Moist and exploding with chocolate flavor, this classic chocolate cake features 2 cake layers plus chocolate buttercream! The chocolate buttercream frosting is rich and creamy and completes this chocolate cake recipe. Chocolate sprinkles are optional but are a fun garnish. If you like my chocolate cupcakes recipe, you need to bake this cake.

Slice of chocolate cake on a dark table topped with chocolate buttercream frosting.

Famous Chocolate Cake Recipe

In my family, I’m “famous” for 4 recipes: chocolate chip cookies, brownies, lasagna, and chocolate cake. But it’s the chocolate cake that is the most popular and requested!!! From birthday parties to dinner parties, it’s always a huge hit! Here’s why I think this classic chocolate cake recipe is the best:

Abundant chocolate flavor thanks to cocoa powder in the cake batter and real chocolate in the chocolate buttercream frosting!
The cake layers are soft, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth moist.
Decadent and rich, it’s a classic dessert everyone loves.
This recipe uses basic ingredients, and I provide some ingredient substitutes below.
My chocolate buttercream frosting is rich, fudgy, and packed with chocolate flavor!

You can make cake layers in advance, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months.

Slice of chocolate cake on a white dessert plate.

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake

Sugar: This recipe uses granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and confectioner’s sugar.
Flour: The most important of the dry ingredients. I only suggest using all-purpose flour, but for a gluten free chocolate cake, a 1-for-1 gluten free flour may work.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This should not be replaced with Dutch process cocoa.
Baking Soda: Helps the cake batter spread evenly in the cake pans, ensuring even cake layers.
Baking Powder: Helps the cake batter rise in the cake pans, avoiding overly dense cake layers.
Salt: Enhances the chocolate flavor and balances sweetness in both the cake batter and chocolate buttercream frosting.
Eggs: You’ll use 2 large eggs plus an egg yolk. Make sure your eggs at room temperature before use in the cake batter.
Sour Cream: In a pinch, this may be replaces with full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
Milk: Whole milk works best, but reduced fat milk will work in a pinch. I don’t suggest subbing plant based milks. But if you must, coconut milk will work best. But it will add a subtle coconut flavor.
Oil: For a neutral flavor, use canola oil or vegetable oil. If you don’t mind a subtle flavor from the oil, you may use a mild olive oil or coconut oil (melted).
Vanilla Extract: Real vanilla extract adds rich flavor and enhances the other flavors in the cake.
Hot Coffee: Or freshly boiled water. You can read the pros and cons of each below.
Chocolate: For a sweeter chocolate buttercream frosting, use semi-sweet chocolate. For a darker buttercream frosting, use dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate. I suggest a less sweet chocolate since the buttercream has a lot of sugar.
Butter: You can’t make chocolate buttercream frosting without butter! Use a quality butter brand you enjoy the taste of and be sure to bring it to room temperature before use.

Batter for devil's food cake in cake pans.

Cake Batter

Oven Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 at least 30 minutes before you plan on baking.
Prep Cake Pans: Use parchment paper rounds to line your cake pans! Be sure to spray each pan generously with nonstick baking spray.
Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine the sugars, all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking power, baking soda, and salt. Use an extra large bowl here!
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl whisk the eggs, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the hot coffee to the cake batter and mix until combined.
Bake Cake Layers: They’ll take about 26 to 30 minutes, depending on your oven. Pull the cake pans when a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean.
Cool Cake Layers: Cool in the cake pans for 10 minutes. Then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Don’t attempt to trim the cake layers or frost until the cakes have cooled completely.

Hot Coffee vs Hot Water

When it comes to this wet ingredient, you have an option. Here are the main pros and cons of hot coffee versus just using hot water:

Hot coffee enhances the chocolate flavor in the cake batter.
Hot coffee also adds a subtle mocha flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
However, if you’re sensitive to coffee or absolutely hate the flavor, you may want to leave it out.
The pro of using hot water is it’s free and always on hand, assuming you have a kettle and running water.
The con of using hot water is it won’t enhance the chocolate flavor or add any flavor dimension to the cake batter.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Melt the Chocolate: Using a double boiler or microwave, melt the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to cool to room temperature before use.
Make the Frosting: Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment – or a large bowl and a handheld electric mixer. Beat the butter until creamy then gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, beating well after each addition. Once you add all the sugar, beat for 2 minutes on medium-high. Finally, add the vanilla and melted chocolate and continue beating until well combined and creamy!
Spread: Use a large frosting spatula (or a butterknife, whatever you have on hand!) and spread the frosting on the cake. I like to place one cake layer on a cake stand, add frosting, add another cake layer, then frost the sides and top of the cake.

Since the chocolate buttercream frosting has a lot of chocolate, I recommend making it no more than 1 hour ahead.

Slices of chocolate cake on a dark table with a cake server.

How to Store Chocolate Cake

To store leftover chocolate cake, wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Ensure the plastic touches the cake and that no spots remain exposed to air.
You can store this cake at room temperature or in the fridge. It’ll stay fresh for up to 2 days.
If you’d like to bake the cakes in advance of frosting, you can. Bake them and cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Or freeze for up to 2 months.

Best Cake Pans for Chocolate Cake

You’ll need (2) 9-inch cake pans for this chocolate cake recipe.
For best results, use metal or steel pans.
Glass pans or ceramic pans will take longer to bake, and may yield uneven cake layers.
If you don’t have 2 cake pans, you can bake these cakes in batches, but it’s more time consuming.
You’ll need to let the cake pan cool completely before using it to bake another cake, otherwise the cake batter won’t bake evenly.
You can wrap the baked cakes in plastic wrap to keep them moist while you bake the other cakes.
You can bake this cake in a 9×13-inch baking pan. The baking time will be different, most likely it’ll take closer to 35 minutes. If you decide to use this size pan, keep an eye on the cake and know it’s ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Please not the last 3 tips above are in reference to baking the cakes in the same cake pan (if you don’t have 2 cake pans to use).

Slice of chocolate cake on a dark table top.

More Classic Chocolate Cake Recipes:

17 Chocolate Cake Recipes for Chocolate Lovers Only

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake

Guinness Chocolate Bundt Cake

German Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake with Mocha Buttercream Frosting