Homemade Chocolate Cake is a moist, rich dessert with an amazing buttercream frosting. If you love chocolate, you will LOVE this cake.
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Delighted to share the ingredients I purchased and used to make this delicious cake.
All comments are my own.
INSPIRATION FOR THIS RECIPE
The original recipe is Hershey’s Perfectly Perfect Chocolate Cake. It is printed on the back of the box of Hershey’s Cocoa Powder and is available on the company’s website.
It is a very popular recipe loved by multitudes. Worth a try because it is soooo good.
Changed the name to Homemade Chocolate Cake. Recipe is the same.
I’ve also included a quick lesson on how to correctly measure all-purpose flour and helpful baking tips.
THE MAIN INGREDIENT
The main ingredient in both the cake and the frosting is unsweetened cocoa powder.
BOILING WATER
This recipe calls for one cup of boiling water. It helps make the cake fluffy, intensifies the chocolatey flavor, and reacts with the baking powder and baking soda to create a higher rise.
THE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
To get the correct amount of all-purpose flour for this recipe (1-3/4 cups), it must be sifted, spooned and leveled. Doing this will make the flour light and perfect for baking.
Packed flour makes baked goods (including cakes) thick and dry with a gross taste.
HOW TO CORRECTLY MEASURE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
First, pour about 3 cups of all-purpose flour into a sifter.
Sift it into a bowl. Discard hard particles left in sifter.
Lightly spoon a pile of sifted flour into a measuring cup
Level off the piled high flour with the flat end of a knife.
One cup of all-purpose flour that has been sifted, spooned and leveled.
HOW TO FREEZE UNFROSTED CHOCOLATE CAKE
Wrap cooled layers individually in a layer of plastic wrap. Then wrap with a layer of aluminum foil. Double wrapping provides extra protection from freezer burn.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
HOW TO FREEZE FROSTED CHOCOLATE CAKE
Place uncovered frosted cake in freezer for about three hours or until it freezes solid.
First, wrap frozen solid cake in a layer of plastic wrap.
Then wrap with a layer of aluminum foil.
Freeze for up to three months.
HOW TO THAW A FROZEN CHOCOLATE CAKE
Remove frozen cake from freezer and place in the fridge.
Keep it wrapped to prevent sogginess.
Allow it to stay in fridge overnight or until thawed.
HOW TO FROST CAKE
Frosting a warm cake will cause dripping, sagging layers with tears.
With that in mind, make sure the cake layers are completely cooled before frosting.
It’s best to wrap the cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. This method guarantees a cold cake that’s easy to frost.
BRING FROSTING TO ROOM TEMPERATURE
Frosting should be at room temperature before using. If it’s too cold, it will be thick and difficult to spread. Thick frosting will tear the cake’s surface.
Bring cold frosting to room temperature by placing covered container on the kitchen counter for at least 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, spoon the frosting into a medium mixing bowl.
Whip it with a handheld electric mixer for at least 30 seconds to make it light and smooth.
TRIM CAKE BEFORE FROSTING
This recipe makes one 9-inch cake with two or four layers. Before frosting, make sure the top of each layer is flat.
Use a serrated knife to cut away the peaks or bulges on the top of each layer.
The cake scraps make great snacks. Especially good mixed with cold vanilla ice cream.
ENJOY!
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Homemade Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Frosting
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter Softened
- 5-1/3 cup confectioners sugar
- 1-1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder Plus extra to garnish top of frosted cake (optional).
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Or use baking spray with flour to generously coat each pan. Set aside.
- In large bowl, whisk together sugar, all-purpose flour (sifted, spooned and leveled), cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven. Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes before removing from pans (this step is important). After removing from pan, place cooled cakes on wire racks to cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
- While cakes cool, make frosting. Use an electric mixer to cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in confectioners' sugar and cocoa alternately with milk and vanilla. Beat until light and smooth.
- 2-LAYERS: Use a serrated knife to cut away peaks on top of each layer. Make sure top of cake is smooth. Stack on serving plate. Spread frosting over top of each layer.
- 4-LAYERS: Use a serrated knife to cut away peaks on top of each layer. Make sure top of cake is smooth. Use a serrated knife to split each cooled cake layer horizontally. Spread frosting over top of each layer. Stack each layer on serving plate.
- Frost outside of cake with remaining frosting.
- GARNISH: Sprinkle top of frosted cake with cocoa powder or garnish with shaved chocolate. Both are optional.
- Makes one 9-inch cake (2 layers or four layers).