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The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake Recipe

The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake is here. I call this my Matilda Cake because I swear it’s just as good as the cake that Bruce Bogtrotter ate in Matilda. Moist, chocolatey perfection. This is the chocolate cake you’ve been dreaming of!

Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe

I have been searching for a great chocolate cake recipe for years. For my 18th birthday, my mom made an amazing chocolate cake. It was perfect. It was everything that a chocolate cake should be. Unfortunately, the recipe didn’t seem to survive past that day. Losing that recipe was a tragedy. It set the bar for chocolate cake in my eyes. It took me almost a decade to recreate that perfect chocolate cake. I tried at least a dozen recipes and none of them lived up to my expectations. Until now.

I have found it. My search has ended. I now have THE recipe. If you have ever seen the movie Matilda you will surely remember the scene where the boy is forced to eat the most delicious looking chocolate cake ever. I feel just like that boy when I eat this cake. It is my Matilda chocolate cake for sure.

This cake is moist and has the perfect crumb. I cannot imagine making a chocolate cake using any other recipe. It is so easy to make and puts doctored cake mix recipes to shame. I’m eating a piece of the cake as I’m writing this, drooling all over my keyboard. It is insanely delicious. A decades search was worth the wait. Every…decadent…bite. Who wants cake?

MY OTHER RECIPES

homemade chocolate cake

Can this recipe be made into cupcakes?

Why yes it can! I’ve even scaled down the recipe and written a separate set of instructions for it to keep it nice and easy. You can find The Most Amazing Chocolate Cupcakes now on the blog.

 

What is buttermilk? Is there a substitute for buttermilk?

Buttermilk is necessary for this recipe. It has to do with the way it interacts with other ingredients. Buttermilk is the liquid leftover after churning butter. Check out my more in depth post about how to make buttermilk substitute.

 

Can I make this a dairy free chocolate cake recipe?

Yes! Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to almond or soy milk. Let stand 5 minutes and use in place of the buttermilk. For the frosting, use a dairy free frosting option.

 

Can I make this a gluten-free chocolate cake recipe?

Yes! Use “Cup for Cup” gluten-free flour blend in this recipe in the same amounts.

 

Can I make this an eggless chocolate cake recipe?

Yes! There are several options that work well when substituting for eggs in this recipe.

  • 1/4 cup of plain yogurt per egg
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar+ 1 teaspoon baking powder whisked together per egg
  • 1/4 cup mashed banana per egg
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg

 

Chocolate Cake Recipe

Can I make this recipe into only two layers? Can I make this recipe in a 9×13 pan?

Yes you can, for both you’ll need to divide the recipe by 2/3rds. I realize that there are 4 eggs in this recipe so that’s the hard part. Just use 3 eggs.

 

Can I substitute coffee for the hot water?

Yes you can. Another option is to add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder. Either will work.

 

What kind of cocoa powder did you use?

I used Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder in order to use a brand that is most widely available to my readers. I’m also fond of using higher quality cocoa powders like Ghiradelli’s or cocoa powders from specialty chocolatier shops, but those are pretty pricey. I don’t recommend using cheap store brands.

 

How did you get your frosting so dark?

I used half Hershey’s Special Dark Unsweetened Cocoa powder to achieve the dark looking frosting.

 

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my other amazing cake recipes:

 

Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.

 

4.7 from 263 reviews
The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake
 
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Time to Make It
 
The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake is here. I call this my Matilda Cake because I swear it's just as good as the cake that Bruce Bogtrotter ate in Matilda. Moist, chocolatey perfection. This is the chocolate cake you've been dreaming of.
Author:
Yield: 3 9-inch rounds
Ingredients
The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake
  • butter and flour for coating and dusting the cake pan
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1½ cups buttermilk
  • 1½ cups warm water
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
  • 1½ cups butter, softened
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 7-8 cups powdered sugar
  • about ¼ cup milk (as needed)
Instructions
The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch cake rounds. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
  2. Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined.
  3. Add eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat on a medium speed until smooth. This should take just a couple of minutes.
  4. Divide batter among the three pans. I found that it took just over 3 cups of the batter to divide it evenly.
  5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes and then turn out the cakes onto the racks and allow to cool completely.
  7. Frost with your favorite frosting and enjoy!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
  1. In a large bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer for best results
  2. Add in cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
  3. Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add milk as necessary to make a spreadable consistency. The frosting should be very thick and will thicken even more if refrigerated.
Notes
METRIC MEASUREMENTS:
butter and flour for coating and dusting the cake pan
450 grams all-purpose flour
650 grams granulated sugar
155 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
17 grams baking soda
8 grams baking powder
11 grams salt
4 large eggs
350 ml buttermilk
350 ml warm water
115 ml vegetable oil
10 ml vanilla extract


Bake at 176 degrees celsius in three 23 centimeter pans

 

This recipe first appeared on The Stay At Home Chef on February 26, 2013

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Can I use Cake Flour? I believe the substitution is 1 cup AP Flour= 1 cup + 2 Tbsp Cake Flour.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  9. Made this tonight for my mother-in-laws birthday! My first attempt at a homemade chocolate cake and I would like to say thank you thank you for such an awesome recipe posted on Pinterest! I looked at lots of recipes but this one caught my eye and I am so happy it did!! Thank you!! C. Hammel in Colorado

    Reply

  12. I don't use vegetable oil. What would you use to sub? Could I use the equivalent in applesauce and butter or something?

    Reply

          • I recommend using vegetable oil in this recipe. Coconut oil has different chemical properties that can affect the results in baking. It also gives a slight coconut flavor. Olive oil is more similar to vegetable oil chemically, but many people are sensitive to the stronger olive taste.

          • I used coconut oil and it turned out fantastic! No coconut flavor at all. Or if there was no one in my family could tell!

          • I plan on using coconut oil 🙂 I use coconut oil in all my cakes and brownies. They always turn out awesome and moist. You can purchase coconut oil without the taste of coconut. It depends on how the coconut oil is processed. Healthy Traditions (online) has several coconut oil choices and they’re all great. For a coconut oil that you can find in your local store, Lou Ana works great and has zero coconut flavor. Another benefit of coconut oil is that it’s non-hydrogenated with zero trans fats. You can Google to find out the dangers of hydrogenated oils and trans fats. Hope this helps.

  15. Hi, thanks for the recipe – the cake looks amazing! quick question – have just finished mixing all the ingredients together exactly as instructed, but the mix is very runny. Is it supposed to be like this, or have i gone very wrong somewhere? Thanks!

    Reply

  20. Your chocolate cake recipe is really amazing.I've made it umpteen number of times and its always a BIG hit.Thanks so much. Just to bring to your notice that your link to the ganache recipe does not take you there anymore, it used to, earlier.

    Reply

  21. I just found your "most amazing chocolate cake" recipe and thought I would make it using Pamela's cake mix or just make a cake mix using the various flours I have on hand. My wife cannot tolerate gluten so we make these changes fairly often. If it comes out good I will make it gluten free for my piano class next week. If I remember I will keep you posted on the results. KP

    Reply

  22. Do you think this would work for a 13×9 cake?? My daughter wants chocolate cake for her party tomorrow and this one sounds delicious!! I don't have round pans =(

    Reply

    • Thank you! I got lots of great comments today about this cake =)
      The only issue I had was that I put this whole batch in a 9×13 and I should've divided it up. It started oozing out of one side in my oven so I had to put another pan underneath it to catch it. It still turned out great though!!

      Reply

    • You would use 1/2 cup. Melted or room temperature measurement would be the same. However, replacing the butter with oil will produce a very different result. The fat you use in a cake recipe matters and changes the overall consistency and texture. I've used this recipe for so long I can't remember what happened when I tested it with butter! It certainly wasn't gross, but the oil produced the winning result.

      Reply

    • Can I use olive oil?

      I want to decorate it with fondant, would the cake hold? The reason why I wanted to use the butter was because I would assume it would give it a more dense feel. But I wouldn't want to loose moisture.

      Reply

  25. Rachel- I just have to say thank you so much for posting this recipe. I have a brother in-law who makes an awesome chocolate cake and I wanted to find one that could be just as good. My husband thinks this one is even better than his! It looks so pretty when cut as well, and I am feeling very proud of myself! This is my first homemade cake! I know, that is sad, I had just been content with boxed cakes and now thanks to my brother in-law, I can never go back! Thanks to you for sharing this recipe and now I can add this to my own collection!

    Reply

  26. This is the best chocolate cake!!! Very easy to follow instructions and bakes up perfectly! I made 2 9 in rounds, 12 cupcakes and 1-4 in mini cake. I frosted with n old trusted recipe. I will add this to favourites and definitely make it my ‘ go to’ cake!

    Reply

  27. This cake looks scrumptious. I truly believe chocolate is a gift from God. I like the idea of filled cupcakes. I’d like to make a cream filled cupcake. I don’t know if you have Drakes or TastyKake brands where you live, but that is what I have in mind. Except I don’t want that awful Franken fat fake cream. I’d appreciate any tips you have to offer. Thanks again for the recipe.

    Reply

  28. I would like to bake this cake for my 16 year old granddaughters birthday. But would like to ice it and then put a fondant on it. Will this icing hold up ? Or with a ganache work better. Also do you have a really good ganache recipe.

