This from scratch chocolate butter cake is super moist and easy to make. Because it’s actually a chocolate cake with butter recipe, the cake has a really rich flavor to it that’s perfect for birthdays, or any time you feel like a homemade chocolate cake.
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Hey there! Before you scroll, there’s lot’s of important stuff in the post!…including the FAQ section, which may answer any questions you might have about this recipe. Enjoy!
Ok, you might know that vanilla cake is my favorite, especially this one. I feel like most people, except for me, pick chocolate cake as THEIR favorite, so I wanted to give myself a challenge.
The challenge was to create a chocolate cake that I felt was as tasty as my favorite vanilla one. Now, that’s a challenge coming from this vanilla cake enthusiast, but I think I have done it.
This Chocolate Butter Cake is super moist, but it’s not a complete chocolate overload.
I LOVE this chocolate cake. Yep, you heard me right. I actually said I love a chocolate cake. Mark that one down on your calendar.
This cake has a dense crumb, but still light (does that even make sense?). It’s made with real butter with just a bit of oil. I love it because it’s not so overloaded with a super chocolaty flavor and I can still taste the butter flavor coming through. It also doesn’t feel as spongy as some of the oil chocolate cakes do.
LET’S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE INGREDIENTS IN THE CHOCOLATE BUTTER CAKE:
Butter: Most recipes for chocolate cake that I’ve made, call for all oil and no butter. The oil really makes the cake moist, but I just prefer the denseness and the taste of a butter cake. So, I went about creating a chocolate butter cake that would actually stay moist.
You will be using a bit of oil in this cake to add a bit more moistness to it, but the butter is the shining star.
Brown Sugar: This isn’t normally in a chocolate cake, but I find that brown sugar really gives this cake a deeper flavor and provides extra moisture.
Coffee: For the liquid, I went with coffee. As my mom would always say, “Don’t knock it ’til you try it.” I promise you this cake won’t taste like coffee. In fact, you won’t even taste the coffee at all. It just helps to bring out the other flavors.
Cocoa powder: You’ll want to use unsweetened cocoa powder NOT dutch processed. Why? Because dutch processed cocoa isn’t acidic like regular unsweetened natural cocoa powder is and since you’ll be adding in baking soda, if you use dutch processed, that could mess up the rise and texture of the cake.
MIXING METHOD FOR THE CHOCOLATE BUTTER CAKE:
The mixing method for this cake is just the classic creaming method, but even easier.
With the creaming method, you basically whip up the butter and sugar until fluffy, then you alternately add in your dry and liquid ingredients.
When I originally wrote this recipe, the instructions went through creaming the butter and sugar for a couple minutes and later adding in the hot water. While I really think it’s important to mix the butter and sugar well, I’ve determined that it’s not necessary to mix it quite as long with this one.
Basically, it’s really not necessary to whip the butter and sugar for several minutes for this cake, because you’ll later add in the hot coffee (or hot water) and that will essentially melt the butter and the sugar.
Tips & FAQs for Making the Chocolate Butter Cake:
If you really can’t stand the idea of adding in coffee (remember, it won’t taste like coffee, it just enhances the flavor of the chocolate), you can actually just use really hot water instead. The cake will still taste great.
Should I use dutch cocoa or regular cocoa powder?
Use regular unsweetened natural cocoa powder. Dutch cocoa powder is made differently and you would need to make adjustments to the baking soda and baking powder if you use dutch processed.
When you say brown sugar, does it matter if it’s dark or light brown sugar?
It doesn’t really matter. Just use what you have. I used light brown, but dark brown is fine too. Also make sure you pack the brown sugar into your measuring cup.
Well this recipe is now my best ‘go to’ chocolate cake. It’s simple to make (no complicated steps) and it’s great for birthdays, or practically any other time you feel like chocolate cake.
I filled and frosted this cake with my double chocolate buttercream.
Video:
Now onto the cake recipe!
Note About Recipe Measurements: I write recipes using volume (cups) measurements because here in the U.S., this is what people are more familiar with and I don’t want anyone to feel intimidated when baking. For metric/weight measurements, click the ‘metric’ button under the ingredients in the recipe card below. The weights are converted by a program, not me, and it’s just a best guess. I can’t guarantee that weighing the ingredients will produce the exact same results, since I test recipes using volume measurements.
Recipe:
Chocolate Butter Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa (I used Hershey’s cocoa – not dutch processed)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- ¼ cup oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup hot coffee
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 inch round pans.
- In a mixing bowl, add the room temp butter and the brown and granulated sugar. Beat on medium until well mixed.
- In another bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, vanilla, milk and eggs. (You’ll add the coffee later.) Set aside.
- Now you'll add in your dry and liquid ingredients alternately. Take a third of the flour mixture and add into the butter and sugar mixture. Beat on low/medium just until combined.
- Add in half the liquid ingredients (not the coffee yet) and beat on medium just until combined.
- Add in the next third of the flour mixture, mix, then the second half of the liquid mixture and mix just until combined. Now add in the last third of the flour mixture and beat just until combined.
