Chocolate Cake is a deliciously decadent dessert that has been a staple on our table for as long as I can remember! This easy recipe makes a rich and delicious cake that is perfectly tender and moist.
Top it with the best ever Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, a drizzle of Easy Caramel Sauce or simply whipped cream and strawberries for the perfect dessert!
Remember Gramma’s famous chocolate cake recipe that brought the whole family to the table after Sunday dinner? Or sold at a church bake sale? Or was enjoyed with a fresh, cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day? Hershey’s famous chocolate cake recipe is one I’ve enjoyed pretty much my entire life. Simple. Delicious. Perfect.
Enjoy this easy to make chocolate cake anytime you feel an urge for something rich and sinfully divine!
How to Make a Chocolate Cake
Making this easy chocolate cake takes just a few simple steps!
- Choose your pan size: Preheat the oven and prep your cake pans. You will want to check the recipe notes below for more information on what type of baking pan you want to use or for “bite-sized” portions try making cupcakes!
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk the mixture to incorporate all of the ingredients (and whisking means no sifting required).
- Add wet ingredients: Beat with a hand mixer until the batter is well mixed!
- Add boiling water: Slowly add boiling water to the batter – it will seem thin at this point, but that’s okay! It’s going to bake into a light, fluffy, spongy chocolate cake! Mmmmm….
How to Bake a Chocolate Cake
The time needed to bake homemade chocolate cake can depend on the size/shape of the baking pan you’re using!
- 9×13 pan – 35-40 minutes
- 8″ round pans – 30-35 minutes
- Cupcakes – 22-25 minutes.
If making cupcakes, line the pan with paper liners and fill wells 2/3 full.
How to Tell if a Cake is Done
- A great way to check if a cake is done is to insert a wooden toothpick into the cake and if the wooden pick comes out clean, it is ready.
- If you don’t have a toothpick, gently press on the cake and it should spring back. If the cake leaves an indent of a fingerprint, it needs a few more minutes.
Remove them from the oven and allow to cool either on a rack or on a kitchen towel on the counter. You will want to make sure they are fully cooled before moving onto decorating your cake or cupcakes. This keeps the icing from melting and sliding off! We’d hate to waste any delicious frosting!
How to Decorate Chocolate Cake
Homemade frosting is easy and honestly the best (this chocolate icing is my fave).
If you’re in a hurry, one can of frosting will cover a sheet cake or be enough for cupcakes, but two cans are needed for three layers (8” round).
We love changing the flavor of this recipe just by changing the delicious frosting we top it with!
- For a really decadent double chocolate cake, whip up some easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or Chocolate Ganache Frosting.
- Feeling nutty? Nutella frosting recipe.
- In a rush? One Minute Easy Chocolate Frosting
- For a cool flavor option, try Peppermint Buttercream Frosting.
- Or any regular buttercream frosting recipe will do. To make it suit any occasion, try tinting with food coloring, like pink or yellow!
Sprinkle on multi-colored sprinkles or chocolate jimmies. This is the best chocolate cake recipe for birthdays, so get some fun candles and celebrate someone special! They will love this yummy birthday treat!
Got Leftovers?
If you can’t finish it in one sitting, no worries! Chocolate cake will keep covered at room temperature or sometimes you can put it in the fridge for a cold, tasty treat with a glass of milk at the end of the day!
To Freeze Chocolate Cake: Of course, this cake freezes beautifully but there’s never any left to freeze in my house!
More Amazing Cakes You NEED!
- The Best Carrot Cake – incredibly moist and easy to make.
- Easy Chocolate Cake – so rich & decadent
- Mini Cheesecakes – delicious handheld portions!
- Oreo No Bake Cheesecake – perfect for hot summer days.
- Tres Leches Cake – so moist, we can’t get enough!
- Chocolate Poke Cake From Scratch – chocolate + chocolate + chocolate!
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour your baking pan (see size information in the notes below) or line your muffin pan with paper liners for cupcakes.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla to dry mixture and mix with an electric mixer on medium for about 2 minutes. Gently mix in boiling water. Note: Your batter will seem thin, it's ok.. it's supposed to!
- Pour into pans and bake. Cool on wire racks.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Original recipe from Hershey’s!
I used the buttercream recipe you had in the link. Would I need to refrigerate the cake with this particular icing on it or no? Thank you!