    Reply

  30. This cake looks amazing and so dark like I want a chocolate cake to be. I have make lots of different chocolate cakes and using good quality cocoa powder even that dark kind my cake and frosting never comes this dark. Do you have any more suggestions on a brand or type of cocoa powder that will give me this dark rich color?

    Reply

  31. hi!
    I live in Australia and I’m never sure of oven conversions and my cakes always seem to rise only in the middle.
    should I be using a fan-forced setting at 180 degrees Celsius..
    thanks! the cake looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply

  33. Hi. Of all the hundreds of hours I spend looking for recipes of cakes. I found your recipe and I actually made it. I think my search has stopped too. It is heavenly. What I really appreciate is the fact that there are not alot of crumbs when slicing through it. Well done on this one. I am yet to try more of your recipes.

    Reply

  35. This was in fact the most amazing chocolate cake. People kept eating about half of their slices and “putting it away for later”. They called it really good but a bit rich. I must not have a rich threshold. I wanted another slice and so did my chocolate loving aunt! This is definitely for chocolate lovers. It will be my go to cake for now on. If you are anything like me, you like to have chocolate cake ingredients on hand. I could only get buttermilk in a carton and it turns out you can freeze it. I froze the leftovers in small measured containers so that I have it ready for the next cake 🙂

    Reply

  36. I made this cake today for an special occasion. My entire family (me included) said it’s the best cake ever! I will be using your recipe again. It was very easy to make. I used Wilton’s Buttercream frosting recipe to top it off. I love chocolate cake with white frosting! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  40. hello ! This looks delicious !! Im planninh on making this for my daughters 1st birthday. Could i put fondant on top of this cake without any issues?

    Reply

      • Thank you! Im making a trial batch of cake and will turn it into cake pops hopefully. Its going to be a 3 tier cake ! Minnie mouse theme i have to cover it. However, i will try the buttercream in the middle of the cake 😉

        Reply

  41. Loved the cake! So easy and turned out great. Topped with a ganache frosting.. thank you. Thinking of making up a cake Mix with this recipe..

    Reply

  42. This cake is so good! I used two sheet cake pans, putting half the batter in each. I live in a high altitude state and with my oven it took about 20-25 min to bake, and there was no sinking. In-between the two layers I did a peanut butter butter cream frosting; then over the outside of the cake I halved the chocolate butter cream frosting provided with this recipe, which is also amazing, and just spread it all over. So so so good. Thank you for sharing. This recipe is a keeper.

    Reply

  43. Have you ever made this with 6″ pans? I was thinking about making a mini version but wasn’t sure how much less batter I’d need. I did some math (comparing the volume of the two pans) & solved for how much batter would be needed per pan. I think about 1 1/3 C per 6″ pan. So I could halve the batter recipe & have plenty to fill the pans… I think….

    Any way – have you any practical knowledge on this?

    Reply

    • I actually have made it into 6 inch cakes. I don’t know how much I used per pan exactly. I just eyeballed it and made 4 cakes. The cooking time was about 5 minutes less, but as with all cakes, just keep an eye on it.

      Reply

  44. For your amazing choc cake recipe question about choc bitter cream cheese frosting do you use unsalted butter or just reg. Buttler

    Reply

  45. This looks delicious! Do you use a dark chocolate cocoa powder in the cake, too, or just in the icing? Thank you!

    Reply

  47. I read and followed this recipe a few years ago and I believe there used to be a different frosting recipe link within the post. Do you remember what that was? Because I loved the combination of this recipe and that frosting before and would love to make again.

    Reply

  48. For the frosting are you using salted butter? I know it says unsalted if it needs it, but I generally use unsalted in most my buttercream recipes.

    Reply

  49. Hello Rachel, I was in a lookout for moist choc cake and then finally stumbled in your blog!! And finally found the perfect recipe 👍.. Can I substitute just milk in place of buttermilk?

    Reply

  51. Hello! Can you tell me how mani grs. are your cups?
    I’ll love this recipe and i want it.
    Thanks about your answer!

    Regards from Chile!

    Reply

  52. the cake turned out great. thank you for the recipe although I must say that the batter was very watery and I didn’t use it all. also it took less time to bake about 25 mins.

    Reply

  55. Hi ,
    I would like to ask if there could be any replacement for d eggs u used as my family doesn’t eat eggs…after going thru ur blog really would like to try this cake

    Reply

  56. I made this last night and it came out amazing. Thanks for the delicious recipe. 😋 It was a hit at our house.

    Reply

  57. I baked this cake but mine was dry. Did I bake it too long? I also put in refrigerator because of cream cheese frosting. Does it need to be refrigerated. I was so disappointed. Loved the frosting.

    Reply

    • The cake definitely shouldn’t be dry. The reasons I can think of for it being dry is over baking or not putting in enough oil (or any other substitutions). I have tested this recipe dozens of times and it is really moist and delicious.

      Reply

    • Also, yes, you should refrigerate a cake with a cream cheese frosting if it isn’t going to be eaten with a few hours. You can let it sit for a couple hours to reach room temperature before serving if you don’t want to serve a chilled cake. Sugar acts as a preservative, but the FDA still recommends refrigerating.

      Reply

  58. Hoping to make this for my son’s first birthday. Will this fit in 2- 9×13 pans or not be enough batter? I’d like to do a double layer cake. Thank you, it sounds delicious!

    Reply

    • You could do it in 2 9x13s and do a double layer. It will be a thinner 9×13 cake than normal, but it should work perfectly. Because it isn’t as thick, decrease the cooking time a little and watch it closely for doneness.

      Reply

  59. I baked this cake for my son’s third birthday and everyone loved it. This is the kind of chocolate cake recipe that I’ve been looking for, for years. It’s easy to make plus it rich and moist.

    Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply

  60. Hi, this recipe is really amazing. Do I want to know if I can use it to make it a cake three levels, supports the weight without sinking? Sorry if my English is bad, greetings from Venezuela

    Reply

  61. Hi Rachel! How long would you recommend baking if I am dividing the batter into two bundt pans instead of a 3 layer cake?

    Reply

  63. Hi Rachel! Your cake indeed looks divine. I would love to try your recipe. I was wondering if i can use this under fondant. Is it a sturdy cake? And if i can bake it two days ahead before it is served. Im preparing a birthday cake for my nephew this friday, and will be covering and decorating it with fondant. I’m going to use a 12″ round pan in 2 layers. Thanks.

    Reply

  65. Firstly, I’d like to say this cake is amazing, but it is also huge! I only had 8inch tins so I divided the mixture between these and a medium sized load tin. I’m glad I did otherwise the smaller tins would have overflowed.

    I also needed to make this gluten free. In substituting gluten free flour for regular flour do not use cup measurements. Gluten free flour does not have the same volume as regular flour. Therefore, I took the weight of all purpose flour and substituted it for my preferred gluten free flour mix, in this case that was 360g, and I added 1tsp of Xantan gum. I’m happy to say it turned out great, although next time I may cut the recipe in half, if only to save my hips!

    The frosting was amazing and I can see myself using it for lots of other cakes. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

    Reply

  66. This recipe was lovely. The most successful cake I’ve ever made from scratch. Was wondering how can I halve the recipe?

    Reply

    • You’d cook it at the same temperature, but for significantly longer. I can’t tell you an exact time. The cake will be much more dense and have a thicker crust. Also, the amount of batter this makes will be too much for one bundt pan.

      Reply

  68. Hello, I can’t find liquid buttermilk here in the Philippines. How much water is needed to dilute the powdered buttermilk? Thank you.

    Reply

  70. I’d like to pre-make the cakes tonight (Sunday) — _and finish making the cake Tuesday morning for Tuesday evening to enjoy. Any concerns- any tips for storing?

    Reply

  71. I have made this cake four times now. And everyone loves it. I use salted butter in the frosting and let everything come to room temperature before I start.

    Reply

  72. I baked this tonight (cupcakes) they turned out great. I used buttercream for the frosting. Is it necessary to refrigerate this cake since it has buttermilk in it?

    Reply

  74. I want to make this in a couple days, and I have a bundt pan. Can I use that? And how long would i bake it? Thank you! Can’t wait to try it!!

    Reply

  75. This was the best cake ever! I always make my husband a chocolate on chocolate cake for his birthday and I was never happy with his cakes. Each year I tried a new one. This was the absolute best one I have ever made tho so no more searching for new ones. Def Matilda worthy!

    Reply

  76. Hi! I want to make a chocolate cake as a 4 layer 8 inch cake, and I was wondering if this cake would be stable enough to hold up ganache, buttercream and a chocolate drip when cooled? I usually use another recipe but I’m too lazy to do the mutliplying to fit the cake tins I’m using xD

    Reply

  77. I bake a lot, but had been struggling to find a chocolate cake recipe that was amazing. This one did it. We are lucky enough to have a varied group of college kids in our home and I made this for a 21st birthday. A direct quote from one of the wrestlers was “I am gonna have coach call you when I can’t make weight. It will be all your fault.” I followed the recipe exactly and made the cream cheese frosting. I was a bit worried when the batter was so runny, but it baked perfectly. Thank you!

