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Chocolate cakes are a rich and tasty go-to. From classic to bundt, there is something for everyone in this list of chocolate cake recipes!

Collage of favorite chocolate cake recipes.

A Best-Loved Flavor!

I’m in the camp that prefers Vanilla Cake or white chocolate over regular and dark chocolate cake (I know, love me or hate me!). However, I have kiddos who always request a moist Easy Chocolate Cake recipe as their flavor of choice for any birthday party, so I make them often. We have plenty of decadent chocolate cake recipes – a delicious dessert for every occasion!

  • For chocolate cake tips & tricks, scroll to the bottom of this post!

Best Chocolate Cake Recipes

Looking for your new go-to best chocolate cake recipe? Any of these will be a fast favorite!

1 Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe

Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
Total Time: 50 minutes

Recipe Video

Our deliciously easy chocolate cake recipe topped with homemade chocolate frosting is a no-fuss family favorite for good reason!
4.97 from 276 votes
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2 Chocolate Sheet Cake

Chocolate Sheet Cake
Total Time: 35 minutes

Recipe Video

Our best-loved chocolate sheet cake topped with chocolate buttercream is simply delicious and feeds a crowd!
5 from 38 votes
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3 Better Than Anything Cake Recipe

Better Than Anything Cake Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Recipe Video

Quick and Easy Better than Anything Cake is a sweet cake filled with caramel and topped with cool whip and toffee bits!
5 from 23 votes
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4 German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake
Total Time: 1 hour

Recipe Video

German chocolate cake recipe is a beloved classic for its irresistible cake, rich coconut pecan filling, and decadent chocolate frosting.
5 from 106 votes
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5 Mississippi Mud Cake

Mississippi Mud Cake from TastesBetterFromScratch.com
Mississippi Mud Cake
Total Time: 45 minutes

Recipe Video

This Mississippi mud cake recipe is a delicious chocolate cake, topped with melted marshmallows and warm chocolate frosting.
4.80 from 15 votes
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6 Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Chocolate tres leches cake is a chocolate twist on a classic Mexican dessert. This chilled treat is rich and decadent!
5 from 28 votes
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7 Hershey’s Chocolate Cake

Hershey’s Chocolate Cake
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Recipe Video

This delicious Hershey's chocolate cake recipe is extra moist and extra chocolatey! It's a show-stopper at every event and perfect for sharing.
5 from 1 vote
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8 Flourless Chocolate Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Recipe Video

This flourless chocolate cake is a rich, fudgy dream that's simple to make and guaranteed to impress any crowd.
5 from 129 votes
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9 Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe

Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour
Indulge in this simple Chocolate Bundt Cake with chocolate glaze. It's perfect for chocolate lovers with the right amount of rich!
5 from 10 votes
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10 Cookie Cake Recipe

Cookie Cake Recipe
Total Time: 37 minutes

Recipe Video

Celebrate any occasion with a chocolate chip cookie cake recipe topped with chocolate buttercream frosting and colorful sprinkles!
5 from 16 votes
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More Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipes

The list continues! Try another delicious homemade chocolate cake recipe you are sure to love.

11 Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Recipe

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
This sour cream chocolate cake is moist, fudgy, completely delicious and so easy to make. It’s the perfect old-fashioned chocolate cake recipe that everyone will love and enjoy at every party! Serve it alone or with ice cream and you’re sure to get rave reviews.
4.94 from 107 votes
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12 Sheet Cake Bites Recipe

Sheet Cake Bites Recipe
Total Time: 20 minutes
Sheet Cake Bites – delicious chocolate sheet cake topped with a yummy homemade chocolate walnut frosting – in bite sized form!
5 from 11 votes
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13 Mug Cake Recipe

Mug Cake Recipe
Total Time: 7 minutes
This Chocolate Mug Cake is a quick, simple and delicious treat and is the perfect size for one (or two if you want to share). Made in under five minutes, this fluffy cake is the perfect treat to satisfy your sweet tooth!
5 from 6 votes
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14 Root Beer Float Ice Cream Cake Recipe

Root Beer Float Ice Cream Cake Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Root Beer Float Ice Cream Cake is just like a cold and frosty mug of root beer and ice cream, only in cake form!!
4.34 from 3 votes
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15 Zucchini Chocolate Cake Recipe

