The Best Chocolate Cake – Homemade chocolate cake from scratch with rich chocolate frosting. This will be your favorite chocolate cake ever!
In our home, our children always picked what goody they wanted for their birthday. Sometimes it was a birthday cake, sometimes it was a birthday pumpkin pie. Yes, you read that right.
But looking back over the years, this cake was picked more than any other – and it was always called the same thing. “The Good Chocolate Cake.” Of course, you don’t need to wait for a birthday to make this…I certainly don’t!
How to Make the Best Chocolate Cake
To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Grease & flour a bundt cake pan. (Or use my “pan ease” mixture – a homemade baking spray replacement.) Set it aside for now.
In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking cocoa, and baking soda. Whisk it together and set it aside.
In your mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until they are smooth and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, completely mixing in one before adding the next.
Mix in 1/3 of your flour mixture.
Add in the buttermilk.
Stir in the next 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by the coffee and vanilla extract.
Finally, mix in the remaining 1/3 of the flour mixture, making sure to scrape the bowl with a spatula to get it all thoroughly combined.
When it is all combined, pour the cake batter into your prepared cake pan. Spread the batter smooth.
Bake this for 45 minutes, or until it tests done with a toothpick. Cool it 5 minutes in the pan.
Carefully slide a thin butter knife around the edges. Invert the pan onto a cooling rack.
If the cake doesn’t come out immediately, let it cool 5 more minutes while inverted on the rack – then give it a gentle shake. It normally comes right out when I do this.
Allow the cake to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
Beat butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Sift in powdered sugar and cocoa. Mix these together and stir in vanilla extract.
Add in milk as needed to make a nice, smooth, and spreadable consistency. Frost the cake.
As a final touch, grate a little dark chocolate over the top if you like.
You will absolutely love this chocolate cake. It is truly the best I have ever made and is far superior than anything that will come out of a boxed mix.
Did you Make this Recipe? I’d love for you to give me a 5 star rating in the recipe card below. If you share it on Instagram, please tag me! You can also post it to my Facebook Page.
The Best Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 c all-purpose flour
- 1/3 c baking cocoa
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 c granulated sugar
- 1 c butter, unsalted, room temperature
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 c buttermilk
- 1 c strong coffee, warm – not hot
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 c butter, room temperature
- 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 c baking cocoa
- 2 1/3 c powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 c milk, as needed
For Garnish
- dark chocolate , optional
Instructions
- To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour a bundt cake pan. (Or use my "pan ease" mixture.) Set it aside for now.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking cocoa, and baking soda. Whisk it together and set it aside.
- In your mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until they are smooth and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, completely mixing in one before adding the next.
- Mix in 1/3 of your flour mixture.
- Mix in the buttermilk.
- Mix in the next 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by the coffee and vanilla.
- Mix in the remaining 1/3 of the flour mixture, making sure to scrape the bowl with a spatula to get it all mixed.
- When it is all combined, pour the cake batter into your prepared cake pan. Spread the batter smooth.
- Bake this for 45 minutes, or until it tests done with a toothpick. Cool it 5 minutes in the pan, then carefully side a thin butter knife around the edges.
- Invert the pan onto a cooling rack. If the cake doesn’t come out immediately, let it cool 5 more minutes while inverted on the rack – then give it a gentle shake. It normally comes right out when I do this. Allow the cake to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
- Beat the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy.
- Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa. Mix these together and stir in the vanilla.
- Add in the milk as needed to make a nice, smooth, and spreadable consistency.
- Frost the cake.
- To finish, grate a little dark chocolate over the top if you like.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If nutritional values are provided for this recipe, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands of ingredients you use. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste or for serving. If nutritional values are very important to you, I suggest using your favorite nutritional calculating tool with the brands you use.
This cake sounds truly delicious! I’m also making this for my boy’s birthday! Thanks!
It is indeed an indulgence. Bundt cakes are definitely my weakness…they're just so quick and easy to throw together and they look lovely without a lot of fuss. I'll be saving this one for a special occasion!
Beautiful cake! I could just eat it straight off of the screen!