    Reply

  78. Hi,
    Your cake looks so yummy! I’m trying to make this cake today. But I’m not sure with the baking powder measurements. So here’s my question.
    What does is it mean by 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder? Is it 1 tsp plus 1/2 tsp? Or 1 Tablespoon plus 1/2 tsp?
    I know it sounds silly. But i hope u could help me.
    Thanks!

    Reply

  79. I’m about to attempt this beautiful cake for my daughters birthday, but she had requested chocolate chips be added… do you think it would work if I threw a handful of mini chips in? Thank you!

    Reply

  80. how many does the cake serve? I am hoping to get 16 slices. What do you think? I am making it for a party for 40 and I am also making 24 margarita cupcakes.
    Thanks cant wait to try it!

    Reply

  82. This recipe reminds me of a cake I used to make quite often for many occasions: from office carry-ins to birthday celebrations. It was a family recipe passed on to me from my much-older second cousin. Unfortunately, that recipe was lost, and my cousin passed away several years ago.. I thought I would never find anything close to it without being hypnotized. Then I saw your recipe for The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake. The frosting isn’t quite the same; I don’t recall using creamed cheese (that’s the only difference). I can’t wait to bake this for my friends. I made a recipe from the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa container without frosting and they loved it. I will let you know how they react to this recipe. I can’t adequately rate the recipe until I make it, but I do have high expectations!

    Reply

  83. I made your cake and it was absolutely delicious! My only concern was that the cake was a bit too salty, and the cake itself was so dark – as dark as your frosting! I followed the recipe, and I can’t think of any reason as to why it was so dark! I was wondering if you’d have any solutions for this?

    Reply

  85. I tried this recipe and it was easy and delicious. I modified it slightly. Instead of Buttermilk I took regular milk and added vinegar to slightly curdle it. I replaced the warm water with coffee. I used real vanilla bean (nothing else compares). I added 1.5 tsp chili powder. It turned out moist, the perfect amount of sweetness with a little richness. Next time I make it I will add salted caramel to each iced layer and on top. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

  86. Would using unsalted butter be ok? Or would it make a difference in the taste? And im wondering what the frosting taste like? Can u taste the cream cheese? I really want a chocolately frosting 🙂

    Reply

  87. I HAVE SEARCH AND BAKED MANY ‘SO-CALLED” BEST CHOCOLATE CAKES RECIPES, I ONLY USE THE BEST INGREDIENTS/ORGANICS AND I HAVE TO HONESTLY SAY, HANDS DOWN, THE BEST RECIPE EVER!!!
    I BAKED IT FOR MY HUSBANDS BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY AND IT WAS PHENOMENAL..
    SAVING THIS FOR ALL MY SPECIAL OCCASIONS.. KUDOS!

    Reply

  89. I made this for my daughter’s first birthday party. She loved it. We all did. It turned out very tall and I easily got 20 portions, maybe more. I filled the inside with a hazlenut praline buttercream, covered the top with chocolate ganache and sprinkled more praline around the edges. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

      • Can you also please tell me, will these cakes come out flat or will the tops need to be trimmed? If they need to be trimmed, should I use the same amount of ingredients for a 2 layer cake, given some will be cut off? Thanks so much for your quick replies, I’m making this today 🙂

        Reply

        • You may or may not to trim your cake. That depends on a lot of factors. Even if it is trimmed to be completely flat, you should definitely still make 3 layers. Sorry I didn’t reply sooner as I’m on vacation with my family.

          Reply

          • Ok thank you! That’s ok, def will do next time. Made the cake, really yummy! Loved the frosting, my new fav is cream cheese buttercream 🙂

  91. Made this for a birthday cake and it was pretty good. Not the best cake recipe I’ve made- it was a little dense and spongey, which surprised me because the batter was so thin, but overall decent. I substituted a semi sweet chocolate baking bar for the cocoa powder which I like better. The recipe makes a looooot of batter! I was able to make a whole separate small cake since my pan was too full. However, I did use a bundt pan instead of a layered cake. Overall worth a try with some tweaks.

    Reply

    • Using a baking bar instead of cocoa powder will produce a more dense spongey result. The recipe is designed for a 3 layer, 9-inch cake so you’d definitely have too much batter for a bundt cake. Bundt cakes also produce a significantly different cake as it has a much thicker crust on it. You may want to try making the recipe as is instead of tweaking it.

      Reply

    • If you follow all of the original directions, this cake is amazing!
      It’s incredible how many people on here can’t – or won’t- do that. It’s pretty much a no fail recipe unless there is user error.

      Reply

    • Wire racks are pretty important for cooling as they allow for air flow beneath the cake so it doesn’t get soggy. 1 9×13 and 1 round pan will use up all the batter, but it certainly will be a funny shape for a 3 layer cake 😉

      Reply

  94. It looks so yummy.. i am making it right this moment and hope it will come out almost the same 😉
    By the way, do you sift your dry ingredients?

    Reply

    • Professional chefs ALWAYS sift dry ingredients. Cocoa powder is notorious for clumping even when freshly upended in new container. By sifting you incorporate all dry ingredients together , which is important, to not have baking powder mixed too much in be area, and too little in another.

      Reply

  96. hi! want to try this, i want to use exactly as shown on your recipe, but any substitute for buttermilk?
    Should i be using cake flour or just flour?
    cant’ wait..
    Thanks

    Reply

  98. Hello Rachel ! Looks divine . Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe with us . I’m huge chocolate lover and going to try these on sunday for my sisters big birthday celebration, Thanks so much and keep sharing 🙂 🙂

    Reply

  99. Hi Rachel, YOU WERE RIGHT. THIS IS THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER! I added Buttermilk Powder to the frosting and sent it over the moon! It gave it an added amount of creaminess. But it still stayed firm. Thank you ever so for this fantastic recipe. MY family will enjoy this for years to come.

    Reply

  101. I just have to tell you, this is the most AWESOME chocolate cake recipe I’ve found! And I’ve tried ALOT of recipes. Thank you so much for this go-to chocolate cake recipe, best chocolate cake EVER ( and actually one of the easiest to make).

    Reply

  102. This looks really good! But before I bake it I wanted to make sure the cocoa is natural, not Dutch processed (alkalized). I keep both in my pantry. Also, would you fill cupcake tins 1/2? 3/4? Curious about the rise. Some cakes I’ve baked had a crazy rise and others just barely moved. If this recipe is as good as the other recipes from your blog, then I think I just found my go to 😃

    Reply

  103. I don’t usually comment but I had to come on and say that this was the most delicious chocolate cake I’ve ever had in my entire life. I am a chocolate lover and I’ve been searching for a chocolate cake recipe. And this is IT! Everything about it is perfect – the flavor, the texture, the appearance. It was light and fluffy and that’s what I was looking for. Thank you so very much for sharing this recipe. It is the one. A huge hit at my daughters birthday party last night.

    Reply

  104. I’ve literally read through every comment and reply on this recipe lol. Let me first commend you for taking the time to continously reply to the majority of the comments, over YEARS, and even when the same questions are asked repeatedly. That takes patience. Anyway, I just stumbled upon this recipe. My husband is in the military and he’s been away for a couple weeks eating mostly MREs…yuck. Chocolate cake is his favorite. I’m from the south, so I’m more of a Pound Cake girl myself. I found a chocolate cake recipe and made it for his birthday in August. I followed it too the tee, but I could tell he wasn’t impressed. He gets back later on tonight. I’m going to go to the store and get the ingredients for this one and surprise him with it. I hope it’s as good as everyone says and a bigger hit than the last one! Thanks!

    Reply

  105. can I substitute the buttermilk for anything else? If so, what can I use?

    Thanks!
    It looks amazing and I really want to make it!

    Reply

  107. I’m baking this tonight for my mum’s 60th birthday. I have poured the whole mixture into a 12 inch pan and will be making two of these plus two 8 inch cakes. Can you please tell me how long I should cook for when using 12 and 8 inch pans? The first 12 inch is in the oven and has been for almost 1.5 hours but the toothpick test is still showing it as uncooked in the centre. Please help!!

    Reply

      • 12 inch and larger cakes will not cook in the center without a little help. The easiest way is to put one or more rose nails upside down in the bottom of the pan before you pour in the batter. Be sure they are greased and floured! This will allow the heat to be conducted up into the center of the cake. Voile! Evenly baked. Just remove them when you turn the cakes out of the pan.

        Reply

  108. Just made this awesome cake for my mamas birthday today. Thick moist layers of chocolatey goodness frosting was delicious easy to frost great recipe I believe I found my go to chocolate cake recipe Thanks Rachel

    Reply

  109. Hello, I found this cake to be a little too sweet. Could I cut the sugar to 2 cups instead of 3 without changing the texture? Thanks

    Reply

  110. Dear Rachel,

    i read your recipe and all the great comments underneath and i decided to follow it to bake my son’s 10th birthday cake. I just have a question for you. I only have one pan, can i use it to bake three times in a row to bake three layers and what will happen to the batter while it waits outside the oven? will it be damaged? shall i put it in the fridge untill i bake the next portion?
    Thank you in advance!

    Reply

  111. hi.
    Só everybody said but I have to say it again: this is a great recipe! Not only tastes good but it’s very easy! thank you for sharing. By the way, have you ever tried the same recipe for a white/vanilla cake?!

