Cake Yield: 1 layer of 18x13" cake, 1/2-3/4 inch high
Cake Servings (approx): 6-8 slices (depends on final cake layering)
Chocolate cake using Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
Mixing Method: Muffin/Single Stage
Cake Texture: Moist crumb, slightly denser than white or yellow layer cakes, lightest in texture of my chocolate cakes
Flavor Profile: Mildly “brown sugar” sweet; chocolate flavor depends on cocoa type used; see below
Appearance: Medium to dark brown coarse and moist crumb
Difficulty Level: 1/5 (See how I rank cake difficulty here)
Good Frosting Pairings: Go classic with a vanilla, or fruity with a raspberry/strawberry buttercream
Filling ideas: Marshmallow fluff, peanut butter buttercream, chopped cherries and whipped cream (for a Black Forest effect)
Best for: Chocolate cake lovers or those who crave a classic and dependable chocolate flavor
This deliciously moist chocolate cake is deceivingly easy to make. I developed this recipe a couple years ago and have been studying every component of this recipe to make it perfect. This and my red velvet cake are the top two most requested cakes in my Cakeculator.
This chocolate cake has a super soft crumb, yet is sturdy enough for large layer cakes. It’s an oil-based cake that relies on both dark chocolate and cocoa powder for an intense chocolate flavor. That along with the sugar ratios I’ve perfected creates a super moist crumb that almost melts in your mouth.
This chocolate cake uses a muffin or single stage method of mixing. The batter is made entirely in one bowl and no equipment is needed. I just use a whisk and sometimes a spatula and the batter comes together beautifully with hardly any work.
This is a very moist cake with a tight crumb. This is likely due to the use of oil (instead of butter) and the ratio of this along with the cocoa butter in the chocolate compared to the starches in the cake. It also has brown sugar, which in addition to creating a great flavor profile along with the chocolate, creates moisture.
When you take a bite, it’s very soft and almost melts in your mouth. Because there is a good amount of cocoa powder, gluten formation is somewhat limited. Cocoa powder acts as a starch, much like the all-purpose flour we use in baked goods. Upon heating, the starch granules swell. However, unlike all-purpose flour, cocoa powder does not contain the proteins that create gluten. This is what makes my chocolate cake incredibly soft and tender.
Even with a soft and moist texture, this cake is structurally sound enough to stack in large layer cakes. I’ve used this exact recipe several times in cakes as large as 8 inches and 4 layers tall.
The flavor of this cake is going to depend on the brands of chocolate that you use. Choose a darker chocolate if you want a robust deep flavor. The higher the percentage typically means that less sugar is added to the chocolate bar, which will give you a deeper chocolate flavor. I have successfully used dark chocolate chips in this recipe (chop those as well if you use them in the recipe) but just prefer to use dark chocolate bars.
As far as the cocoas, you can use either natural or Dutch-processed, though I prefer the latter. Natural cocoa is more acidic than Dutch-processed, and you can definitely taste that as well as more fruity kind of astringent flavors, depending on the brand. The Dutch-processing or alkalization, reduces the acidity and in doing that, generally mellows out the astringency a bit.
Chocolate cake made with natural cocoa - see the slightly lighter/redder hue of the cake?
Functionally, natural cocoa in this cake will cause a slightly higher rise in the cake, though the dome usually flattens out after cooling. It also has a slightly lighter brown color compared to the Dutch-processed.
This is in the category of easiest cakes to make in my Cakeculator. The single stage or muffin method can be made using only one bowl and a whisk, which is actually how I make this cake. No alternating of ingredients, simply add them in the order listed in the recipe and whisk!
This is a classic moist chocolate cake full of flavor, and if I’m aiming for that classic take - I’ll often do a vanilla buttercream.
My family also loves fruit with cakes, so I take my Swiss meringue buttercream and add powdered freeze dried strawberries or raspberries to make a fruity buttercream.
This chocolate cake is excellent for children’s birthdays, and really for anyone who just enjoys a good quality chocolate cake.
Here's a video tutorial on how this cake batter comes together, which I baked in a half sheet pan. This video was filmed a while ago and I have changed around the recipe just a tad. In the video there's baking soda (I have since removed it) and the order may have changed a bit. The most up to date version of this recipe is written out for you below.
For all other sizes, you should be ok with either grams or volume.
My cakeculator converts to estimated volume (cups, tablespoons, etc.) for American bakers, which are not as accurate and why you you will see differences between the weight and volume amounts. The correct and most accurate one will always be weight.
Ingredients like baking soda and salt are usually given volumentrically (teaspoons) because most household scales are inaccurate with smaller numbers.
This is the OXO scale I use on a daily basis. If you’re interested in other tools I use for my baking, I’ve compiled a list here.
Bring the eggs out to room temperature. If you're in a hurry, place the whole, uncooked eggs in a bowl of hot tap water while you prep the other ingredients. It will be ready by the time you need them.
Move your oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To prep the pan you can butter and flour the entire interior of the pan, or you can butter and lay parchment along just the bottom, and then butter and flour the sides.
If you are cutting and stacking mini cakes, either method will work.
If you are stacking large cutouts (such as for my number or letter cakes), or the entire cake, I highly suggest laying parchment on the bottom.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together boiling hot water, Dutch-process cocoa, and finely chopped dark chocolate. It should form a thin chocolate liquid that smells amazing, but may have some chocolate chunks left.
Let it sit for at least 5-10 minutes to allow the cocoa powder to bloom and the dark chocolate to melt fully. At the end of this step, give it another good whisk to ensure all the chocolate pieces are melted.
Whisk in the brown sugar, salt, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until slightly thicker and completely combined, about a minute.
Add the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Whisk until no traces of flour remain.
Add the egg yolk(s), whisk, then add the whole eggs one and whisk for another 30 or seconds until the eggs are completely mixed into the chocolate batter.
Evenly pour batter around the entire pan, using a spatula if needed to smooth the surface. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles.
You will know this cake is done when you insert a toothpick and only a few crumbs stick. (If you have an instant-read thermometer, the centers should register about 200°F/93°C.)
Cool completely before removing from the pan.
If you are using cookie cutters, you can cut directly in the pan or you can flip the cake out and cut.
If you are stacking the cake, flip the cake out when it's cool.
To flip this large cake, take another half sheet pan and place the bottom on your cooled cake. Flip the cake over and slide the cooled cake onto your work surface.
*Dutch-processed cocoa (aka European cocoa - I prefer the Droste brand) works best in this recipe due to its mellow flavor and dark color. You can, however, opt for natural cocoa if you prefer. It does have a more acidic flavor profile, so the chocolate will be more pronounced in that way - and also, it's usually lighter in color so will produce a light to medium brown cake.
**It's difficult to give volumetric measurements (cups, tsp, etc.) for chopped chocolate, which is why I give only the weight here. Dark chocolate is anything that either says "dark" or is above 50% on the label. It usually has a little bit of sugar in it, which is fine for the recipe. I LOVE Trader Joe's Pound Plus Dark Chocolate bars. You get more than a pound for about $5. When I've run out of my prized TJ's chocolate bars, I use Ghiradelli's Bittersweet Bar, which is America's Test Kitchen's Winner for dark chocolate.
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