You're not going to believe how perfectly moist and intensely chocolatey this cake is! This easy one-bowl, do-it-all recipe can be used to bake a sheet cake, layer cake, or cupcakes, so it's perfect for any occasion. If you need a chocolate cake recipe for a birthday celebration, graduation party, bridal or baby shower, or just because... this moist and fudgy chocolate cake is it!
"The best chocolate cake recipe! Made this with my 7 year old and it was so easy to follow. In her words decadent and mommy can we make this again. This is now a staple!" - Tanisha, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This cake is giving serious Matilda chocolate cake vibes. I know my fellow '90s kids know what I'm talking about... the scene in the 1996 movie when Matilda's classmate, Bruce, devours Miss Trunchbull's chocolate cake. It's seriously chocolatey with the perfect balance of fudgy flavor and moist texture, and it's about to be your favorite chocolate cake recipe!
And for a holiday version of this crowd-pleasing chocolate cake, check out my easy Yule Log Layer Cake recipe.
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Why This Recipe Works
I may be biased, but I can't get over how perfect this cake is. Most importantly, it's seriously scrumptious, with deep chocolate flavor and moist-but-not-too-dense texture. But it's also incredibly simple to make!
Here's why you're going to love this recipe:
- Easy to Make - This chocolate cake could not be easier to make! The recipe uses simple ingredients and comes together in just one bowl.
- Versatile - This cake recipe is so versatile! Need a layer cake to celebrate your spouse's birthday? Check! Need a sheet cake for a graduation party? Check! Need to make a bunch of cupcakes for your child's birthday party? Check! This cake recipe can do it all!
- Flavor & Texture - I worked hard to really nail the flavor and texture of this cake. It needed to be deeply chocolatey with fudgy, dark chocolate flavor and also be perfectly moist without feeling too dense. Many recipe tests playing with different combinations and ratios of liquid ingredients led me here.
- Crowd-Pleasing - I served this cake (in sheet cake form) at my kids' birthday party and also made it for each of their birthdays (in layer cake form) at their requests! I always receive rave reviews on the flavor and how perfectly moist the cake is.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient list and measurements.
All-Purpose Flour - This cake manages to be tender and moist without cake flour, so we're sticking with pantry staple all-purpose flour.
Cocoa Powder - Cocoa powder gives this cake its rich chocolate flavor. You can use natural unsweetened for a classic chocolate flavor, though I prefer Dutch process for a smooth dark chocolate flavor. The cakes and cupcakes shown in this post were all made using Dutch process cocoa.
Whole Milk - Milk adds moisture and richness to the cake batter. I always recommend whole milk for baking, though you can substitute a lowfat milk if you prefer.
Vegetable Oil - Vegetable oil adds needed moisture and fat to the cake batter. Compared to butter it creates a cake with a more tender crumb, which is why we're using oil instead of butter in this recipe.
Sour Cream - Sour cream helps to create a moist cake. Because of its acidity, it's also responsible for activating the baking soda, which helps the cake to rise when baking. You can substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream, but note that doing so may add a subtle tangy flavor to the cake.
Hot Coffee - The hot liquid blooms the cocoa powder, deepening its chocolate flavor, while the coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate (without making it taste like coffee - promise!). If you prefer you can substitute an equal measure of boiling water.
Special Equipment
This recipe requires no special equipment! All you'll need is a mixing bowl, whisk, and wooden spoon. Then choose your baking pan based on the type of cake you want to bake:
- 9x13 metal pan OR
- Two 9 inch round cake pans OR
- Cupcake pan
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed recipe instructions.
Step 1: Make the cake. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2: To the dry ingredients add milk, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
Step 3: Add hot coffee to the batter, carefully mixing with a whisk until well blended.
Step 4: Add batter to a parchment-lined pan. Bake at 350º F for 35 minutes. Let cool.
Frosting Suggestions
This cake is really versatile and could be frosted with just about any frosting you like. Here are some of my favorite pairings:
- You can't go wrong with a classic all-butter buttercream frosting. This recipe makes the best-tasting American buttercream frosting, includes detailed-step-by-step instructions, and explains multiple ways to customize the flavor, from vanilla to chocolate to strawberry to cookie butter.
- Chocolate ganache buttercream frosting plays up the richness of this cake to create a truly decadent chocolate cake. You see this frosting on the sheet cake and layer cake in this post, and this is the frosting to use if "Matilda cake" is your goal!
