This simple moist chocolate cake recipe is the kind of dessert that brings everyone together. It is rich but balanced, tender yet sturdy enough for layering, and full of deep cocoa flavor that stays soft for days. The buttermilk and oil create the perfect moist crumb, while a touch of hot coffee blooms the chocolate for deeper taste. Topped with a light frosting, this cake feels bakery-quality but is simple enough for any home baker. Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 15 to 20 minutes | Total: About 2 hours with cooling | Yield: Three 8 inch layers (serves 12)
A Family Favorite for Every Celebration
There is something sacred about a homemade cake. I baked this moist chocolate cake for my dad's birthday this year, and our kitchen filled with laughter, frosting smudges, and the comforting scent of cocoa. The mixer hummed, the children danced around the counter, and for a moment everything felt still in the warmth of home. Everyone leaned in as the knife cut through the first slice, soft and rich and perfectly chocolatey.
This cake has become our family's go-to dessert because it is simple, reliable, and pure comfort. It never fails to remind me that hospitality does not have to be fancy. It is about connection. About slowing down, baking something from scratch, and offering it with joy. It is the one I turn to for birthdays, church potlucks, and those evenings when I just want something special to share around the table.
If you love chocolate desserts like this one, try our Flourless Chocolate Cake for a gluten-free version, or pair this one with our Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting for a silky, professional finish.
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Why You Will Love This
This recipe is loosely inspired by Ina Garten's Beatty's Chocolate Cake, a classic that has lived in many home kitchens for decades. I first baked her version years ago, and it was love at first bite. Over time, I adapted it for our family, adjusting the balance of cocoa and buttermilk, refining the crumb for softness, and creating a lighter whipped frosting. It's become something of our own family heirloom recipe, born from a beloved classic and refined through many birthdays and celebrations.
This cake blends everything home bakers love: deep chocolate flavor, approachable steps, and a moist crumb that stays tender for days. Each ingredient and step has been tested for consistency and ease, making this recipe both forgiving and fail-proof.
- Deep chocolate flavor from quality cocoa and hot coffee that enhances without overpowering.
- Moist, soft crumb that stays tender because of the perfect balance of fat and liquid.
- Beginner-friendly method with just two bowls and a whisk.
- Elegant enough for a wedding or special occasion, but easy enough for a Tuesday.
- Freezer-friendly and consistent every time.
This cake is a reminder that good baking is not about perfection but about process. It teaches you to slow down, measure carefully, and enjoy every aroma as it fills your home.
Ingredients You Need and Why
Each ingredient in this cake serves a purpose. Understanding their roles transforms baking from following directions to creating with confidence.
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of structure. Measured correctly, it gives the cake body without heaviness. King Arthur All-Purpose Flour is my favorite.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Dutch-process gives deep color and smooth flavor. Natural cocoa brings a lighter, slightly tangy finish. Both work beautifully.
- Baking powder and baking soda: These leavening agents create lift. The buttermilk's acidity activates the soda, producing soft air bubbles that make the cake tender.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and intensifies chocolate flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Locks in moisture, adds structure, and promotes even browning.
- Eggs: Provide structure, moisture, and emulsification for a cohesive, fine crumb.
- Buttermilk: Adds tang and tenderness by softening gluten strands and balancing acidity.
- Vegetable oil: Keeps the cake moist longer than butter. Oil stays liquid at room temperature, which helps the cake retain its soft texture even days later.
- Vanilla bean paste: Adds aromatic warmth and enhances the cocoa's depth.
- Hot coffee: Blooms the cocoa powder, drawing out deeper chocolate notes. It will not make the cake taste like coffee, just richer.
- Salted butter (for frosting): Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the chocolate frosting.
How to Make It
The process is simple, but every step matters. Baking is about patience, rhythm, and learning to trust your ingredients.
Cool completely.
Rest in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Preheat and prepare.
Set the oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8 inch round pans with parchment. This keeps layers even and prevents sticking.
Combine dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Sifting removes clumps and aerates for a lighter texture.
Combine wet ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Proper mixing here ensures the fats emulsify, giving the batter even texture.
Bring it together.
Pour wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently. Mix only until you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make the cake dense.
Add the hot coffee.
Pour in the coffee and whisk until the batter is smooth and glossy. The batter will be thin. That is what creates a moist, delicate crumb.
Bake.
Divide evenly among the pans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
Tips, Tools, and Troubleshooting
Before you dive into frosting and slicing, take a moment to understand the "why" behind your cake. These tips and troubleshooting notes come from both baking science and years of practice, giving you confidence from the first whisk to the final crumb.
Tips and Techniques
- Measure with precision. Use a scale for accuracy. Small errors in flour measurement can alter texture and rise.
- Use room temperature ingredients. This ensures fats and liquids blend smoothly, creating uniform structure.
- Sift cocoa and flour. It adds air and prevents clumping.
- Do not overmix. Once you add the coffee, mix only until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, creating a heavy texture.
- Cool completely before frosting. Warm cake melts frosting and causes it to slide.
- Chill layers before frosting. Cool, firm cake layers make decorating cleaner and easier.
Tools I Recommend
- Three 8 inch round cake pans
- Fine mesh strainer or sifter
- Hand or stand mixer - I'm partial to my KitchenAid Stand Mixer
- Offset spatula
- Bench scraper
- Baking Thermometer
Troubleshooting
Most cake problems trace back to temperature, time, or technique. Understanding the cause makes you a stronger baker.
