This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Our easy chocolate cake recipe is topped with a delicious chocolate frosting and is made with pantry staples.
The Easiest Chocolate Cake
This is our FAVORITE chocolate cake recipe!!!
We love dessert, and especially cake! There are a few kids who choose chocolate cake for their birthday treat every year (who can blame them?). We’ve tried several made-from-scratch chocolate cake recipes over the years, and we finally found a winner that is the tastiest and easiest of all!
This easy chocolate cake recipe is a family favorite that is so soft, delicious, and MOIST. If you love chocolate cake too, you’ll also love our Chocolate Sheet Cake. Serve it with homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, and you’ll be in heaven!
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Pantry staples. This easy chocolate cake calls for simple ingredients that we always have on hand so it can easily be made without a trip to the store!
- Best chocolate cake. It is fudgy and moist – just the way a chocolate cake should be!
- Party perfect. You can’t beat a slice served with Ice Cream!
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
COOL TIME: 10 minutes
Cake Layers
- 2 cups all-purpose flour – or cake flour for a silkier crumb, see How to Measure Flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder – Since the recipe also uses baking powder, you can use natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil – or canola oil
- 2 large eggs – room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened – see How to Soften Butter Quickly
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder – natural or Dutch process cocoa
- 4 cups powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) – sifted to remove clumps
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 6-8 tablespoons half and half – or whole milk
- optional decorations – sprinkles and birthday candles, frosting flowers, a worded message, beautiful berries, or sliced almonds or chopped walnuts
How to make Easy chocolate cake
- PREP. Grease two 9″ round pans, line with parchment paper, and set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- BATTER. Whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, ¾ cup cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk in 1 cup milk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
- Pour in 1 cup of boiling water and stir everything together.
- BAKE. The cake batter will be thin. Pour the batter into greased 9-inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes.
- COOL. Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto wire racks. Cool completely, level the top of the cakes, and frost with chocolate frosting.
Make It Into Cupcakes
Add cupcake liners to a muffin tin and fill to about ⅔ full. Bake for 17-19 minutes. Makes about 24-30 cupcakes.
The Frosting
- BEAT. Beat ½ cup softened butter, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 pinch salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Add 6-8 tablespoons half and half to get it to be the frosting consistency you desire.
- FROST. Spread this delicious frosting over your cake and add any sprinkles before it sets.
PRO TIP: Add A Crumb Coat
Add a thin layer to coat the crumbs. Let it set and then add a thicker layer of frosting without worry that the crumbs will get caught up in it.
Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Frosting
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 6-8 tablespoons half and half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch round pans with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk in the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla till smooth. Stir in the boiling water, mixing until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then invert onto cooling racks. Cool completely.
Frosting
- Beat all ingredients in a bowl until smooth, adding enough half and half to get a spreadable consistency.
- Place one cake on a cake stand or serving tray. Spread about one cup of frosting on the top. Place the other cake on top. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Serve immediately or cover and let sit overnight.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Tightly wrap in plastic wrap and place in a Ziploc bag on the kitchen counter for up to 3-4 days or in the wrap again with foil and in the freezer for 6-8 weeks.
Cover and store the cake on the counter for 4-5 days. Once cut, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the exposed cake, or cover it with more frosting to prevent drying out. Store for 3-4 days at room temperature.
Place the frosted cake in the freezer for 4-5 hours, or until the frosting is solid. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then again with aluminum foil for 4-6 weeks. Unwrap the plastic wrap, recover it lightly with the foil, and allow the cake to thaw.
Oh my God I love this chocolate cake it was wonderful I made it for my daughter‘s birthday yesterday one of the most delicious chocolate cakes I ever ate my husband loved it and my daughter thank you for sharing❤️❤️❤️😋
You are so welcome!! Thank you for trying it! Glad it was a hit!
I have made this recipe about 4 times and each time it is absolutely delicious and so moist. Thank you!
Perfect!! Thank you for letting me know that!
It was pretty easy to make and also had a lot of flavor in the littlest of peices. I would definitely use this recipe again!
Happy to hear that! Thank you for trying it 😉
I am going to try this recipe for the first time, I want to make it for my wife’s birthday. I think I will try substituting coffee for the hot water because I have read it enhances the chocolate taste.
The other thing I want to substitute is soar cream for the milk, hear it makes it very moist. Has anyone ever tried that with this recipe and how did it turn out?
Hi, can this delicious looking cake be made in a Bundt pan?
Thank you for sharing.
Linda
Glad to share! I have never tried, but I am sure it could. There would be adjustments to time, but I am not sure what they’d be, since I haven’t done that. I’m guessing longer.
Hi,
It’s my first attempt on making a chocolate cake from scratch! I would like to know what would be the best type of oil and milk (1% vs 2%) to use with this recipe!
Thank you 😊
I use vegetable oil & 2% 🙂 Enjoy!!
Do you think this would be good with a hint of orange
Oh, yes! Great idea! Thank you!
This was my first chocolate cake and it turned out Fabulous!! Thanks
You are so welcome!! I am so glad you gave it a try & liked it! Thank you!
This was my first chocolate cake from scratch and it was amazing. Easy to bake and everyone loved it and wanted seconds. It will now be my go to birthday cake. Thanks so much!
Woohoo!! Happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
My cake was flat Like a brownie basically. I bake all the time And I just can’t imagine what went wrong. Any ideas?
I’m sorry, I wish I knew. There are different reasons, cakes may turn out flat, but it’s hard to know since I wasn’t there. Usually, it’s because of the wrong raising agent or using the wrong flour.
Honestly, I didnt know how much it would rise. I ended up filling them 3/4ths full and they ended up overflowing. I could have made a 3rd layer if I had known 😑
I am in the middle of the bake time, I took a peak only to see it overflowed as well…could have made a 3rd layer, hope it turns out ok once I am done hacking into what will resemble a a round 2 layer
Made this for my son’s birthday and he said it was the best cake he’s had! Thanks for all the tips