buttermilk for tang and extra tender crumb (if using buttermilk reduce baking powder by 1/2 teaspoon).
• Unsalted butter (for frosting): use equal amount of softened cream cheese for tangy frosting, or use 1/2 cup margarine or vegan butter if you need dairy-free, but texture may be a touch softer.

Pro Tips

1. Warm the eggs and milk a bit before mixing. Cold eggs make the batter seize and not blend as smooth, so leave them on the counter for 20 minutes or put the milk jar in warm water for a few minutes. It really helps the batter come together faster.

2. Use very hot coffee instead of water if you want a deeper chocolate flavor. Don’t pour it all in at once though, stir slowly so the batter doesn’t splash, and expect a thin batter — that’s normal and makes the cake moist.

3. Don’t overmix after adding the flour. Mix just until the ingredients are combined, then stop. Overmixing gives you a denser, tougher cake. If you’re using a mixer, use low speed and keep it short.

4. For smooth, glossy frosting, sift the powdered sugar if it’s lumpy and beat the butter first until totally creamy. If the frosting ends up too thin add powdered sugar a little at a time, too thick add a teaspoon of milk at a time. Also chill the cake 10 minutes after a crumb coat so the final layer goes on neat.