    Reply

  112. I just made this and the batter isn’t the normal thick cake batter. It’s vey thin an d soupy. Is it supposed to be this way.

    I have made cakes for years and this never happened. Is the recipe measurements correct?

    Reply

  114. I made the Most Amazing Chocolate Cake last Saturday for a going away family & friend dinner for my son as he will be leaving on 11/28/16 for Marine Boot Camp for 3 months. Plus my mom’s friend celebrated her 75th birthday on 11/18/16 and she LOVES a good Chocolate Cake. So I surprised her with this cake. I used instant Hot Black Espresso and Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder and my cake looks about the same deep dark color as in your photos. Everyone LOVED the cake as it was moist and not too sweet! My mom who isn’t a big fan of chocolate or lots of frosting even raved about how WONDERFUL, TASTY and DELICIOUS this cake was! When making the frosting I used 7 cups of Powdered Sugar and a little more than a ¼ cup of milk. I had about a 1 ½ cups of frosting leftover. How much frosting do you put between the layers? How long will the frosting keep in the refrigerator? I plan on making some Vanilla Whoopie Pies and using the leftover frosting for the middle. This recipe has a new home in my collection box! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  116. Hi Rachel! The written recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of butter along with 8 oz of cream cheese for the frosting. However, in your video, I noticed you only used the half sticks of butter along with half of a cream cheese packet. The words in the video correspond with the written recipe, but this is very confusing for me and I don’t want to make double the amount of frosting. Can you clear this up? Thanks!

    Reply

      • I made the recipe as it calls for in the written instructions and ended up with double the amount of frosting left over after covering the entire three layers. Also, it is obvious in the video that the cream cheese and the butter are smaller shapes and portions than what I had sitting in front of me while following the written directions. The cake part of it came out perfect, but I would definitely recommend halving the frosting ingredients.

        Reply

        • I promise that the amounts used in the video are the same as in the written recipe. Butter and cream cheese comes in different shapes in different parts of the United States (and the world). This is a recipe I have made dozens and dozens of times. The amount of frosting you need will always vary based on how thick you frost each layer. The worst thing is having not enough frosting to cover the cake. I usually end up with about 1 cup (give or take a little) leftover at the end, which is perfect for me.

          Reply

  117. Hi Rachel,
    I attempted your cake last night and I’m disappointed it didn’t turn out perfect :'(. When I turned the cake upside down, the middle broke apart and it seemed like it hadn’t fully baked (and was very “airy”). I was trying to figure out and think it’s because my measurements are wrong.

    Can you please clarify if a 1 cup of e.g. flour or sugar = 125g? In UK 1 cup is 240g (so that’s almost twice the amount and I imagine makes a big difference). Is this also the same conversion for the liquids? (i.e. buttermilk/water)

    On this conversion website https://www.weekendbakery.com/cooking-conversions/, I’ve found:
    1 cup all-purpose flour (Gold Medal) is 130 grams
    1 cup of cream/liquid is 240 grams

    Please help!! The cake was almost there and I really want to make it spot on.

    Thanks so much.

    Amanda

    Reply

  118. Hi,I have been looking for a good moist chocolate cake recipe for a wedding cake my friend has asked me to make and this sounds gorgeous.
    My question is I usually bake , buttercream and ice with fondant about 3 to 4 days before needed so I have time to decorate, and then the cake after delivery has about a week to be eaten in. Will this be ok for your cake, obviously buttercream would not be the cream cheese one?

    Reply

  119. A gorgeous cake that is truly delicious, moist and very memorable. I first made this cake for my daughter’s 18th birthday as she has always wished for a ‘Matilda Cake’! So impressive to my daughter’s delight, thank you so much Rachel! I did use chocolate buttercream to ice the cake which worked very well and unrefined sugar in both the cake and frosting. Scrumptious!!

    Reply

  120. I am excited to make this cake but have a couple questions. I read through all the comments and did not see my questions answered.

    Have you ever frozen cake batter? I usually bake extra cupcakes or tiny cakes if I have extra batter and then freeze them. But is it possible to freeze and thaw batter? This appears to make a lot of batter.

    I saw a gluten- free adjustment in the comments above with Xanthum gum. Have you heard of anyone using a GF flour like Cup 4 Cup to make this cake?

    Lastly, my cocoa is a few yrs old. How long does it last? There is no expiration on the pkg.

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Freezing the batter is a no. The reason that this cake is so light and airy is the reaction between the baking soda and buttermilk, and freezing the batter would ruin that reaction. I would bake the cakes and then freeze the extra cake.

      Reply

      • Hi,

        I made this cake gluten free with Domata Flour. I didn’t have to make any other substitutions and it’s a cup for cup flour. My family and friends thought this was the best cake ever! We are pretty picky and that is the only flour I’ll bake with. It really is amazing and made this cake turn out gluten free but no one could tell!

        Reply

  121. I have been dreaming about the Matilda cake since childhood! I can’t wait to make this! I just wanna ask about the buttercream. Is it as sickly sweet as the frosting on store bought cupcakes? Or does the cream cheese cut into the sweetness significantly? Because if it’s too sweet I’d rather use the ganache. Thanks in advance!

    Reply

  123. I just made the cake (haven’t tried it because it is for tomorrow). I ended up with A LOT of frosting left over. Also, how do you keep the layers from sliding? And how do you get it so smooth on the sides? Because of the gaps between the layers, the frosting just settles into the gaps and I can’t get that smooth effect. Otherwise, I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply

    • Barbara, I had a lot of trouble with recipes not woking that I finally asked someone to please check her cup size, she was also from the United States, I’m from Australia. My standard cup size was 250ml that I was using, hers were 240ml, my tablespoon size was 20ml hers 15ml. After I got that right my bread was perfect.

      This eveningI have made Rachel’s lovely cake, I didn’t have any round 9in cake tins so halved the recipe and used a 8in/20cm square tin also it’s 3in s/ 71/2cm high. I haven’t cut it yet and it did rise a little more in the middle however I don’t mind because I will be making mini cakes from it for a morning tea but it looks and smells great.
      I have a fan forced oven however used the convectional setting on 180 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit. For my oven it was on the bottom shelf and took around 55minutes.

      Thank you Rachel for the recipe, I looked for hours last night and settled on yours, I’ll let you know how it went when I cut it up tomorrow but really looks great . 🙂

      Reply

  128. Hello, Rachel. I just have to ask: doesn’t it drive you just about out of your skull when you post an absolutely beautiful recipe such as this one, and give clear and careful directions, and then are inundated with question after question from people who want to bake it without oil, or without eggs, or without buttermilk, or use a different size of pan, or a differently calibrated oven, or different flour, and so on without end? If not, then I take my hat off to you! All the best in your endeavours.

    Reply

      • Hahaha I’m enjoying reading all the comments right now and thinking of what a nice person you must be from your answers. I really loved how one person made your cake gluten free using cake mix. What?!?! Also … The comments about only having two pans, what do I do?? I love how you so kindly suggested to reuse one pan after for the third cake.
        Very excited to try this recipe.
        I’m reading the comments to try to find tips on specific brands used to keep it exact.
        So far … salted butter, ghirardelli cocoa (Hershey’s special dark for icing), regular flour.
        3 pans … can’t wait to try it!

        Reply

    • Well said, Patricia. The very same thought has occurred to me as I have been reading through the comments and questions about salted/unsalted butter, buttermilk, and so forth. How many times can we expect her to answer the same questions? She is much more patient than I would be.

      Reply

    • Lydia,

      I was thinking along the same lines! A beautiful cake and people want to use applesauce, egg substitutes, coffee. I understand if people have food allergies, but I would hope they have learned how to substitute. Can I use cake flour or self-rising flour, or make a vanilla version? (A vanilla version of a chocolate cake??) Sure, you can do anything you want to do, BUT it won’t be the same cake! 🙂
      Also, I wonder if some of the people have EVER baked a cake before. How do I use a different size pan? JUST use it! Fill it half full. Check it to make sure you don’t burn it. (A great way to know when a cake is done is that you will smell it!) How do I make half the cake? JUST use half the ingredients.

      I was getting frustrated with some of the questions! 😉

      Reply

  130. I just want to give you some sugar. Not the kind that comes in a bag, the kissing sugar. I love this recipe. By far, the best chocolate cake ever. This is my first time baking a cake from scratch. I nailed it….well, u did. Lol. A kazillion thank you’s. My only complaint is, I didn’t have enough ingredients to make MORE.

    Reply

  131. I plan on making this cake for a close friend’s birthday, but i only have 8 inch pans. Will those do? Will i have to cut time on them or do i bake them for the same time as the 9 inch rounds that you use? Thanks so much, Happy New Year!!!

    Reply

  132. Hi Rachel, I LOVE this cake!! If I wanted to make a yellow cake or white, I would omit cocoa, but would I have to add something to replace the cocoa? Thank you for sharing your recipes. I am making the biscuits tonight:)

    Reply

  133. Rachel – you’ve placed me in a terrible situation! I’m 61 years old, and every birthday for all my life my mom (age 96) has made her great chocolate cake for me. I want to try this recipe, because I think it might be even better, but I know it would hurt her feelings. So, my question is this: How do you hide a cake this big? Seriously, I can’t wait to try it. Thanking you in advance!

