If you’re looking for a rich chocolate cake recipe that comes together using only cocoa powder (no melted chocolate), then this recipe is it! This moist chocolate cake is packed with flavour, and is topped with an incredibly delicious chocolate cream cheese frosting. Based off my 5 star rated vanilla cake recipe, this chocolate cake WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!
How I developed this recipe
So I’m a huge believer in a rich chocolate cake having actual chocolate in it. Most chocolate cakes that I’ve tried that DON’T have chocolate in them, just don’t have that deep rich chocolate flavour that you (well.. I) want in a chocolate cake. Many basic chocolate cake recipes also have this kind of distinct after taste to them because of the baking soda, which I’m not very fond of (I know… I’m very picky haha!). Which is why I developed my original rich chocolate cake recipe with real chocolate.
However, many of you have been asking for a rich chocolate cake recipe that doesn’t have any chocolate in it, only cocoa powder. Honestly, I didn’t think it was possible! I tried many recipes, and either the cocoa was too over powering and left you with a dry after taste in your mouth (because of excess cocoa powder in the recipe to try and achieve that rich flavour), or the cake just wasn’t chocolatey enough. One thing that was common in all of my trials is that I used the traditional ‘hot water method’ of making chocolate cake. So, I decided to change that, and instead used the creaming method to see if that made a difference.
I decided to use my vanilla cake recipe as a base since you guys LOVE that recipe, and OMG it was the best thing I ever did. What did I end up with? A rich, moist, decadent chocolate cake with NO CHOCOLATE IT IN! Only cocoa powder. Safe to say I proved myself wrong.
How to make this chocolate cake
This recipe comes together really easily – just follow the steps as stated and I would recommend using the gram measurements (all ingredient quantities are in the recipe card at the end of the post) 🙂
Begin by preheating your oven to 160 °C (320°F) with the fan on (see note 5 on the recipe card below if you don’t have a fan function) and grease and/or line two 8 inch cake tins (I use my homemade cake release).
In a bowl, sift together your flour, cornflour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, instant coffee powder and cocoa powder. Using a whisk or fork, mix until well combined. Set aside.
In another bowl, add in your butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine – see note 2 on recipe card), cream together for 2 minutes until light and creamy.
Add in eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition (about 10-15 seconds between eggs).
Add in your vanilla, vinegar and half a cup of the buttermilk, and mix until well combined. Now set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
Finish off by adding in half of your premixed dry ingredients to your wet mixture, and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Then add in the remaining 1 cup of buttermilk, and fold it in until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold it into the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix (see note 3 on recipe card).
Distribute the batter evenly into the two 8 inch cake tins, and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Once baked, allow the cake layers to cool in the cake tins for about 15-20 minutes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack to completely cool before frosting with the chocolate cream cheese buttercream recipe below, or another frosting of your choice.
How to make chocolate cream cheese frosting
If you haven’t tried a chocolate cream cheese frosting before, you are missing out! It’s honestly one of the most delicious chocolate frostings I’ve ever had – no joke!
Being by creaming your butter for a few minutes until it’s light and fluffy. Either use a hand mixer or stand mixer on a medium high speed. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
Add in the icing sugar in 3 batches while mixing on low. Ensure that each batch of icing sugar is mixed into the butter well before adding in the next batch.
Next add in your cold cream cheese and vanilla. Mix just until the frosting is smooth. Avoid over-mixing (see note 4 on recipe card).
Lastly add in your cocoa powder and mix until well combined and smooth. Avoid over-mixing.
How to decorate this chocolate cake
You can get super creative and decorate this cake however you like, but this is how I did mine 🙂
Begin by placing your first cake layer onto your cake stand, and spread out a generous amount of the chocolate frosting.
Next place your next cake layer on top, and then cover the tops and sides with more frosting. I like to use my cake scraper to smooth out the sides.
I then finished off by doing some piping with a 1A piping tip on top. I absolutely love the little rain drop pattern look (not sure what they’re called!).
And that is it! Enjoy 🙂
Easy Rich Chocolate Cake Recipe
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1¾ cups (210 g) flour - regular all purpose (see note 1 if you want to use cake flour)
- ¼ cup (25 g) cornflour - also known as cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt - omit if using salted butter
- 2 tsp instant coffee powder
- 1 cup (100 g) cocoa powder - unsweetened, Dutch processed preferred
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- ¾ cup (158 g) unflavoured vegetable oil - I use canola
- 1⅔ cups (332 g) white granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla essence/extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1½ cups (337 g) buttermilk - room temperature, see note 6 if using a homemade buttermilk substitute
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 4½ cups (570 g) icing sugar - also known as confectioners/powdered sugar
- 1½ cups (335 g) cream cheese - cold, firm type
- 1½ tsps vanilla
- ¾ cup (75 g) cocoa powder - unsweetened
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 160 °C (320°F) with the fan on (see note 5 if you don't have a fan function) and grease and/or line two 8 inch cake tins (I use my homemade cake release).
- In a bowl, sift together your flour, cornflour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, instant coffee powder and cocoa powder. Using a whisk or fork, mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, add in your butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine - see note 2), cream together for 2 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add in eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition (about 10-15 seconds between eggs).
- Add in your vanilla, vinegar and half a cup of the buttermilk, and mix until well combined. Now set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
- Finish off by adding in half of your premixed dry ingredients to your wet mixture, and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Then add in the remaining 1 cup of buttermilk, and fold it in until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold it into the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix (see note 3).
