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If you’ve fallen in love with our Carrot Cake or Red Velvet Cake, you already know that at Cafe Delites, we’ve mastered the art of the perfectly moist cake. Naturally, we couldn’t resist creating our ultimate Chocolate Cake Recipe—a true showstopper packed with everything you adore about a classic chocolate cake. With just one bowl and a handful of pantry staples, this decadent dessert comes together effortlessly. Rich, chocolatey, tender-moist, and perfectly sweet, it’s the kind of cake that dreams (and second servings) are made of.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cake
If you’ve been dreaming of recreating the Famous Chocolate Cake from Matilda, we’ve got you covered—and then some! Unlike other recipes, our Classic Chocolate Cake delivers the perfect balance of rich chocolate flavor and an irresistibly tender crumb, all without the need for real chocolate. Instead, we use pantry-staple cocoa powder to create a dessert that’s both indulgent and approachable.
Whether enjoyed plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with fluffy Coconut Whipped Cream, this cake adapts beautifully to any occasion.
What’s In A Chocolate Cake?
The secret to this Choco Cake is all in the ingredients. Unsweetened cocoa powder delivers deep, bold flavor, all-purpose flour creates a tender crumb, and baking soda ensures the perfect rise. Simple pantry staples, extraordinary chocolate bliss!
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Opt for high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder to maximize the depth of chocolate flavor. If you want a richer color and smoother flavor, consider combining natural and Dutch-processed cocoa. Store cocoa powder in an airtight container to keep it fresh and aromatic. If you have left over cocoa powder try making my Special Ingredient Hot Chocolate.
- All-Purpose Flour (or Cake Flour): The foundation of the cake’s structure, flour plays a crucial role in achieving the ideal crumb. Substituting a portion of all-purpose flour with cake flour creates a lighter, more tender texture. This simple adjustment transforms the cake into a moist, melt-in-your-mouth experience.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents work together to create the fluffy rise that makes your cake airy yet substantial. Precision is key—be sure to measure accurately and avoid substituting one for the other, as they serve distinct functions. Proper use ensures the cake bakes to perfection every time.
*NOTE: See the recipe card at the bottom for full list of ingredients and measurements
The only addition that could elevate this already Perfect Choco Cake is a couple of teaspoons of instant coffee or espresso. It’s entirely optional, but it enhances the chocolate flavor to an even deeper level. Don’t worry—you won’t taste the coffee, just pure chocolate bliss!
How to Make Chocolate Cake?
Let’s get started! With just a few simple steps, you’ll create a rich, moist chocolate cake that’s bound to be a crowd-pleaser. Gather your ingredients, preheat that oven, and let’s bake something truly unforgettable!
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) or 320°F (160°C) for fan-forced. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Grease the top of the parchment for extra non-stick protection.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sifting ensures a lighter cake texture by aerating the dry ingredients. Whisk in the sugar until evenly combined for consistent sweetness throughout.
- Add the Wet Ingredients: Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix with a whisk or electric mixer until smooth, but avoid over-mixing. A cohesive, slightly thick batter is perfect, with no large lumps.
- Add Boiling Water: Gradually stir in boiling water to the batter, blooming the cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor. Mix until fully combined—the batter will be thin, which is key for a moist cake.
- Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, scraping down the bowl with a spatula. Place the pans in the center of the oven for even baking. Bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Melt Butter: In a medium bowl, melt butter using the microwave in short bursts or on the stovetop. Stir in cocoa powder until smooth and glossy for a rich frosting base.
- Finish the Frosting: Alternate adding powdered sugar and milk to the butter mixture, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and mix until fluffy and smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk if too thick, or more sugar if too thin.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cakes have cooled, trim the tops to create an even surface. Spread a generous layer of frosting over one cake, stack the second on top, and cover the entire cake with frosting. Smooth the sides and top or create decorative swirls to finish.
And there you have it—your perfect Chocolate Cake ready to impress! For a light, tropical twist, pair it with a dollop of Red Velvet Cookie Dough Frozen Yoghurt. If you’re looking to complement it with another treat, our Strawberry Coconut Cheesecake Salad offers a refreshing balance, while Strawberry Cheesecake Donut Holes bring a fun mix of textures and flavors. These pairings will take your dessert game to a whole new level of indulgence!