According to google, you don’t *need* to refrigerate buttercream because of the high sugar content
I made this recipe today and it is SOO good! Probably the best chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever tried. It’s thick and moist without being unbearably rich, especially if you use a lighter frosting like whipped cream or a Greek yogurt frosting. I made half of the recipe and did a few changes by reducing the sugar down to ⅔ cup (rather than 1 cup for half of the recipe) and exchanged the boiling water for brewed coffee. Since I only made ½ the recipe, I found it fit perfectly into a 8×8 or 9×9 pan and needed 25 min of baking time
That sounds so good!!! I want to make it with coffee now! Did you use a 1:1 water to coffee ratio?
Such a moist, chocolatey cake! It turned out absolutely perfect :) I will definitely be making this again and again!
Hello again, Miss Holly! I feel like I frequently review your recipes. I’m making this for the second time as I’m writing. It is a wonderful cake but why does it sink in the middle? It has done it both times I’ve made it now. Love you recipes, almost always use your website!
Hi Karen, a couple things you can try to see if it helps with the middle falling. Check to make sure your baking soda is fresh, not expired. Make sure you put your cake into the oven as soon as the mixture is ready and try to avoid opening the oven door before it is done. :) Hopefully, that helps Karen!
I tried it as a cake and it was super delish!! Would you have an idea of how many cupcakes it would yield?
Thank you.
Hi Sper, it will make 24 or more cupcakes depending on how full you fill the cupcake tins.
Thank you so much for the prompt response. Everyone that did the surprise graduation drive-by loved it!
Oh, that’s wonderful Sper! Congratulations to all the grads! Glad you got a chance to celebrate their achievement one way or another.
Just made cupcakes using this recipe, make sure you fill no more than half way otherwise it will raise over the cup and make a huge mess. Plus the cupcake will stick together and look very ugly
HI,
Want to bake this cake tomorrow. Is the measurement for one cake in a round 8inch pan?
Please let me know urgently.
Thanks.
Hi Simmi, this cake can be made in a couple of different-sized pans. For an 8″ round pan, bake for 30-35 minutes. Hope this helps! :)
i have a question… can i make a 2 layer cake with this batter?? i have two 9×1.5 inch pans
That should work fine Sara. Just fill the pans ⅔ full and if you have any extra batter you can always make a few cupcakes to sample ;)
Big hit! Served slightly warm with a dollop of whip cream and drizzle of smashed strawberries. Delicious!
Thanks for sharing this choclate cake recipe with all of us. I really like this cake recipe.
Loved it fluffy yet moist will definitely add it to my recipes
Best chocolate cake I have ever tasted!!!
Can I make a vanilla cake version from this recipe?!
I have only tried this as a chocolate cake version. I’m not sure what you could substitute the ¾ cup flour with. If you do try making it vanilla, let us know how it goes.
I have made good chocolate cakes but this was THE best! I made it for my 6 year old grandson and then for my 27 year old son…thumbs up completely! *****
good
Was so delicious !!! Would send a photo but me , my husband and our senior neighbors ate the whole cake!! I put cream cheese frosting on it . It was a big hit !!
Thank you so much never have I had luck with chocolate cake from scratch until now
I made this tonight for my boyfriend and he is raving about it. It was so easy and I used a bundt pan. I baked it at 350 for 36 minutes. Thank you for the recipe.
Definitely 5 stars!! This recipe is AWESOME. I personally like boxed cake (gasp!) I like how moist it is, and the devil’s food to me is so delicious. This is a copy-cat recipe and I LOVE that! It’s so moist and the taste is amazing. I shared it with my parents, and they begged for the recipe. This will be my go-to recipe for chocolate cake now. It’s so easy besides! A total winner. I honestly will not by boxed chocolate cake mix anymore–Why would I when this one is just as good and so easy?!
I made this cake and it came out amazing. I was a bit hesitant to taste it so instead I gave some to neighbors and some to my family. They all loved it and said it was nice and moist! Wil definitely keep this recipe next time I have that crave for some chocolate cake. Thank you the easy recipe.
Please do not waste your baking ingredients and time on this. The result (I hesitate to call it a cake) is very bland. There is no taste at all. I have to throw this out unfortunately.
BEST BEST BEST EVER
OH my hat…. this was the BEST EVER cake I have baked…. Thank you for this recipe!!
I did not have enough cocoa so I improvised and added 3 spoons of coffee and Milo, and instead icing I used whole not chocolate melted over…