Devil's food cake got its name in 1902 because cocoa powder was considered sinfully rich compared to vanilla.
Homemade Chocolate Cake
Indulge in a rich and moist homemade chocolate cake that’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth! This delightful dessert features velvety cocoa powder and creamy buttermilk for a luscious texture, while a touch of vanilla elevates the flavor to heavenly heights. Whip it up for any occasion and watch it disappear in no time!
Prep
15
min
Cook
35
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 1 and 1 half cups of softened butter (340 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup of milk (240 ml)
- up to 1 half cup of milk (120 ml)optional
🫙Pantry Staples(9)
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder (10 ml)
- 1 and 1 half teaspoons of baking soda (7.5 ml)
- 3 fourths cup of cocoa powder (180 ml)
- 1 cup of cocoa powder (240 ml)
- 1 half cup of cooking oil (120 ml)
- 2 cups of flour (250 g)
- 5 cups of powdered sugar (1 kg)
- 2 cups of sugar (400 g)
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (10 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 teaspoon of salt (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 cup of hot water or coffee (240 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk.
- 2
Add milk, cooking oil, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix.
- 3
Slowly add hot water or coffee and mix.
- 4
Prepare 2 9-inch round cake pans with shortening or butter and flour.
- 5
Add an equal amount of batter to each pan.
- 6
Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 7
Let cool for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool another 10 to 20 minutes.
- 8
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- 9
Add softened butter and cocoa powder to a medium bowl and mix.
- 10
Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- 11
Add vanilla extract and slowly incorporate powdered sugar.
- 12
Add milk a little at a time until you get your desired thickness.
- 13
Add pieces of parchment paper to a cake pedestal then put a dollop of frosting in the middle.
- 14
Add the first layer of cake and frost it.
- 15
Add the second layer of cake and frost the remaining cake.
- 16
Slice and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use hot coffee instead of water to bloom the cocoa powder - the heat activates flavor compounds and coffee enhances chocolate taste without adding coffee flavor at a 1:1 substitution ratio.ingredient1:1 substitution ratio
- ✓Bake at exactly 325°F instead of 350°F for chocolate cakes because cocoa powder burns easily and lower temperature prevents bitter compounds from developing while ensuring even rise.technique325°F
- ✓Mix wet ingredients for exactly 30-45 seconds after adding hot liquid to prevent overmixing gluten strands, which creates tough, dense cake texture.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Chill assembled cake for minimum 2 hours instead of 30 minutes - this allows starches to fully set and makes clean slicing possible as proteins firm up.timing2 hours minimum
- ✓Use cake strips or wrap pans with wet towels to maintain even 325°F temperature at pan edges, preventing domed tops and ensuring level layers for stacking.equipment325°F edge temperature
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
35
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Devil's food cake got its name in 1902 because cocoa powder was considered sinfully rich compared to vanilla.
Homemade Chocolate Cake
Indulge in a rich and moist homemade chocolate cake that’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth! This delightful dessert features velvety cocoa powder and creamy buttermilk for a luscious texture, while a touch of vanilla elevates the flavor to heavenly heights. Whip it up for any occasion and watch it disappear in no time!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 1 and 1 half cups of softened butter (340 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup of milk (240 ml)
- up to 1 half cup of milk (120 ml)optional
🫙Pantry Staples(9)
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder (10 ml)
- 1 and 1 half teaspoons of baking soda (7.5 ml)
- 3 fourths cup of cocoa powder (180 ml)
- 1 cup of cocoa powder (240 ml)
- 1 half cup of cooking oil (120 ml)
- 2 cups of flour (250 g)
- 5 cups of powdered sugar (1 kg)
- 2 cups of sugar (400 g)
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (10 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 teaspoon of salt (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 cup of hot water or coffee (240 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk.
- 2
Add milk, cooking oil, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix.
- 3
Slowly add hot water or coffee and mix.
- 4
Prepare 2 9-inch round cake pans with shortening or butter and flour.
- 5
Add an equal amount of batter to each pan.
- 6
Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 7
Let cool for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool another 10 to 20 minutes.
- 8
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- 9
Add softened butter and cocoa powder to a medium bowl and mix.
- 10
Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- 11
Add vanilla extract and slowly incorporate powdered sugar.
- 12
Add milk a little at a time until you get your desired thickness.
- 13
Add pieces of parchment paper to a cake pedestal then put a dollop of frosting in the middle.
- 14
Add the first layer of cake and frost it.
- 15
Add the second layer of cake and frost the remaining cake.
- 16
Slice and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use hot coffee instead of water to bloom the cocoa powder - the heat activates flavor compounds and coffee enhances chocolate taste without adding coffee flavor at a 1:1 substitution ratio.ingredient1:1 substitution ratio
- ✓Bake at exactly 325°F instead of 350°F for chocolate cakes because cocoa powder burns easily and lower temperature prevents bitter compounds from developing while ensuring even rise.technique325°F
- ✓Mix wet ingredients for exactly 30-45 seconds after adding hot liquid to prevent overmixing gluten strands, which creates tough, dense cake texture.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Chill assembled cake for minimum 2 hours instead of 30 minutes - this allows starches to fully set and makes clean slicing possible as proteins firm up.timing2 hours minimum
- ✓Use cake strips or wrap pans with wet towels to maintain even 325°F temperature at pan edges, preventing domed tops and ensuring level layers for stacking.equipment325°F edge temperature