    Reply

  134. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for this cake recipe! And that is coming from someone who is not particularly fond of cake due to some very disgusting-tasting cakes I was forced to eat as a child (dry and with frosting that tasted like uber-sweet CHALK).

    I was looking for a dessert recipe to make for a fellowship meal at church. With the help of my children during a Pinterest search, I settled on your cake. First, so many people complimented me on the cake, it was crazy (even one gentleman who very sparingly gives complements on food). Second, I cannot get enough of it. I just keep nibbling on what is left (we have a small church, so plenty of leftovers), and think I should send some with my husband to work tomorrow just to get some of it from my reach. Not even kidding.

    So, again, thank you. It’s very good.

    Reply

  136. Planning to make this cake for my kid’s birthday. I would like to know how tall the cake would be after frosting.
    Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Reply

  137. Hi Rachel, I am anxious to try your recipe. I misplaced a chocolate cake recipe very similar to this one. With the coffee subsititution, how hot can it be without spoiling the recipe?

    Reply

  138. I made this cake exactly as written last night, and is perfect! The light and airy quality totally balanced out the heavy frosting choices that I made (milk chocolate frosting with a dark chocolate ganache). Definitely a recipe worth making again!

    Reply

  139. Hi.
    I Will try this recipe tomorrow.
    What Brand of chocolate powder do you use in your recipe?
    Can you recommend some high quality chocolate powder?
    Please!

    Reply

    • I used Hershey’s brand in the photos and video you see here. Hershey’s special dark can give you that really dark color. I love Ghirardelli for a higher end powder that is widely available. Other high quality cocoa powders can be purchased from chocolatiers. Those man, they are the best!

      Reply

  141. I made this as cupcakes instead of a cake and my kids went cray over this. Even my daughter who doesn’t like anything.

    Reply

  142. Hi there Rachel!

    I absolutely LOVE this recipe! It is my absolute favorite! My in mother in law TO BE has asked me to make this cake for her nieces baby shower, the theme is white and gold and so she has asked me if I could make the cake with a vanilla frosting instead of chocolate frosting to fit the theme. PLEASE, PLEASE help me, would I be able to adjust the chocolate cream cheese frosting to suit the theme? If so how would you suggest I do so? Or do you think a buttercream frosting would be better? PLEASE HELP! 😱😱😱😱

    Reply

  143. I made this wonderful cake on the 23rd Jan.
    I made half the mixture and cooked in a 8in/20cm square tin, 3in s/ 71/2cm high, For the Australians reading comments. I used the 240ml cup and also a 15ml tablespoon and my oven was on 180 celsius.
    The next day I cut three slices then used a cookie cutter to cut two round pieces per slice. I then sprayed a little liqueur on each piece, both sides, put cream in the centre, cream on the outside then covered with grated chocolate, toped with half a fresh cherry. Perfect.
    They were delicious!
    Thanks again Rachel 🙂

    Reply

  144. I was a little nervous about the batter being so thin. Now that its cooling, and smelling GREAT, i cant wait to eat the crumbs while i assemble it! Happy 12th Birthday to my son Sam, he chose this cake in a google search!!!! SAM THE MAN!!!

    Reply

  145. Just an FYI! The video doesn’t include vanilla extract in either the cake or the frosting. I just did the whole thing based on the video and it seemed to be ok as I tasted along the way. We will see if I can tell when I have a slice 🙂

    Reply

  147. Will try this recipe today. Hoping for a great result.. The pictures of your chocolate cake is tooo tempting! Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

  148. Would like to make this cake for a birthday and decorate it on another day. How far in advance can the cake be baked? I.e. How long will it keep nice and fresh?

    The comments are amazing
    Many thanks

    Reply

  149. Made this cake for Christmas. It was the most wonderful cake I have ever made! Everyone loved it. Would not change anything about the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it. Can’t wait for the vanilla version. You have made me a believer in home made cakes.

    Reply

  150. Hi Rachel, I have bought all the ingredients, but I only have springform pans, would this be too runny to bake them in that or do I need to go out and buy 3 pans?

    Reply

  151. Thank you for this recipe. It was incredible. So massive in size but I was so happy to share with friends and family. Your video was super helpful! I have never tasted a more amazing cake than this one. It is bookmarked and I will be making it again for sure! Thank you!

    Reply

  153. Made this today; it was delicious! The cake is very moist, with just enough chocolate flavor. I only had two round pans, so cooked it a few minutes longer. The frosting is delicious as well, but almost preferred it better without the cocoa added. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  154. The entire centre of every one of my cakes didn’t cook at all…we’re talking still batter. Coming from someone who is NOT a baker, I’m assuming you were supposed to cook each layer separately in the oven? Which I possibly have learned the hard way by ruining all these lovely ingredients?

    Reply

    • hmmm, it’s hard to say without watching everything you did. It could be that your measurements weren’t quite right, or maybe your oven isn’t calibrated correctly. But ya, that’s not supposed to happen 🙁

      Reply

    • the first time I made this, the cakes took longer to cook than stated in the recipe. The next time I made it, I put less batter into each tin and it worked out well. The cakes don’t spoil if you test them while baking and leave them in for longer if not cooked through.

      Reply

  155. In the video you did not add vanilla as it instructs in the recipe. Should this be added or not? In the event that you only followed the video will this make the cake gross? #ShouldHaveLookedAtTheRecipeFirst

    Reply

  156. Hello, Please advice, I have a problem with the cream. Among the teeth crunching sugar (powdered). What have I done wrong?

    Reply

  157. Hi! I will use this recipe for mu husband bday cake.
    But can i usecorn oil instead of vegetable oil? And what butter do used? Is it unsalted? Thank u!

    Reply

  158. I am making my daughter’s Wedding Cake this week and she has requested Chocolate Cake!. Your recipe looks perfect and I would like to do a trial run today, if possible. However, I am in the UK and we do not have buttermilk available in my area. Also what size is a ‘cup’ as I have differing measures between US/AUSTRALIAN etc., and would need to convert to grammes? Thank you in advance – HELP!!

    Reply

  159. It looks so delicious. I cannot wait to try. But I want to make a smaller version of this cake by using a 7inch cake pan. Can you please tell me how to to divide the recipe? And also can I frost this cake with chocolate ganache, will it be light or will it become dense and heavy?

    Reply

    • I haven’t tested the cake in a 7 inch pan so I couldn’t tell you exact amounts. I have frosted this cake with chocolate ganache many times. This is not a light and fluffy cake. It is rich and decadent and very sturdy.

      Reply

  160. Hi Rachel, I know many have asked you, but please please could you post this recipe for a two pan ( layer) cake?
    Would be SO appreciated !
    Many Thanks

    Reply

  161. A chocolate indulgence. I cooled the cakes really well in fridge before icing, and I also levelled the cakes as they rose quite a bit in the oven. The cake texture is excellent, and it is probably the best chocolate cake I have eaten. One day I used marscapone in the icing, but it made it too runny and the cakes were toppling over. I put decoration on the top of chocolate candy and it looked spectacular.

    Reply

  162. Just made the batter for this cake and stuck it in the oven but I’m a bit nervous because the texture of the batter is pretty watery. Is this normal and do you think it will still set up? I followed the recipe perfectly so I’m not sure why it’s more soupy than smooth, as a normal cake batter usually is.

    Reply

  163. Dear Rachel, I love your cake! I followed your ingredients and method but my cake turned out rough. How long should I mix the batter or what should I be looking for to ensure that the batter is well mixed/ combined? You said not to overmix so I am not sure if I undermixed it. Could that be the problem?

    Reply

  165. First time making a cake from scratch and everyone loved it. They said is was just right. I’m definitely going to keep this recipe around! Thank you!

    Reply

  166. I’m not entirely certain what powdered sugar is. Is it the same as icing sugar? I plan to make this for my husband’s 70th birthday.

    Reply

  167. Hi, what’s height of entire cake? planning to bake cake and cream cheese frosting the day before consumption and having trouble storing in fridge as I need to get a box that would fit.

    Baking for my hubby’s birthday and looking forward to sinking my teeth in the amazing cake!

    Reply

  169. I do not like cream cheese. Is it possible to leave the cream cheese out and just have chocolate buttercream icing?

    Reply

  170. Have already tried plenty of “best chocolate cake” recipes and was sure I already had the perfect one, a result of a long search so I was hesitant to try this,

    However, the photos and images of Bruce Bogtrotter made me think twice.

    And it really is an amazing recipe. So rich and chocolatey! Decadent and worth the calorie gain. Haha.
    Thank you so much for the recipe!

    At first i thought the cream cheese taste was too strong (I used Philadelphia Cream Cheese) but after whipping the frosting thoroughly, putting it on the cake and refrigerating the cake overnight, it tasted phenomenal. The chocolate flavor shined through.

    I also personally, cut the domed tops off the cake. It was still pretty tall after assembly, however.
    Thanks again for this recipe, it is my go-to recipe now.

