Homemade Chocolate Cake

I firmly believe that baking the perfect homemade chocolate cake is an unfussy endeavor. Or, at least, it should be. That’s why our recipe sticks to common kitchen staples and straightforward techniques to turn out the best classic chocolate cake that’s tender, fluffy and unctuously chocolaty.

Our homemade chocolate cake recipe is perfect for novice bakers and seasoned veterans who just want a really good, go-to classic chocolate cake recipe. The cake bakes in one pan, making a sheet cake, so there’s no need to build a layer cake and stack everything just so (although you can, and we left a few tips on how to do so). The best part? You can top this cake simply with confectioners’ sugar or take the few extra minutes to whip up a fluffy frosting for a celebration-worthy finish.

Ingredients for Homemade Chocolate Cake

• Butter: One of the biggest tips for making cake is to bring all the ingredients, including the butter, eggs and milk, to room temperature. Take these ingredients out of the fridge 30 minutes before starting on the cake. If you forgot about the butter, no worries! You can soften butter quickly.
• Sugar: We’ll sweeten this cake with granulated sugar. Do not alter the sugar measurement or the cake will bake a little drier, not to mention be less tasty.
• Eggs: Baking with room-temperature eggs ensures the batter emulsifies properly and avoids curdled cake batter. To bring eggs to room temperature, submerge them in warm (not hot!) water for 10 minutes or leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• All-purpose flour: It’s not necessary, but I always find my cake to be lighter and fluffier when I take the time to sift my all-purpose flour and baking cocoa. Doing so knocks out any lumps and aerates the flour so it mixes into the batter quicker. Also, make sure to measure the flour properly (aka don’t stick the measuring cup right into the bag of flour).
• Baking cocoa: It’s worth splurging on the best cocoa powder for a chocolate cake recipe made from scratch. Find baking cocoa that’s velvety with a very dark hue and a complex flavor.
• Baking soda: A little baking soda helps the cake fluff up. Check the expiration date if yours has been sitting in the pantry for a while.
• Milk: While we suggest 2% milk, feel free to use whatever milk you prefer. Whole milk would make the cake very rich, but if you have only skim milk in the fridge, that’s fine too.
• Confectioners’ sugar or frosting: Finish the cake with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar or your favorite homemade frosting recipe. You could even cheat and buy the best store-bought frosting. We won’t tell!

Directions

Step 1: Beat the butter, sugar and eggs

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.

Step 2: Make the batter

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk.

Editor’s Tip: Most cake recipes alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk. Always start and end with the dry ingredients for a stable batter. I like to add half the dry ingredients, then mix, add all the milk, then mix, and finish with the rest of the dry ingredients and mix.

Beat the mixture after each addition until smooth.

Step 3: Add the batter to the pan

Pour the chocolate cake batter into a greased and floured 13×9-inch baking pan.

Step 4: Bake the cake

Slide the cake into the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: You will know your cake is done when either a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Test the cake at the minimum baking time. If the toothpick still has batter or extremely moist crumbs on it, continue baking and test the cake again at the maximum baking time.

Step 5: Cool and decorate

Cool the cake completely on a wire rack. Once the cake is at room temperature, dust the top with confectioners’ sugar or top it with your favorite frosting.

Recipe Variations

• Add a bit of espresso powder: What’s the secret ingredient for better chocolate desserts? Espresso powder! And no, it won’t make your chocolate dessert taste like coffee. Instead, espresso powder accentuates the chocolate flavor. Interested? Add 1 teaspoon espresso powder to the dry mixture of this recipe for chocolate cake from scratch.
• Go gluten-free: It’s super easy to make our classic chocolate cake recipe from scratch gluten-free. Buy one of the best gluten-free flour blends and substitute it for the all-purpose flour.
• Make it dairy-free: Need a dairy-free chocolate cake? Replace the butter with vegan butter and use your favorite nondairy milk alternative in place of the 2% milk.

How to Store Homemade Chocolate Cake

Store homemade chocolate cake in the fridge for up to four days. I always like to press a piece of storage wrap against any cut sides so the crumb doesn’t dry out. You should also cover the cake with storage wrap or store it in an airtight container to ensure the cake doesn’t absorb any lingering fridge smells.

Can you freeze homemade chocolate cake?

Yes, you can freeze homemade chocolate cake, frosted or unfrosted, for up to two months. To really protect the cake against freezer burn, cover the pan tightly with storage wrap and then aluminum foil. Thaw the cake in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for one hour.

Can you make homemade chocolate cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can make homemade chocolate cake ahead of time. Either fully bake and assemble it the day before serving, or bake the chocolate cake the day before and then frost the cake in the morning. You can also freeze the cake (frosted or unfrosted) for up to two months. Thaw it at room temperature for one hour before enjoying.

Homemade Chocolate Cake Tips

What’s the best frosting for homemade chocolate cake?

The uncontested best frosting for homemade chocolate cake is chocolate frosting. However, chocolate cake can pair with so many different frosting recipes, like vanilla buttercream, peanut butter frosting, blackberry frosting, strawberry cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache or coconut pecan frosting.

Can you bake this chocolate cake into a layered cake?

Yes, you can bake this chocolate cake into a layered cake. Instead of baking the cake batter in a 13×9-inch pan, divide the batter evenly between two 9-inch round pans. Make sure to grease the cake pans properly so the cakes come out of the pans without cracking (it’s one of the most common layer cake mistakes!). Let the layers cool completely to room temperature, level the cakes if they bake with a dome, then frost the cakes.

Can you turn this chocolate cake recipe into cupcakes?

Yes, you can turn our chocolate cake recipe into cupcakes. Instead of baking the batter in a 13×9-inch dish, line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners and fill each one two-thirds full of batter. Toothpick-test the cupcakes after 15 minutes of baking, and add any additional baking time as needed.

How do you make homemade chocolate cake super moist?

There are several ways to ensure your cake is deliciously moist. First, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning. Second, avoid overbeating your dry ingredients as you add them to the batter. Lastly, add the milk alternately with the dry ingredients, always beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Keep in mind that swapping ingredients, like whole milk for a milk with a lower fat percentage, will change the texture and moistness of the cake.

Should you use salted or unsalted butter for homemade chocolate cake?

Unsalted butter is traditionally recommended for baking, as it allows you to control how much salt goes into your baked goods. It also has a light, fresh and smooth flavor that is the perfect template upon which to build your homemade chocolate cake recipe from scratch. If you do use salted butter, simply adjust the salt in this recipe accordingly, keeping in mind that most butter brands add about 1/4 teaspoon salt per 1/2 cup butter.