- Distribute the batter evenly into the two 8 inch cake tins, and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once baked, allow the cake layers to cool in the cake tins for about 15-20 minutes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack to completely cool before frosting with the chocolate cream cheese buttercream recipe below, or another frosting of your choice.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream your butter for a few minutes until it's light and fluffy. Either use a hand mixer or stand mixer on a medium high speed. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
- Add in the icing sugar in 3 batches while mixing on low. Ensure that each batch of icing sugar is mixed into the butter well before adding in the next batch.
- Next add in your cold cream cheese and vanilla. Mix just until the frosting is smooth. Avoid over-mixing (see note 4).
- Lastly add in your cocoa powder and mix until well combined and smooth. Avoid over-mixing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
61 Comments
This recipe is amazing. Love the rich, chocolate flavor enhanced by the coffee powder. I toasted some pecans and added to the icing. I had to make some buttermilk using canned, evaporated milk ad it came out perfectly moist. Thank you for this recipe!
So so happy to hear you loved the recipe Algertha! 😀 The addition of pecans sounds incredible – I’ll have to try that sometime 😀
THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE EVER!!!! made this for my family and considering the ingredients an effort comparing to other “chocolate cakes” was definitely more, (i.e buttermilk and things) but IT. WAS. SO. WORTH. IT
I didn’t have enough cocoa powder as the recipe required so i only put like ALMOST 1 cup i think (the quality of the cocoa powder was really good), YET the cake turned out SO MOIST, FLUFFY, RICH and CHOCOLATY!!
My new go-to!!!! (not a really big fan of the cream-cheese frosting though! I’m thinking of going with just sweet whipping creme next time <3)
So so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Hafsa! 😀 Chocolate Swiss meringue would go really well with this cake if you wanted to give that a go! Here’s the link to the recipe 🙂 https://cakesbymk.com/recipe/chocolate-swiss-meringue-buttercream/
Love your recipes, I would appreciate if you can make eggless ones too. Thanks
Thanks Pajan! Will try and keep more eggless recipes in mind for future videos 🙂
I have just put my chocolate cake in the oven and will let you know the results. Im really in love with your recipes especially vanilla 😍
Awesome! So so happy to hear that Pamela, hope you enjoy the chocolate cake 😀
I’ve just made this cake on a practice run for my mum’s birthday which is in 2 weeks-ish and my family loved it 🥰 she’s requested this cake and my ban’s Victoria sandwich cake too for sharing with family and friends. Thank you for this recipe
Awesome! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Victoria 🙂 hope your mum has a wonderful birthday!
Hi MK,
I am going to be baking this cake for my wife’s birthday. Where is best to place the two cake pans in the oven? Side by side, or on seperate racks? Appreciate your help!
Hi Chad! Side by side in the middle rack of the oven would be best 🙂
I forgot to add to my earlier comment….although this cake came out beautifully, the taste was extremely bitter. I used Ghirardelli brand unsweetened cocoa powder. Should I try dutch cocoa powder next time? Any suggestions are appreciated!
Hi Darnell! 🙂 So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, but sorry to hear it was bitter! I would definitely recommend using Dutch processed cocoa as this will reduce the bitter taste. I would also recommend using the gram measurements for accuracy if you didn’t already. Hope that helps 🙂
Hello. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I followed it exact and It came out really good. Just one question…Does it suppose to taste and have a texture almost like a brownie? That is the result I got. I would rather a more cake texture. Any suggestions?
I forgot to add to my earlier comment….although this cake came out beautifully, the taste was extremely bitter. I used Ghirardelli brand unsweetened cocoa powder. Should I try dutch cocoa powder next time? Any suggestions are appreciated!
Hi MK,
Love watching your videos.
Curious to know how long the cake layers can be kept frozen? Also, how long do you recommend baking in advance when not intending to freeze but rather storing in the cupboard or fridge? Thank you.
Hi Christina! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the videos 😀 and I haven’t tried freezing these cake layers myself but I think the general rule of thumb for cakes is upto 3 months (wrapped well in cling wrap and placed in an airtight container) 🙂 in terms of baking ahead without freezing them, I would recommend a day or two in advance max 🙂 hope that helps!
Hi Darnell! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 and the cake is rich but it shouldn’t be too dense like a brownie, it should resemble more of a cakey texture. I would make sure the ratio of ingredients is exact so would recommend using the gram measurements if you didn’t already, but would also make sure the initial creaming process is done well – so the butter should be the right consistency (not too firm or not too soft) to get it nice and fluffy. Lastly, I would also make sure the batter is mixed well at the end. If you still find it’s a little too dense for your liking, then you can add a little more flour and this should help give it a more cakey texture. Hope that helps! 🙂
I finally got to make this recipe. I made cupcakes. I loved this recipe for cupcakes. It wasn’t a thin batter like the other recipes I have used. I did leave the coffee out because unlike most people I can actually taste it. Coffee and chocolate is not my favorite flavor. Thank you so much for this recipe.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Holly! 😀
I can taste coffee in recipes as well. Does it still have a rich chocolate flavor? Thank you!
My daughter and I love watching your videos! She has requested this cake in one big pan for her birthday. Do you know how long I should bake it in a 9×13 pan?
Hi Monica! So happy to hear you and your daughter are enjoying the videos :D. In terms of cooking time, if the thickness of the batter is roughly the same as mine when I place the batter in the 8 inch cake tins, then cooking time should be about the same 🙂 hope you enjoy the recipe!