    Reply

  175. My cakes are in the oven. Fell short of cocoa powder by half a cup but couldn’t wait to get more, so i added choclate pudding mix. 😉 the batter tasted awesome and alhamdulillah the cakes smell perfect and are rising.
    I made 4 small pans instead of 3 …because i’m greedy 😄

    Reply

  176. Can I substitute the flour with gluten-free flour? Like Red Mill’s or will it change the the cake much?I would like to use this recipe for my step dad’s birthday cake but my mom is gluten free.

    Reply

  178. Made this cake today and i must say i was really disappointed ! I went strictly by the recipe and it didn’t turn out good at all ! Neither did the frosting ! The cake was really dry and the top got really hard. Also the frosting was really bitter !! I feel i wasted a lot of time and money !! 🙁

    Reply

      • I went by the recipe !! Used everything it called for !! It tasted good before i put it in the oven. IDK maybe it was my oven !! As far as the frosting i think i would use Sweet cocoa powder instead of unsweet and leave out the milk !! It just tasted bitter !!

        Reply

        • I”m not sure how something with 7 cups of confectioner’s sugar can be bitter!!! That’s a lot of sweetness right there.

          Reply

  179. I made the cake today for the first time and I got so many compliments!!! Love this cake!!! I had the centers of each of the rounds sink. I followed your recipe to the “T”. I did the toothpick test and it was done. I did convention bake at 325 F. Any ideas why this happened.

    Reply

  182. WOW! Very tall cake! Too tall for my cake plate. BUT it is enough to make TWO cakes! YAY!
    The only change I made was to use fresh brewed coffee in place of the warm water.
    The family loves it! (I’ll take their word for it since I don’t eat sugar.)
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  184. I made this today for my daughters birthday. This was my first successful attempt at a homemade cake and icing! It was absolutely amazing!!! Thank you so much for this recipe and for the video tutorial!!!

    Reply

  185. I absolutely love this cake and I’m so happy that I finally have a go-to chocolate cake recipe, thank you so much for that! Do you have a vanilla cake recipe that I can try out?

    Reply

  186. When you say quality cocoa, will you name some good brands purchaseable in our local markets? I live near a variety of markets but I’m not too familiar with cocoa except Hersheys, and a carob powder…a generic cocoa…thanks

    Reply

    • I actually used Hershey’s brand in the photos and videos you see because it is the most widely available. I don’t recommend using generic store brands as they are usually the worst quality (though there are some exceptions I’m sure). Ghirardelli is probably the most second widely available in the United States. As far as others, there are simply too many chocolatiers out there in the world producing quality powders that I couldn’t possible list them all.

      Reply

  187. Made this cake with my 6yo. I’m not much of a baker.. I think this is my first cake from scratch actually. Using the standing mixer wasn’t great when working with the icing. Wish I had a hand mixer or a smaller stand mixer. Besides that though… WOW. Everybody loves my first effort. Thanks for the recipe.

    -Jeff

    Reply

  188. Hi Rachel, Just to clarify, did you sift your dry ingredients before mixing them? I’m about to make this recipient. Would you suggest using cake flour instead of AP?

    Reply

  189. The cocoa powder used to make the cake looks lighter color than the one used to make the frosting. Did you used different types? I am pregnant and so looking forward to eating this I want to make sure I get it just right!

    Reply

  190. Hi Rachel, we don’t get AP flour in Australia, only Cake and Plain flour. What would you recommend to use?

    Reply

  191. I am an “at home” baker/caterer and I have tried so many different chocolate cake recipes, this one is by far the absolute best chocolate cake recipe I have ever made or had! Thank you so much for sharing this! I will never try another chocolate cake recipe again! I have found “THE ONE”!

    Reply

  192. Hi, I’ve made this cake before DELICIOUS! I w as wondering if I cam just make it 2 layers and make cupcakes out of the rest. If so how long would I bake the cupcakes? Thank you!

    Reply

  194. Thanks for the recipe. no mater how long I bake this for my toothpick never comes out totally clean. is that right?

    Reply

  195. Hi Rachel, just love the recipe, but if we were to bake in a bundt tin, what would be the baking time, you recommend. I would then drizzle the bundt with chocolate ganache

    Reply

  196. GM,

    I’m also interested in the frosting, where can I find a recipe for the exact frosting? Dark chocolate frostings are hard for me because I tend to like sour cream or cream cheese, I find that this lightens the frosting, I would like the recipe for the frosting on the cake or a recipe for a really dark and good frosting.

    thanks

    Reply

  197. I have made this cake three time in four days this week for a variety of events and different people. Didn’t change a thing and everyone LOVED it. Thank you. its a keeper

    Reply

  198. This is a a great recipe! Thank you for sharing it. I made it in a 9×13 pan with 8 cups of the batter and baked it for 40-45mins. I made the extra batter into cake pops using my babycakes cupcake maker and boy they were still moist!

    Reply

  199. I have made this cake twice now and both times it’s was awesome. I do have some friends that don’t like chocolate, I know how strange to not like chocolate, but oh well. Do you have a recipe for a moist yellow cake?

    Reply

  200. Followed the recipe exactly. The batter was so runny I was very concerned, but put it in the oven anyway. It bubbled over all the pans and is burning on the bottom of my oven!!! Smoke billowed out as I opened the oven!! Argggrr!! I can’t even make another cake today because I’ve got to let the oven cool, and then clean the oven! What a waste of time and ingredients, no to mention all the frustration, mess, and lack of a cake to serve tonight. On the up side, the batter/soup tasted good.

    Reply

  201. Some of these questions are the reason I DON”T blog. I cannot believe some of these people. PEOPLE!!!! You got this recipe via Internet. GOOGLE your questions BEFORE you ask on this or any other page. If you don’t want eggs.. GOOGLE VEGAN chocolate cake. If you don’t know how much buttermilk powder to use with water.. READ THE LABEL. OMG.. Smh in disgust.
    Oh, it’s a FANTASTIC recipe btw.. LOL Make this the way it’s printed. ALWAYS make it that way 1st. Then, if there is something you want to change.. JUST TRY IT! You DONT need permission, just keep to the same liquid ratio If you want to use coffee instead of water, or coconut milk instead of buttermilk. DO IT! What’s the worse thing that can happen?????

    Reply

    • I agree with this lady – if you are substituting basic ingredients – this isn’t the recipe for you. Go to a recipe that is more in line with the ingredients you are willing or able to use. You can’t get the same result using different core ingredients. Think before you ask.

      Reply

    • Amen!!! I’ve been reading all these comments and thinking the same thing. Seriously. If a recipe is posted and you want to change it….change it! Just don’t complain if it’s not good. And if you want to use a smaller pan, use a smaller pan and make cupcakes with the leftover batter…or freeze the batter and make cake later! Or make another cake and freeze IT! Geesh!

      Reply

  202. My Husband loves chocolate cake and he loved this recipe and said it was very moist. I made the cake for our monthly Church potluck and it was a big hit by all. Thank you for a great recipe which is a keeper and will be my go to chocolate cake recipe.

    Reply

  203. Would you consider this cake stable, and if i were to store unstacked in the freezer for a couple of days woukd it crumble?

    Reply

  204. Hello dear , I’ve tried it on 2 batter , 8 and 6 inch. Excuse I don’t have 9 inch , and I used milk instead of butter milk but the cake was not moist . It was hard from outside , fudgie from inside . I wonder
    What went wrong for this great recipe
    Plz help

    Reply

  205. Hi there! This cake looks yummylicious! Very much looking forward to try baking it. May I know if its 350 degree Celsius or Fahrenheit? Possible to share the measurement for the ingredients in grams? Thanks much!

    Reply

  206. Oooooh yummy!

    I made this for my daughter’s 17th Birthday last week – She LOVED it! We ALL loved it- its soooo delicious moist and chocolatey. Will DEFINITELY make this again! Thanks SO much for sharing the recipe!

    Reply

  207. Hello Rachel,
    I’ve tried this recipe but the cake came up
    Fudgie from inside , not cooked not moist
    No one could eat it even it’s nice tasting
    I put everything with a measuring tools
    I don’t know what was the problem
    Plz plz send me reply
    Because I need to know
    Thanks alot
    Zain

    Reply

  208. can I use self raising flour instead of plain and baking powder? I find that I can taste the powder which spoils it a little. Otherwise it’s a fabulous cake with a great wow impact

    Reply

    • If you can taste baking powder, try switching to aluminum free baking powder. It’s a little hard to find, but it’s worth it. Some people can taste the aluminum too strongly. For years, I never knew why my baked goods tasted funny to me and fine to everyone else. Aluminum-free baking powder was life changing.

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  210. I made this cake last week for my husband’s birthday (with German Chocolate Cake frosting) and it was definitely a hit. The cake is huge — I got about 18 servings out of it so shared it around to the neighbors and some friends and the feedback was universally “outstanding”. My question is — when I bake it, It’s hard to get 3 9″ pans into my oven and the final product, while certainly ‘functional’ is not a even as I would like. I never thought my oven was small, but apparently it is. I was thinking it might be good to bake two rounds in on session and the third one by itself in a second session? Any problem with that that you know of?

    And while on the subject of bake time, I’ve observed that unlike other cakes, this one can look quite ‘loose’ when in fact it is baked, so for sure stick a poker in it to test for doneness.

    Also, I have really good cake pans, but the first time I baked it, it really stuck (yes, I buttered and floured). I’d recommend treating the pans with Miracle Cake Pan release (equal parts oil, shortening, flour whisked together and applied to the pan with a pasty brush).