Recipe FAQ’s
No, this recipe is specifically designed for cocoa powder. Using real chocolate would change the texture and balance of the cake, so it’s best to stick with cocoa powder.
Definitely! Taste as you mix and adjust by adding more powdered sugar for sweetness or a splash of milk to tone it down.
All-purpose flour works best for this recipe. However, you can substitute some with cake flour for a softer crumb. Avoid using self-raising flour as it may disrupt the leavening process.
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Chocolate Cake Recipe (Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Recipe)
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour or plain flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or regular Hershey's cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda or bi-carb soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 4 oz butter
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or regular HERSHEY'S (2.4 oz | 65 g)
- 3 cups powdered sugar confectioners or icing sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) standard or 320°F (160°C) fan/convection.
- Lightly grease 2x 9-inch (22cm) round cake pans with butter. Line base with parchment paper.
- Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Whisk in sugar, then add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk well to combine until lump free, about 30 seconds.
- Pour boiling water into batter, mixing well. Cake batter is thin in consistency.
- Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- Melt butter, then whisk in cocoa powder. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency (add a small amount of additional milk, if needed). Stir in vanilla.
Notes
- ONE-PAN CAKE: Use 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake 35-40 minutes.
- THREE LAYER CAKE: You’ll need 8-inch round baking pans. Bake 30-35 minutes.
- BUNDT CAKE: Use a 12-cup fluted tube pan. Bake 50-55 minutes.
- CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22-25 minutes. Makes about 30 cupcakes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
By FAR, the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had!! Recipe is simple and the result is gorgeous! Such a crowd pleaser! I used 2 tsps of coffee when adding the boiling water. Also dampened the layers with a simple sugar syrup and achieved perfection😄
Oops also forgot to mention I reduced the sugar to 1.5cups instead of 2cups, only because I knew I was going to add a sugar syrup after baking. I also used Cadbury’s cocoa powder instead of Hersheys, due to availability.
The very best (and easiest) chocolate cake!!! Made it for my daughter’s bday and it was a hit.
I used 1 cup of sugar instead of 2 as I though the frosting will be sweet enough.
Also ended up using less sugar in the frosting – after about 2 cups, it seemed like it was sweet enough and the right consistency and quantity (actually there was even a little left over, which we ate with a spoon as I couldnt bring myself to throw it away 🙈). Thank you, Karina for yet another foolproof delicious recipe!!
My daughter and I made this tonight. It was delicious. Took a 1/4 and shared with the neighbors and they loved it too. 🙂 I too was wondering about the watery batter but as others mentioned, came out moist and the right amount of dense. Thank you!
This is literally the best fool-proof chocolate cake recipe!! I have made it multiple times and sometimes with cousins and it always comes out sooooo good!! I have gotten so many compliments on this cake recipe!
This is the best chocolate cake recipe hands down. Have made it at least 7-8 times by now. Made it for my family gathering last week and this cake was the talk of the evening. It was loved equally by kids and the adults.
The best chocolate cake ever!!
This is the first time in my life that I bake, and I can’t believe how well it turned out. Everyone loves it, and it fact, I’ve made three of these in the last 10 days (oppsi!) because no one can resist this deliciousness. My partner requested this cake for this birthday every year from now on, that’s how good it is.
I followed exact measurement, but using dark chocolate ganache for topping instead.
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe.
I am not a fan of chocolate cake, but my husband loves it. That being said, I really liked this receipt. In the second time I bake it, I reduced the 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup as the icing has lots of sugar too, with 1 cup of sugar the cake becomes lighter but still delicious. I highly recommend this receipt to chocolate cake lovers; It is fluffy and indulgent.
Am I able to use coffee instead of water?
I love this recipe and I made this cake two months ago. Let me tell you this is the best chocolate cake recipe I have ever made. I am making another one for Christmas. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. It’s now a fan favorite.
Best chocolate cake recipe ever, hands down. I made it for my in-laws last weekend and they loved it so much they asked me to bake it again this weekend! Hoping it turns out as amazing as the first time!
Hi Lara, I’m so happy to hear that the chocolate cake was a hit with your in-laws! It’s wonderful that they loved it so much they want it again. I’m sure your second batch will be just as amazing as the first. Happy baking, and thank you for your kind words!