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Four layer chocolate cake slice on white dessert plate with the sliced chocolate cake behind it

Chocolate Cake Recipe From Scratch

An easy, moist chocolate cake recipe. You won't believe what an amazing cake baker you are until you try this chocolate cake! 

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cake, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Cake Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12
Calories 293 kcal
Author Mikel from Sweet Bytes OKC

Ingredients

Equipment needed

  • 4 Six inch round cake pans
  • Mixer or whisk
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Large liquid measuring cup
  • Spatula

Chocolate Cake

  • 1 3/4 Cup Cake flour, sifted (190 grams)
  • 2 Cups Sugar (430 grams)
  • 1 Cup Natural cocoa powder, sifted (55 grams, according to my scale, contrary to what the internet says it should weigh)
  • 2 teaspoons Baking soda (11 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder (4 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon Salt (5.69 grams)
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk, room temperature (240 mL)
  • 1 Cup Weak coffee, room temperature (240 mL)
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable oil (120 mL)
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (5 mL)

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (or your preferred cake baking temperature)

Make the chocolate cake batter

  1. Grease and flour the cake pans and set aside. 

  2. In large mixing bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 

  3. In the large liquid measuring cup, stir together buttermilk, weak coffee, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. 

  4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mix on low until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, then turn the mixer up to medium speed for 30 seconds. 

  5. Stop mixing, scrape the sides of the bowl and the bottom of the bowl with a spatula. Mix the batter on medium high for 1 more minute. 

  6. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans. 

Bake the cake

  1. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until cake springs back from lightly pressing the center.

  2. Remove cakes from oven. Place on a cooling rack or another heatproof surface to cool. 

  3. Cool the cakes in the pans until pans are cool enough to handle, 10 - 20 minutes. Remove the cake layers from the pans. 

  4. Cool cakes completely before decorating or wrap in plastic wrap for later use. 

  5. Decorate and enjoy! Chocolate Cake Frosting is AMAZING with this. 

Recipe Notes

If you don't have 4 six inch pans, you can use a 9" x 13", 3 eight inch, or 2 nine inch. This recipe was adapted from a recipe called the Texas Sheet Cake.