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  211. Made this recipe, followed everything exactly…..BUT only made half the recipe cuz there’s only 3 of us. . It turned out awesome!!!!!!! So moist and tender, and great taste! Used 2 round cake pans. Next time, will cut each cake in half before frosting to make 4 layers. Oh, yes, there will be a next time! This is my new “keeper” choclate cake recipe!

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  212. I made this this evening and the first thing y daughters told me is that it reminded them of the Matilda cake from the movie. I hadn’t mentioned Matilda cake to them. Besides that, they all loved it and that it was fantastic. Thanks for the great recipe

    Reply

  214. Hi I’m from the uk and can’t seem to find Hershey’s or ghiradelli coco powder. Does anyone know which would be the best cocco powder to use from the U.K. ? Thanks

    Reply

    • Unsure what you have there, but I don’t use either. I generally have cocoa powder from a local spice store or Saco Premium from our local grocer (both Dutch processed). Are you able to buy Doste, Rodelle, or Valrhona brands there?

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  215. My God people enough with the substitutions! Just make the damn cake the way it shows! If you want a healthier version of it, it aint gonna happen!!

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  216. Can you tell mecwhat brand of cocoa powder you would recommend. In the past I’ve used Ghirardelli but i keep reading Hershey Dark is better?

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  217. Excellent recipe for both the cake and frosting! Just made yesterday for my son’s 21st birthday and I’m glad to say that, after years of searching, I now have my go to chocolate cake recipe. I did realize I didn’t have any buttermilk on hand so used a Foodnetwork idea – ~1c sour cream, 2T lemon juice, remaining amount milk. For the frosting, I lost track of how much cocoa and powdered sugar I was using, so it ended up less dark and less sweet but was absolutely perfect in the end. Thank you for adding in the approx amount per pan, by the way! That helped a great deal. As for food intolerances or allergies and this recipe; a great site for baked goods that need gf/dairy/nut or other tweaking would be http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com. This particular recipe is perfect as is. Thanks again!

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  218. I made this cake for the bottom of my son’s birthday cake yesterday. I used a 9″ square tin and each layer was a third of the recipe (I made two, it was tall enough). The full recipe would make a pretty huge cake!

    This must be the easiest cake I’ve ever made! I was quite different from most cake recipes I’ve used before and came out different too: very light with big air holes, dark, shiny and ‘bouncy’! It wasn’t a particularly strong flavour but the 3 year olds gobbled it up happily. Each of my 9″ squares took about 19 minutes to cook.

    I filled it with whipped double (heavy) cream with a little icing sugar through it. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll definitely use it again, especially if I’m pressed for time!

    Reply

  219. I made the cake to the T as the recipe called. Yes the batter was salty but after baking the salty taste goes away completely so don’t worry about that. I used a lot less powdered sugar in the icing then the seven to eight cups the recipe calls for. The icing still came out wonderful. I did use about a half a cup of milk in the icing recipe where this one only calls for one quarter of a cup. My cakes did fall, but that may have to do with the altitude. I don’t know for sure. I made my own buttermilk using whole milk and lemon juice. I probably could have let it sit longer but I only allowed about 15 minutes. It is a delicious cake. Extremely rich. Any chocolate lover would lose their mind!

    Reply

    • I used less icing sugar, and doubled the milk also. My frosting was also much lighter in colour, but still delicious. I want to try again, but using a sour cream in place of the cream cheese – not sure why, just can’t get the idea out of my head! x

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  220. I am trying to figure out whether to use Dutch Process Cocoa in the batter or not. I keep getting confusing answers when I look it up (since the recipe uses both baking powder and baking soda.

    What do you use? And what kind does your frosting use?

    THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! 🙂

    Reply

  222. Would this batter be appropriate to use for cupcakes? If so, could you recommend a time to bake them and give an estimate on how many this would make?

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  223. Rachel , I like to spray and line my cake pans with parchment paper. I also prefer to bake my cakes at 325 so that they will rise evenly. Will I have problems if I use this method ?

    Reply

    • Spraying your pan and lining with parchment paper won’t cause any problems. As far as the baking temperature, I can’t tell you. It depends on how accurate your oven is and how much baking knowledge you have.

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  224. Great recipe. Try using 100 grm.of plain chocolate and cut down on cocoa by using only half of the amount suggested and replace vanilla with 60 ml of dark rum. You will have heaven on a plate.

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  227. People kill me………Always with the can I substitute this for that or that for this…………if you are going to try to change the recipe find a different recipe.
    I love this recipe as it is & it was fantastic. Thanks!!!

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  229. I made this cake, and my icing did not look anything like this icing. It tasted ok, but I think I might do some things differently if I made it again, like skip the buttermilk.

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  233. I’m making this amazing looking cake right now!! It’s in the oven! I’m going to do the cream cheese frosting, do I then have to refrigerate the cake once iced or room temp, we have the a/c on to 70??

    Thanks, can’t wait to give this to my hubby for his bday…and to try it myself! Lol

    Stephanie

    Reply

  234. I can’t WAIT to try making this for Easter! Just a question on the butter .. should it be unsalted or can I use margarine?

    Reply

        • I’ve never come across reduced fat buttermilk. Worth a try! Or you can try an easy substitute: add 1 tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and let stand 5 minutes.

          Reply

        • I found that homemade buttermilk just doesn’t give the same results as real buttermilk. So I use SACO brand powdered buttermilk. Once you open the container, put the whole container in a ziploc bag to store as it will harden like a rock in just a couple weeks.

          Reply

    • Buttermilk is the liquid leftover after churning butter so if you want to make actual buttermilk you will need to churn some butter. If you’d like a buttermilk substitute you can add 1 tablespoons of either white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and let it stand 5 minutes.

      Reply

  237. This is such a great cake!! I made it for easter, and put green decorative frosting for grass (on top of the brown soil right) and put some peeps on top. The cake was absolutely delicious, and the icing tasted like chocolate ice cream!! The only changes I did was to add less sugar in the icing (Sorry but 7 cups is a lot for us). I put 4 and it was perfect. I also added a bit of black coffee (3-4 tablespoons) to the cake mix during step 4 since I found that coffee always enhances chocolate a bit. 😉 The cake was absolutely huge and is the best cake Ive had yet. Very rich though, everyone could only eat a small slice, but they all said it was delish. 🙂 Thanks so much for a awesome cake recipe!

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  238. Do you know how many cups of batter this recipe makes? Thanks! Would it be enough for 2- 10 inch cakes?
    Thanks!

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  239. I made this cake for my husband’s birthday, and the first thing my brother said when I was handing out slices was “that cake reminds me of the one from Matilda”. So that observation was def spot on. It was also the best chocolate cake any of us have ever had, and we’ve had a lot of chocolate cake (including gourmet cakes!) so that is saying a lot. THANK YOU for sharing this recipe.

    I wanted to add this, in case anyone finds it helpful: I combed the comments to see whether or not anyone had baked this in 3 8inx2in rounds (as opposed to the recommended 9in rounds), and I just want to say- for anyone who is looking to do that- they need 40-45 minutes to bake, and a solid 20 minutes to cool before turning them out of the pan. Each cake layer ends up rising to a whole 2 inches thick (the max capacity of the cake pans) when all batter is divided evenly. Makes for a lovely tall cake.

    This will be my go-to chocolate cake recipe thenceforward and forever.

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  240. First of all I would like to thank you for sharing such a wonderful super moist chocolate cake with us.
    I was always thinking of making the most delicious chocolate cake after happened to eat one and I tried out your recipe original except for the powdered sugar for frosting which I added only 3 cups. I was droooling after seeing the texture Oh my God I some how finished frosting then took some shots and sat down with my family for that most awaiting first bite and It was like a long dream come true……the cake came out as said superrr supperr moist yummilicious chocolate cake ever!!!
    Once again thankyou for this delicate devine n delicious chocolate cake recipe…..

    Reply

  242. I made this cake a few months ago and I can swear it had Coffee in the indigence. Has something changed? I can’t seem to find that recipe.

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  243. Myf rosting came out somewhat like a mousse consistency, it doesn’t want to stick onto the cake unless i heap it on, not sure what i did wrong?

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  246. Hi Rachel,

    What a yummy looking recipe! I can’t wait to try it. My apologies if you’ve answered this before, but when you mentioned the best quality cocoa powder, I went searching. I found one called Callebaut Cocoa Powder, which is pricey, but looks to be top notch. Have you tried it? If not, can you recommend good cocoa powders?

    Thank you!

    Kcat

    Reply

    • No, I have not tried that. Honestly, there are so many chocolatiers in the world I could never list out quality. In the video and photos I used Hershey’s because it is the most widely available and still delicious, though really only a medium quality at best. Having made this cake many times with many different cocoa powders, it certainly can enhance the flavor by using better quality chocolate. I would stay far away from store brands, generic brands, and discount brands though. Some of them aren’t even real chocolate.

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  247. This is the best recipe. Seriously make this recipe AS DIRECTED. Do not substitute anything and make it AS DIRECTED. I understand you have allergies, but you need to Pinterest chocolate cakes that work with your allergies. This cake is so good because of all the things that make it great. Also I used the dark chocolate frosting that you suggested and it was amazing. I did not substitute anything, I have made this cake 4 times AS DIRECTED and got the most amazing results. I get so many compliments on this cake because it is rich and chocolaty and just amazing. Thank you for this awesome recipe!