Zucchini Chocolate Cake Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes
Soft and moist chocolate zucchini cake is deliciously sweet. You'd never guess it's filled with grated zucchini!
4.88 from 16 votes
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16 Oreo Pudding Poke Cake Recipe

Oreo Pudding Poke Cake Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Fluffy Oreo Pudding Poke Cake is filled with creamy cookies & cream pudding and topped with crunchy Oreo cookies. It is so YUMMY!
5 from 21 votes
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17 Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe

Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe
Total Time: 23 minutes
This deliciously decadent chocolate lava cake recipe is perfect for company or a date night and is made in just 30 minutes!!
5 from 17 votes
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18 Mississippi Mud Cake

Mississippi Mud Cake from TastesBetterFromScratch.com
Mississippi Mud Cake
Total Time: 45 minutes

Recipe Video

This Mississippi mud cake recipe is a delicious chocolate cake, topped with melted marshmallows and warm chocolate frosting.
4.80 from 15 votes
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FAQS

  1. Follow the recipe. This may seem like a given, but it is my number one tip. Sometimes an adjustment does not affect the result, oftentimes it does.
  2. Room temperature. Unless otherwise stated, use room-temperature butter, dairy, and eggs. They will incorporate better and create the ideal amount of air bubbles which expand as the cake bakes, causing it to be light and fluffy.
  3. Spoon and level your flour. See our How to Measure Flour post.
  4. Cocoa powder. If a recipe doesn’t specify a type, assume they are referring to natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
  5. Sour cream. Adding 1-2 tablespoons of sour cream or applesauce to the mix will help add moisture.
  6. Mixing. Mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients until just combined. When using a stand mixer only set it to medium speed. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl and fold the batter to be sure everything is properly combined.
  7. No peeking. It can be tempting to open the oven door to check the cake, but this can cause the center of the cake to sink. Only peek when nearing the end of the suggested bake time.
  8. Shiny metal cake pans work best when baking cakes. Line the Pan with Parchment Paper for easy removal.
  9. Foil. If the outside of the cake is cooking faster than the inside, tent a piece of tin foil over the top to keep it from getting too crisp on the outside.
  10. Doneness. Insert a toothpick into the cake to determine if the cake is done. If it comes out clean or with only a couple of crumbles, the cake is done.
  • Chocolate frosting is a favorite, but you really can’t go wrong with the way you frost your cake. Decide on the desired taste, texture, and look then apply a few tips and tricks to create a masterpiece.
    • Kinds of frosting. There are many different kinds of frostings to choose from: buttercream, royal icing, ganache, icing, or even a simple Whipped Cream.
    • Flavors. Many flavors pair well with chocolate. Create a rich chocolate cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or chocolate ganache. Try a sweet Vanilla Frosting or Caramel Frosting. Bright flavors like lemon, orange, and Berry or a tangy cream cheese frosting are a perfect contrast that works great.
    • Crumb coating. When frosting your cake, add a thin layer to the top and sides of the cake to coat the crumbs. Let it set and add a thicker layer of frosting without the crumbs getting caught up in it.
    • Filling. Buttercream and custard are both great choices to spread between cake layers. Spread it in an even layer and leave about ¼-inch from the edge so there is room for it to spread when the next layer is added.
    • Cool the cake completely on a cooling rack before frosting it or the frosting will melt into and right off the cake.
    • Make ahead. Bake a cake 2-3 weeks ahead of time allow the cake to cool, wrap each layer with plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil, and freeze until you are ready to frost it about 3-4 months.
  • Dust the pan with cocoa. If the recipe instructs greasing and then dusting the pan with flour, use cocoa powder instead. It keeps the cake from sticking to the pan, gives extra chocolate flavor, and blends into the rich brown color.
  • Make it rich. If your cake is missing that rich chocolate flavor, try using better-quality ingredients:
    • natural cocoa powder or dutch-process cocoa powder
    • REAL vanilla extract
    • buttermilk in place of regular milk
    • butter in place of vegetable oil
    • an extra pinch of salt goes a long way

For More Chocolate Cake:

About Kristyn

Kristyn Merkley is a published cookbook author, wife, mom of six, and major food enthusiast! For the past 15 years, she has been sharing foolproof, family-friendly recipes—each one tested in her kitchen—that anyone can master. As a seasoned recipe creator, she loves making cooking simple, stress-free, and totally doable for everyone!

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