- To create the ultimate cookies and cream cake, pair this cake with Oreo buttercream frosting!
- For an adults-only spin on chocolate frosting, try this Irish coffee chocolate frosting. It might be my favorite flavor of chocolate frosting, and it would be so fun for a St. Patrick's Day cake! You see this frosting on the cupcakes in this post.
- Classic cream cheese frosting would also pair beautifully with this cake! This recipe also includes fun flavor variations like brown butter and vanilla bean.
Recipe Tips
When the dry and wet ingredients in the cake batter are mixed together, the batter will be thick and look a lot like brownie batter. When you add the hot coffee, it will at first seem like it won't blend into the batter, but keep mixing. It will eventually come together and the batter will be thin and pourable.
Be sure to line the cake pan with parchment paper to ensure the cake doesn't stick. Here's a tutorial for the easiest way to line cake pans with parchment paper.
The recipe explains how to bake this cake in a 9x13 pan, but it can easily be adapted for other pans and sizes. (You can also find these instructions in the Notes section at the bottom of the recipe card.)
- For baking round cake layers, spray two round 9 inch cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Divide cake batter evenly between cake pans and bake at 350º F for 25 minutes.
- For baking cupcakes, line cupcake pan with paper liners and fill each ¾ full with batter. Bake at 350º F for 18-20 minutes.
- The recipe can also be halved to make a single-layer 9 inch round cake, a two-layer 6 inch round cake, one 8x8 cake, or 12 cupcakes.
Recipe FAQs
Boiling water is often added to chocolate cake recipes made with cocoa powder in order to bloom the chocolate, which brings out the flavor of the chocolate while minimizing any lumps in the cake batter. Hot coffee serves the same purpose with the added bonus of further enhancing the chocolate's flavor.
Cocoa powder is very absorbent, so it certainly has the ability to dry out a cake. But since we need it for it's delicious chocolate flavor, we can simply add enough moisture to ensure that our cake isn't too dry. In this recipe, oil, milk, sour cream, and hot coffee add moisture to the batter and help to create a perfectly luscious texture.
Either type of cocoa powder - natural unsweetened or Dutch process - can be used to bake chocolate cake. The decision comes down to what kind of chocolate flavor you want and what leavener is used in the cake.
Natural unsweetened cocoa powder will give you a classic, slightly acidic chocolate flavor that's lighter in color, while Dutch process cocoa powder adds a smooth dark chocolate flavor that's darker in color.
Since natural unsweetened cocoa is acidic but Dutch process is not, you'll also need to consider which leavener you're using. If the recipe calls for baking soda and there are no other acidic ingredients in the cake, then you'll need to use natural unsweetened cocoa in order to activate the baking soda. If your cake uses baking powder or if it includes another acidic ingredient like sour cream, buttermilk, or brown sugar then you're free to use whichever type of cocoa you prefer since you're not relying on it for adding acidity to the batter.
Storage Instructions
These storage suggestions are for the cake only. If you'll be frosting the cake, be sure to consider how the frosting needs to be stored; you may need to refrigerate the cake once frosted.
Room Temperature: This cake can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: This cake can be baked ahead of time and frozen. For round or square/rectangular cake, wrap the completely cooled cake in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil before freezing for up to 3 months. For cupcakes, wrap completely cooled cupcakes with plastic wrap before sealing in a plastic bag or airtight container and freezing. Cupcakes can be wrapped together in groups and do not need to be individually wrapped. Defrost all cake or cupcakes at room temperature before frosting and serving.
More Chocolate Recipes
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Recipe
Moist & Fudgy Chocolate Cake (One-Bowl)
Special Equipment
- Cake pan (round or rectangular) or cupcake pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (396 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (63 grams) cocoa powder (Dutch processed or natural unsweetened)
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons (10 grams) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (170 grams) whole milk
- ½ cup (100 grams) vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (56 grams) full-fat sour cream
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (227 grams) hot coffee
- Chocolate Ganache Buttercream Frosting (or other frosting of your choosing)
Instructions
Make the cake batter.
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a 9x13 metal baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. *See recipe note for baking round cake layers or cupcakes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- To the dry ingredients add milk, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. The batter will be thick, similar to the texture of brownie batter.
- Add hot coffee to the batter, carefully mixing with a whisk until well blended. The batter will now be very thin.