Curdled frosting: A temperature difference between butter and chocolate mixture. Keep mixing slowly until it re-emulsifies.
Dry cake: Usually overbaked or too much flour. Always weigh flour and check for doneness early. A finished cake should be about 205°F in the center.
Dense texture: Caused by overmixing or expired leaveners. Each whisk stroke develops gluten; mix gently and use fresh baking powder and soda.
Sinking center: Happens when the oven door opens too soon or the structure is too weak. Wait until the cake is set before checking.
Cracked tops: Oven too hot or pans overfilled. Bake in the center rack for even air circulation.
Variations, Substitutions, and Storage
Once you have mastered this base recipe, the real fun begins. These variations and substitutions let you make the cake your own for any season or celebration, and proper storage keeps every slice tasting like the first.
Variations and Substitutions
- Replace hot coffee with hot water for a caffeine-free version.
- Add orange zest or espresso powder for extra depth.
- Use melted coconut oil or brown butter for a rich, nutty flavor.
- Layer with caramel, raspberry jam, or peanut butter for a bakery-style finish.
Serving and Storage
- Store frosted cake in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
- Freeze unfrosted layers for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in plastic and foil.
- Use leftover crumbs in our Cake Pucks Recipe, a fun and easy way to reduce waste and create a chocolate treat for kids.
Recipe FAQs
Coffee contains natural acids that react with cocoa, enhancing its flavor and creating a darker color. The warmth helps dissolve the cocoa fats, producing a smoother, more cohesive batter. You will not taste coffee, only richer chocolate.
Oil, sugar, and buttermilk. Oil remains liquid at room temperature, sugar binds moisture, and buttermilk tenderizes gluten. Together, they create a cake that stays soft for days
A sunken center usually means your oven temperature was too low or the cake was checked too soon. Wait until the edges pull away slightly from the pan before opening the oven.
Yes. Bake layers up to two days in advance, cool completely, and wrap tightly. Frost the day you plan to serve. You can also freeze unfrosted layers for up to two months.
Yes, especially with dairy-based frosting. Chill the cake to preserve texture and freshness. Bring to room temperature before serving for full flavor.
Yes. The flavor will be lighter and slightly tangy. Reduce baking soda by one quarter teaspoon to maintain balance.
Yes. Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum. The texture will be slightly denser, but still soft and flavorful.
Recipe
Simple Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Parchment paper rounds (8 in) optional
- 2 Large mixing bowls
- 1 Fine mesh strainer or sifter
- 1 whisk
- 1 Heat-safe measuring cup for hot coffee
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 Offset spatula
- 1 Bench scraper
- Wire cooling racks
- 1 Baking thermometer for accurate baking temps
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake Layers
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk shaken
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup hot coffee
For the Whipped Chocolate Frosting
- 2 cups salted butter room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 20 ounces heavy cream
- 20 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat and prepare pans.
- Set oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8 inch round pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine dry ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar until evenly combined. Sift once for a lighter crumb.2 cups all purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 2 cups granulated sugar
Combine wet ingredients.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla bean paste until smooth and glossy.2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Mix the batter.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir gently until almost combined. Do not overmix or the cake will become dense.
Add the hot coffee.
- Pour in the hot coffee and whisk slowly until the batter is smooth and pourable. The warmth activates the cocoa for deeper flavor.1 cup hot coffee
Bake the cakes.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center shows moist crumbs.
Cool completely.
- Let cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to wire racks. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Prepare the frosting.
- In a large bowl or mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar together on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.2 cups salted butter, 4 cups powdered sugar
Melt the chocolate.
- In a separate heat-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave or heat over a double boiler until melted and smooth. Let cool until thickened but still pourable.20 ounces heavy cream, 20 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
Whip together.
- Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the whipped butter and beat until light and glossy. The frosting should hold soft peaks and spread easily.
Assemble the cake.
- Trim cake layers if needed. Place the first layer on a serving plate and spread evenly with frosting. Add the second and third layers, frosting each one evenly.
Chill before serving.
- Refrigerate the assembled cake for 20 minutes before slicing. This helps the frosting set and gives neat, clean edges.
Notes
- Measure precisely. Use a kitchen scale for flour and sugar to keep the crumb soft and consistent.
- Room temperature matters. Bring eggs and buttermilk to room temp for even mixing and rise.
- Mix gently. Stop as soon as the flour disappears; overmixing makes a dense cake.
- Hot coffee = deeper flavor. It blooms the cocoa for richer color and taste without any coffee flavor.
- Check your oven temp. An oven thermometer ensures steady heat and even layers.
- Cool completely. Let layers rest 1 hour before frosting and chill 20 minutes for clean edges.
- Taste and adjust frosting. Different chocolate brands vary in sweetness - balance with a pinch of salt if needed.
- Inspired by Ina Garten. Loosely adapted from her Beatty's Chocolate Cake, with small tweaks for a softer crumb and light whipped frosting.
Nutrition
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If you make this simple moist chocolate cake recipe, I would love to hear about it. Leave a comment, tag @thebakerstablesc on Instagram, and share your family's celebration.
Real ingredients. Real connection. Really good baking.
About Kendra Boettner
Hi, I'm Kendra, wife, mom of three, and the baker behind The Baker's Table.
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