The Best Chocolate Cake - chocolate layer cake with rich and creamy chocolate frosting. The easiest chocolate cake you will ever make!
THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE
This is THE cake I make for all of our birthdays. It is not only easy but absolutely delicious and always a hit! So what makes it the best? In my book, it's the ease of making it and the flavor and texture. Looks count too! And this cake has it all!!
I used my Busy Day Chocolate Cake recipe for this layer cake. It's eggless and it has a rich, reddish hue. It bakes up perfectly and tastes amazing. I love it and it's my go-to chocolate cake! For a simpler dessert, check out my One-Bowl Chocolate Cake recipe.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE?
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Preheat your oven and line two 9" round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the paper. Set aside. (see note for a tip)
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In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
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In another mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
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Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth. Pour the batter into prepared pans.
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Bake until the toothpick inserted into few places in the cake comes out clean.
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Cool completely before frosting.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE FROSTING?
The frosting is super easy to make. It requires only 5 tablespoons of butter, not pounds like a lot of frosting recipes out there. It has no eggs or egg whites as I never use eggs in my frostings. I used sour cream which gave the frosting the creamy texture. You can also use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
ASSEMBLING THE CAKE:
I baked the cake in two 9" round pans. Once it cooled completely, I sliced each cake horizontally in two parts. When frosting the cake, I used an ice cream scoop to scoop the frosting and place on each layer and then spread it with an offset spatula. I used two scoops for the middle frosting layers. It is not necessary to make this cake into a 4 layer cake. You can just place the two baked cakes on top of each other. I just wanted it to have a bit more height. Besides the more layers - the more fun!
Don't worry about making the final frosting layer perfect. The more rustic it looks - the better! I made my swirls with a back of a spoon. It's so easy!
This cake is perfect for birthday celebrations, anniversaries or for any special occasion that calls for a chocolate cake. Enjoy, friends!
MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES:
Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Surprise
THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE:
The Best Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 3 c all-purpose flour
- 2 c granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp salt
- 2/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 c vegetable or canola oil
- 2 c water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 5 oz . semi-sweet chocolate I used Hershey's Special Dark
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 c sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2.5 c powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder optional
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream or half and half
Instructions
to make the cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two 9" round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the paper. Set aside. (see note for a tip)
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, soda, salt and cocoa).
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (oil, water, vanilla and vinegar).
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth.
- Pour the batter into prepared pans.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted into few place in the cake comes out clean. (Out of toothpicks? Use an uncooked spaghetti noodle!) Rotate pans half time through baking.
- Cool completely before frosting.
to make the frosting:
- In a double boiler, melt butter. Add chopped chocolate as soon as the butter is melted. Stir often until the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Add corn syrup and vanilla to the melted chocolate. Mix in well.
- Using a hand held electric mixer, mix in the sour cream. The frosting will be light in color.
- Sift 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, right over the bowl with frosting.
- Mix in well.
- Add siften cocoa powder. Mix in well.
- Add cream if the frosting seems too stiff.
- Frost the cake.
Assembly:
- Place 1st layer on a serving plate. Scoop two ice cream scoops of frosting on top of the layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Repeat for all layers. To make it easier, make sure you always frost the smooth side of the layer.
- When the last layer of the cake has been placed on top and frosted with three scoops of frosting, use the remaining frosting to cover the sides of the cake.
- Make decorative swirls with the back of a spoon.
- Let set before cutting.
Barb says
What would a substitute for corn syrup be?
I want to make this but I don’t have corn syrup
Thanks
Ipsita says
Was planning to bale this cake for my boyfriend, don't know if you'll be able to answer my query soon enough, but here goes. Your recipe for the base says 2/3 cups of cocoa powder. Is that right? Wouldn't that make the cake insanely dry and bitter? Please help.
P.S. The cake looks gorgeous, of course!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Ipsita! The amount of cocoa powder is correct. I've made this cake many many times and it's fantastic! Not dry at all! Let me know how it goes! Thank you!
Megan says
Hi, just curious if this could work as a cupcake recipe as well? Thanks!
Brittany Belling says
This cake looks absolutely amazing! I just made the most annoying chocolate cake (had to use melted chocolate and boiling water, so timing was everything.) This recipe looks so much better!
CrunchyCreamySw says
Thank you, Brittany! I hope you will give it a try!
Nancy says
This is pure loveliness, Anna. That creamy frosting, that moist, decadent cake…I'm drooling over here!
Curry and Comfort says
Yay... Thanks for sharing such a wonderful chocolate cake recipe. I love that you added Greek yogurt to the frosting too. 🙂
Colette says
Just made this. I'm hooked!!
Colette says
No eggs, no butter, this looks crazy good! I'm going to make this for my hubby. He's training for a big endurance mtn bike race. This won't hurt him. Thanks! xo
CrunchyCreamySw says
My Hubby loved this cake! I hope yours will too! Thanks, Colette!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
I love love love me a classic chocolate cake recipe, and this fits the bill perfectly! Just pass me a glass of milk and I'm in heaven!
CrunchyCreamySw says
I hear ya! Thanks, Hayley!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan says
Yum Anna! Every girl needs a fabulous chocolate cake recipe up her sleeve. I don't have one, which is lame! This will be the first one I try 🙂 love the sour cream frosting. pinned!
CrunchyCreamySw says
You have to try this one! It's fantastic! Thanks, Karen!
Monica Logan Landes says
This is also my favorite chocolate cake recipe. Everyone I serve this cake to absolutely loves it! It's full of flavor and very moist. Yummy!
CrunchyCreamySw says
It's a hit - I agree! Thanks, Monica!
Becki Smythe says
I am totally making this for my upcoming birthday. Looks yummylicious!
CrunchyCreamySw says
Yay! Let me know how you like it! Thanks, Becki!
theviewfromGreatIsland says
Wow, this cake does have it all --- it's a stunner!
CrunchyCreamySw says
Thank you!
Stacy | Wicked Good Kitchen says
Anna, your chocolate cake looks phenomenally good! Love that bird's eye shot. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, my friend. Pinning!
CrunchyCreamySw says
Thank you for pinning, my friend!