Bake the cake.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top sprigs back when gently poked and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting or storing.
Catia
This cake came out just fabulous. I topped it with a peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Simply irresistible and very easy to make. Will definitely make it over and over again!!
Lene
Helloo!
Love the recipe. I was wondering if I can replace the sour cream for plain yogurt?
Thank youu!
Allison Ferraro
Hi Lene! If you want to replace the sour cream I recommend substituting Greek yogurt, since you want to be sure to use yogurt that's thick and slightly acidic.
- Allison
Alexandra
Delicious!!! It's like a drug... highly addictive!!! And so easy to make. Thank you!
Tracy Slade
Hi Allison
Can I split the recipe into 4 round pans?
Allison Ferraro
Hi Tracy! What size pans are you referring to? The recipe is designed to be baked in two 9 inch round pans (see the Recipe Notes at the bottom of the recipe card for instructions), which is approximately equal to four 6 inch pans.
- Allison
Sarah
I don’t know what I did wrong but mine came out jiggly? It looked great but I feel like the coffee put it over board. Any recommendations or suggestions as to what I did wrong??
Allison Ferraro
Hi Sarah! It sounds like the cake was under baked. Please remember that bake times can vary and are just a guide... more important is to follow the cues in the recipe for when the cake is done. In this case, the cake should be baked until the top sprigs back when gently poked and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Additionally, I would confirm that all ingredients were measured correctly (ideally using a kitchen scale) and test that your oven's temperature is accurate using an oven thermometer.
- Allison
Kim
Yum! Would tell everyone not to be afraid of using the coffee. It just accentuates the chocolate taste and doesn’t give coffee flavor.
Jenna
Thank you this was what I was looking for in the comments - looking forward to giving this a go!
Hailey S
So lovely, will become a staple recipe in our home. Used coconut oil instead of veg oil; worked well.
Colleen
Can I use a Bundt pan?
Allison Ferraro
Hi Colleen! I have not yet tested this recipe in a bundt pan, so I can't say with certainty how it would turn out.
- Allison
Danielle
Amazing recipe. Turned out exactly as I hoped. I added a thin layer of raspberry jam under the frosting. I’ll
Be making this for the rest of my life. Thank you!
Reba
I made a double batch of this cake and baked it in a larger disposable aluminum pan, turned out great!
Hubby is taking it to a work potluck tonight, he chose the cream cheese frosting to go with it!
Farhana Geiger
I used this recipe to make cupcakes. It was great! My husband, who is not usually a cake or cupcake fan (he’s a cheesecake fan), complimented how it was moist and the right amount of sweetness. We did the half recipe to make 12 cupcakes. As we wanted our toddler to enjoy it, rather than hot coffee we added hot water. I did add a pinch more salt to the final (thinned out) batter to taste, but otherwise followed the recipe instructions. I have saved this now to try again in the future for a cake!
Josephine Juckiewicz
Looking for to trying this recipe. Any suggestions on how to scale the recipe to fit a 15" x 11" pan?
Allison Ferraro
Hi Josephine! I haven't baked the cake in a pan this large but would be happy to help! Is the 11 x 15 pan you're using shallow like a rimmed sheet pan or is it deeper like a standard 9x13 pan?
- Allison
Amelia
I also am about to try this recipe in an 11x15 pan. The pan I’m using is normal, not shallow.
Lauren
The most delicious chocolate cake! Super moist and chocolaty and so delicious. I substituted hot water for the coffee because I was afraid my kids wouldn’t like it and it came out excellent! Thank you so much
Vee
Delicious! Thank you for this recipe! For non-American taste I’d recommend 1/2 of the sugar and olive oil instead. The butter crème frosting was also amazing!
Ginna
Hands down the best chocolate cake I have ever had. I could eat just the cake without frosting, but of course I had to add the ganache frosting. Delicious! I did add 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar because I like my frosting on the sweeter side. I bake at least once a week and have tried many chocolate cake recipes over the years....I won't be looking anymore.
Kayla
AMAZING RECIPE! Super easy and simple to make, and the result was soooo moist and chocolate but held its structure so well! I tripled the recipe and split it between four 9-inch square sheet pans that each baked for about 40 minutes, and I stacked and cut them into a 2-layer lettered sheet cake. It was loved by everyone!
Karen
Delicious. Made this as a birthday cake for a friend at work. Everyone raced about how delicious it was. Thank you for sharing your recipe 😀