- Add in the hot coffee and mix until well combined. Don’t over mix. Once it’s combined, stop mixing. You don’t want to mix for several minutes, that’s too long.
- Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
- Set on wire racks to cool for about ten minutes, then turn out the cake layers onto the racks and remove the pans to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Share
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Tools Used to Make This Recipe:
I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do!
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Find the webstory at this link: Scratch Chocolate Cake with Butter
Esther
Hi Kara Jane thank you so much for the chocolate cake recipe I bake this afternoon it’s super tasty .my son love it . Thank you once again . God bless you and your family.?♥️♥️♥️??
Kara Jane
Oh that’s wonderful! I’m so glad you both liked it. Thanks for the great review! ?
Nadia
Hi Kara!
I’ve used this recipe twice for birthday cakes to carve and
decorate, it’s an absolute winner! Thank you! I just wanted to check if it would be suitable to bake in a glass bowl?? Is that blasphemous?! I want to bake a moon cake in the shape of a dome and after googling have found lots of tips on baking in a Pyrex bowl (with reduced temp due to being deeper and narrower and increased time due to reduced temp). I just wanted to check if you think it’s worth a try or can advise for or against it? Thank you X
Kara Jane
Hi Nadia! So glad you love the cake!! I love how you phrased your question. ? I haven’t tried baking it in a glass bowl. I’ve baked it in a ball pan though, but it was metal. I think it might actually be okay though. I also think your idea about reducing the temp and baking longer is a good idea since it’ll be a deeper cake. So basically, I think it’s worth a try…I have high hopes. ?
Susan Basque
I love this cake! I use it to make black Forest cake, it is deelicious!
Kara Jane
So glad you love this one! I also have a black forest cake recipe on the blog that’s a little different. If you’re ever up for a change, you can check that one out here: https://iscreamforbuttercream.com/double-chocolate-black-forest-cake/
Susan
I’m allergic to coffee (yea, really) so, that’s out of the question and adding hot water sounds so bland. Can I add hot or warm milk?
Kara Jane
Hi Susan, I have some food allergies as well and it’s no fun. As far as adding hot water instead of coffee…I’ve tried it and it didn’t seem bland to me. You could try really hot milk, but I haven’t tried it personally.
Esther
Hi Kara Jane, I’m going to bake the chocolate cake again.I want to check with you this time after the butter cream coating I would like to pour mirror glaze on it is it ok for the cake ? Please let me know . Thank you ?♥️♥️♥️
Kara Jane
I think it would be just fine to pour a glaze over it.
Esther
Thank you ?♥️♥️♥️
Thulasi
Hi Kara,
I’m planning to bake this cake in a small batch.. can you tell me how much ingredients I have to use for a 6 inch cake tin?
Thank you.
Kara Jane
If you will be using 2, 6 inch round cake pans that are about 2 inches deep, then you may want to just go ahead and mix up the full recipe and use the leftover batter as cupcakes. If you’re only making one 6 inch cake layer that will be about 2 inches deep, then you can make half the recipe, but you still may have a bit of batter left over.
Thulasi
Thank you so much dear…
Judy
Hi Kara,
I am wanting to make this cake. Have you ever made it in a 9×13 pan before?Do you think it would turn out okay if I would?
Thanks
Kara Jane
Hi Judy, I haven’t made this one in a 13×9 inch pan, but it should bake up just fine though. Sometimes cakes in glass pans may brown a little more on the bottoms or bake a little faster, so you can either just watch it a little before the baking time ends, or turn the temp down to about five degrees or so.
Natalie
Hi Kara,
This cake looks delicious! I was trying to print the recipe and it keeps taking me to the recipe page vs the printing page. I just printed another one of your recipes and didn’t have a problem, so I don’t think it is something on my end. Just wanted to make you aware. Thanks for your time concerning this and I am a big fan of your blog!
All the best, Natalie
Kara Jane
Hey Natalie, thanks for letting me know! I just tested it on my computer. I clicked the ‘print recipe’ button at the top of the post and it took me to another page to click print…the same thing happened when I went down to the recipe card and clicked print. So, it seemed to work fine for me, but I wonder if there was a glitch or something going on when you tried it earlier. Interesting. You might try it again and see what happens.
Natalie C Corson
Thanks Kara,
There must have been a glitch, I just tried it and it worked. Thanks for getting back so quickly. I am going to try this recipe for my son’s birthday this weekend. Very excited to try it. ? Take care.
Kara Jane
Oh good! Glad it worked. Let me know how you like it and happy birthday to your son! 🙂
Cindy
Salted or un salted butter for cake and frosting?
Kara Jane
Unsalted butter
Susan
Kara, thank you. I’m 57 been baking for 30 years. Yes I’ve had pot belly cakes and I’ve had slump belly cakes and I’ve have had crusty corner cakes. But going totally by your comments to other people that I read, I was very careful on this cake. I for the first time did use coffee. It turned out beautiful and soft and it was so delicious. I did a 9/13, I split it to make like 2 layers, I poked hole in bottom layer with a tuff straw than spread a can of cherry pie filling than put top on than chocolate icing. I’ve always called it my Chocolate covered cherry cake. My twin turned 36 yesterday it’s their favorite but said, Mama this is the best you ever made. So again for such a wonderful cake. I will be following you.