Are you sure you don't want to retitle the divine dessert as the "Great Chocolate Cake?" The repeat request for a sweet speaks volumes. And just looking at your photos makes me hungry…Well, for now, at least I can grab the recipe you've shared and enjoy a bite (okay, many bites) later =)
The "please let the Bundt cake come out" prayer is a staple in my kitchen as well, Constance. That and lots of non-stick spray and flour always see me right. I love that your children call it "the good chocolate cake!" Any recipe that has stood the test of time like this must be great!
Great movie and what a yummy looking cake! I loved 21 Jump Street too.
My recent post Goat Cheese Basil Grits for #SundaySupper
I have yet to see this movie, but I promise you when I do……I'll be making this cake when I do!!
I'm sure you'll love it :)
Your chocolate cake looks so delicious, thanks for the recipe!
Thank you!
My recent post The Last One | #AuroraBorealis
I am not a huge fan of chocolate but I would love to eat this cake right now!!!!
My recent post Spicy Seared Tuna with Balsamic Reduction (inspired by Big Fish) for Movie Inspired #SundaySupper
Fantastic movie, delicious looking cake and great post. You have got it all here!!
Ok…I literally had to close my mouth when I saw the picture of your chocolate cake. Oh my sweet Lord that looks amazing!
Your comment literally made me laugh out loud :) thank you!
Everything about this cake is right up my alley! I am a chocolate lover, I admit it. lol I can not wait to try your frosting recipe. Yum!
Thank you – I love the creamy texture of this frosting, and not overly sweet.
Good doesn't BEGIN to describe this! It's the Johnny Depp of cakes… handsome, rich and deep
My recent post Better Baked Mac & Cheese for #SundaySupper Movie Night
ROFL!!! Thank you :)
LOL! Fun post… and loved 21 Jump Street too!!! This cake looks incredible… I'm thinking it will go over VERY well in my family too ;-)
It's the chocolate cake of my dreams! And the movie "Chocolat" was so dreamy with Johnny Depp in it, I agree. That first photo of the cake is incredible!
My recent post Alaska Smoked Salmon, Celery and Apple Salad #SundaySupper
Thank you!
Oh, my. Fantastic cake! I must try this!!!
My recent post Croque-Monsieur..#SundaySupper, #MovieInspiredRecipes
Oh so good!!! I've got 3 chocolate cake lovers in the house who would go nuts for this!
ok don't shout at me but I haven't seen the movie. I know I know something must be wrong with me because if there is chocolate in it and Jonny then of course I should have known it. Can I still have a slice of your gorgeous chocolate cake now? please! =D
Your cake is gorgeous, and the like your idea of a Girls' movie night with your cake.Chocolat is one of my favorite movies. If you didn't bring chocolate with you to the movie, you had to find some ASAP after the movie .I would have run home and make your Chocolate cake:) Love Johnny Depp, too.
*swoon* so dreamy, so tasty, so pretty….
(and the cake looks pretty good too ;) hehehee <3 Johnny Depp and Chocolat! AND omg forreal this cake also is gorgeous and looks like perfection to this chocoholic!)
My recent post Iocane-Dusted Brownies of Unusual Size-#SundaySupper Movie Inspired Recipes, "The Princess Bride"
If only I could conjure up a fat slice of this cake and a side of Johnny Depp, I would be set for life. ;) It looks amazing!
My recent post Beet Chips …inspired by Food Matters {#SundaySupper Movie-inspired Recipes}
I have never seen Chocolat – I'll have to get on that. I always get super nervous when inverting a bundt cake too. I have had one stick and it was so upsetting to have to go bake it again. Flour and butter in the pan is my secret now.
Now excuse me while I go dream about sharing a slice of this cake with Johnny Depp. I love the movie for more than the eye candy and it is one everyone should watch. And watching it while enjoying this cake would be one fantastic experience.
My recent post Beef and Onions Braised in Beer for #SundaySupper
Gorgeous and so easy Constance! The kind to make all the time, you´re right. Chocolat is one mandatory movie, and one of the best ever.
I'd pick that for my birthday too!