Kara Jane
Susan that’s wonderful to hear! I’m so glad it turned out great and I love the idea of the 13×9 size, split with the cherry filling. Yum! I also loved that you referred to pot belly and slump belly cakes…hahaha!!! Thanks for the wonderful review. 🙂
Kate
Hi, I’ve been using this recipe with great success but my last 2 attempts left me with a dense and wet cake. The cake didn’t bake with a dome, rather it came out with a bubbly and slightly sunken top. What may have gone wrong?
Kara Jane
Hi Kate, hmmm that’s interesting. I really wonder why it’s not turning out the same. Have you checked your oven temp? You probably have already thought of this, but just in case I’d get an oven thermometer and make sure it’s getting hot enough. A dense cake with a sunken top can also mean it was mixed too long or mixed at too high of a speed. Next time you try it, just make sure and only mix until the ingredients are just incorporated and see how that goes. You can cream the butter and sugar for a minute or two and it’ll be fine, but once you start adding in the dry and liquid ingredients, that’s when you have to be real careful. If you try it again, let me know how it goes. If that doesn’t fix the issue, I’ll brainstorm some more.
Dave
Try being the guy who just doesn’t care that much for cake ::the horror:: My Dad wants chocolate cake for his 82nd birthday this year so I’m gonna go with this one. I’ve made your awesome vanilla bean cake before and everyone raved about it (heck, I even liked it!), so I know I can’t go wrong with this one.
Kara Jane
Oh that’s awesome! I hope your Dad loves it and wow what a great compliment about the vanilla cake…especially from someone who’s not really into cake! Thanks so much and let me know how the chocolate cake goes!
Ashley Jones
I’m making this for dinner tonight I’ll let you know how it turns out. But I looks good anyways.
CrazyAsk
Kara Jane
I hope you love it!
Pat
I am wanting to make this cake for my grandson’s upcoming birthday and I would like to use 9 inch cake pans. Just wondering how long to bake the cake. Also how long would you need to bake a 9×13 inch cake?
Kara Jane
For the 9 inch pans, I’d probably start checking it about 7-10 minutes earlier than called for in the recipe. It’ll probably need another couple of minutes from that, but that’s a safe place to start. It will essentially bake a little quicker since the batter will be a bit more spread out in 9-inch pans. For the 13×9 inch pan, that should probably be pretty close to the time called for in the recipe, but you can always start checking it about 5 minutes sooner.
Diana
Hi, how many grams measure your cup?😉
Kara Jane
Hi, you can convert the measurements into grams by clicking the button under the ingredient list in the recipe card that says ‘metric’. It will automatically convert it for you. It will be different for each ingredient as grams are based on weight.
Donna W
I’ve made this cake twice. Unfortunately I used the 8 inch pans. Half the cake ended up on the oven floor. Use 8 inch pans‼️
Kara Jane
Oh no! So did you use smaller pans? Wasn’t sure from the comment if you used 8-inch pans or meant you used smaller ones. Sorry that happened!
Marie
This is such an amazing recipe!! I’ve made it twice now for my kids birthdays and have people ask me for the recipe each time! I need to make some chocolate cupcakes, do you think this would work as a cupcake?
Kara Jane
Hi Marie! Thanks for the wonderful review and I’m so glad you love this cake! I think this recipe should work as cupcakes (although you’d need to bake them for less time). I do however have a recipe on the website specifically for chocolate cupcakes and it is very similar to this one. Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out: https://iscreamforbuttercream.com/best-chocolate-cupcakes/
Constance Ripp
Just iced this chocolate cake with your Whipped Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. That frosting r cipe is a top winner indeed! We will eat this cake tommor but thought I would share now what I observed. I nibbled a couple crumbs when stacking the layers and wonder if this recipe is a bit too sweet. If I make it again, would consider cutting the white sugar back by 1/4 cup. Do you think that would effect the texture of the crumb. I made been bakng cakes for over 40 years know how a cake recipe has worked by just picking up a layer and the smell of the cake. You do get a feel for these things, lol. Thw cake layers felt tender making me think it will be a nice crumb, maybe slightly dense but very moist. All good! The edges where a bit crunchy and I wonder if this is due to the batter’s high sugar content after all the ration is 2 cups of sugar to 2 cups of flour. I wondered about this while I was mixing it up. Share your thoughts with me on decreasing the total sugar input by 1/4 cup, if you can? Otherwise, I believe this is a lovely cake and love it that your recipes “work” especially with your detailed explanations! My favorite cake is Ina Garten’s Coconut Cake if you have ever looked at that one. Her recipes also “work”! Thank you for sharing this and, again, that Whipped Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is heaven!
Kara Jane
Hi Constance, thanks for the review. Yes, if it feels a little sweet, you can lower the sugar by a 1/4 of a cup and it should still be just fine. I do write recipes a little on the sweet side, so I understand.