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  248. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It is aptly named as it is truly amazing. I have made it 5 times I the last week and everyone has raved over it, especially the frosting. It has made wonderful thank you gifts for some special people.

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  249. I would like to know if it were possible to cut the recipe by 3. How many eggs would I put and will it still come out the same?

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  250. A recipe to reuse in every occassion. Love it. All the other recipes can go in the bin now. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.

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  251. Rachel, you are one patient lady, because you know what?… some of these questions are ridiculous. Can I change this, or can I not use this? Oh my goodness. NO!! you can’t change anything! Just follow the doggone recipe and enjoy, rate, and comment. Sheesh! This is an amazing cake! All the rich, wonderful, moist chocolate goodness you could ask for. Thanks for the taking the time to perfect this, and then share it. Five Stars!! (because I’m unable to rate by selecting stars)

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  252. Hi, thanks for this amazing recipe. I did it and my husband love it. I’m going to do it again, but I will like to ask you for a recommendation in regards to the cocoa powder, which one do you recommed?

    Thanks

    Reply

  253. I took your cake to a Church Pot-luck and everybody raved over it. I watched another very recent video you did and you mentioned a genashe (spelling?) icing….. any recipe for that? I also do a french butter cream that I think would be good.

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  254. I made the recipe exactly as written. I used two 9″ pans and one 6″ round (about 2″ deep) to make a mini give away cake. They all baked for the same amount of time. Imagine following a recipe and judging on bake time based on a toothpick test? The cake and frosting are da bomb! Everyone loved it! Thank you for this recipe. I’m so full right now, but I’m really looking forward to cake and coffee tomorrow.

    Reply

  255. Hi,

    I´ve had problems in the past with cream cheese buttercream becoming droopy and runny. Has anyone encountered these issues with this recipe?

    Thanks.

    Reply

  256. would like to try making these into muffins in a standard muffin pan. Any idea on time for baking? I assume it will be shorter….

    Reply

  258. As Shirley Temple said, “Oh my goodness!” I have been looking for a cake like this for decades! Every recipe I tried left me disappointed. Rave reviews from everyone at dinner. I made the cake exactly as written. I never flour my cake pans because I don’t like the flour residue. I just cut 9″ circles, using the bottom of the pan to trace them, out of wax paper. You can buy premade liners on Amazon. Then I spray the pan, stick the liner in (spray helps keep it from moving when batter is added), then spray the liner.

    Reply

  259. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us!
    It was the most delicious chocolate cake.
    I even tried it for cupcake and it was a huge success. Half the batter yield more than 24 cupcakes. I used ganache over them and they turn out perfect

    Reply

  262. I have to get the butter milk 1st then Im making this.
    I just want to say this……it makes me crazy when people ask can I use this instead of this…………if ya’ll want to substitute this for that then find a different recipe. I mean really. Try it the way the recipe is posted. If items can be changed then normally it will indicate that.
    Some of the ingredients here are new for me. Thats why Im trying it. Thanks for what looks like will be to die for cake.

    Reply

  263. I made this cake for a birthday and they all loved it! Thanks a lot for posting it! As I dont have three pans I baked it all at once, and it took around 45-50 minutes, but still worked out very well. I just cut it once in the middle and but the icing there, still amazing! Thanks!

    Reply

    • What is the approx. Height that the final cake will be if baked all at once? I’m not sure if baking it all in 1 layer will affect the cake size. Please let me know. I want to make it for a collegue’s birthday .

      Reply

  264. Pretty good cake, but I really wish that the author could find a way to delete the 5 star ratings for people who did not actually make the cake.

    Naturally, you will always have some rate poorly because they cannot bake, but there are too many questions and comments which include 5 stars. As I am looking at the comments now, after baking, it is pretty shocking. There’s no point to including a rating.

    As for the cake, I thought it was good, but it had more of a texture of chocolate muffin than chocolate cake. It was good and moist, though! I was worried about the amount of liquid, but it cooked perfectly.
    I went with the ganache frosting which was amazing and very rich. I am glad because even though the cake was good, there was not a strong chocolate flavor. The ganache makes up for it!

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  265. Hello! If I make the icing the day before I make the cakes, should I refrigerate the icing? Do I sit it out and let it get to room temperature before icing the cake? Thank you so much! I am so excited to make this cake. It is the first chocolate cake I’ve ever made!

    Reply

  266. Ok, this is officially the best chocolate cake I have ever made.
    I subbed the plain water for equal parts brewed coffee, and it was spectacular. I used a homemade whipped chocolate icing and added a raspberry filling as well, it was a huge hit!
    I ended up cooking this in a 9×13″ pan and was able to make 2 nice sized layers! This sure makes a lot of cake! I cooked each layer for about half an hour each, just checked with a toothpick to make sure it was done. This is definitely my go-to recipe from now on 🙂

    Reply

  268. This is absolutely the best chocolate cake recipe that I’ve made!! I used freshly brewed coffee instead of the water and it came out perfect. It was a huge three layer cake and everyone in my family loved it. It is so moist and has an intense chocolate flavor. I will definitely be making this again!! Thank you so much!!

    Reply

  270. Want to make sure that the 1TBSP of baking powde is correct. (Only because I’ve never seen or used a recipe using that much). Can’t wsit to make it fir my husband’s birthday!

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  271. I have made both the chocolate and the white cakes are both are phenomenal. One thing I did differently the second time around was freezing the layers before frosting. This made them more stable for frosting. My first was a little lopsided. Great recipe!

    Reply

  272. Dutch cocoa, regular cocoa or raw cocoa? The reason ipecac doesn’the specify and I have all of them.

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  273. I really want to make this for my Mom’s 90th birthday on Monday. I have skim milk or heavy whipping cream. Can either of these be used to make the buttermilk (adding the vinegar?)

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  274. Rookie question – If I’m using for a bundt cake, do I fill the pan 3/4 of the way? And how long do you think this will take to bake? Still at 350 degrees? Thank you – can’t wait to try – I’ll be making the cupcakes w/remainder of batter instead of trying to cut recipe by 2/3.

    Reply

  275. I reduced this to 2/3 and made a (still very large) 2 layer- you can reduce frosting to 1/2 for a 2 layer as well.

    Great recipe- VERY DELICIOUS.

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  277. Hi, my question is: may I reduce the amount of sugar? I consider it’s a big amount of sugar. Thank you, I’d like to try this recipe soon.

    Reply

    • Baking is quite complex and involves chemistry so I wouldn’t recommend changing the amount of sugar in the cake itself. If you want less sugar, use a whipped chocolate ganache for the frosting instead of the listed frosting recipe.

      Reply

  278. This recipe is brilliant. Made it for a party. Doubled it and made a 3 tier sheet. Everyone loved it. Thanx for this recipe. Also made it as the round version. It’s fantastic. Can’t wait to try the white cake recipe too.

    Reply

  279. Do you need to refrigerate the cake after frosting if eating the next day? Sorry, just checking with the cream cheese.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  280. This is a wonderful recipe. If you substitute something, don’t make it. If you did substitute something and it didn’t turn out, then it’s your fault, not the recipe. This recipe is perfect!!! My go to chocolate cake. And I’m fortunate, my son lives in Germany and sends me all my cocoa which is much richer than what you can buy in the USA. Try it, you’ll like it.

    Reply

  281. Such a good recipe! Thank you for sharing it with us. I made this for my husband’s birthday and it was the first time I’ve ever made a cake that turned out tasting good! Can’t wait to make it again!

    Reply

  284. I am amazed at some of the questions people have asked and some of the comments. Why don’t people make it as the recipe states. If you have an allergy to an ingredient, you should already be used to substituting for that ingredient. I have just discovered the recipe, so I haven’t made it yet. I am giving it 5 stars because I am familiar enough cooking cakes to know this will be awesome. I am drooling already. You did a great job developing this recipe

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  286. For the cake, I used clarified butter rather than oil. I used 1/2 the sugar as recommended. I also added some rum for flavor.

    The cake turned out to be moist and sweet enough for my taste. It was just fine!

    As for the frosting, following the recipe gave me double the amount of frosting needed. I wonder what I should do with the unused frosting.

    With these slight modifications, the cake still turned out to be quite amazing.

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  289. This recipe is AWESOME. I did this cake twice. The first time I followed the recipe to a tee. The second time I made a couple of modifications to reduce the sweetness just a tad. Both cakes were amazing. This cake is a chocolate lovers dream.

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  290. I’m thinking about making this cake for my daughter’s birthday. I’m wondering if the icing tastes strongly of vanilla. That has always been a problem for me when making my own. Please let me know what you think.

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  291. Thank ou so much for a wonderful recipe. I made it on my son’s b.day and it turned out very well. Eventhough I forgot hot water in microwave lolz. Guest adking recipie so I shared your weblink with them. Thumbs .

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  292. This cake is the most moist, chocolatey chocolate cake ever! It’s absolutely amazing! I’m not sure what I did wrong for it to sink in the middle, but I’m not a professional baker, and I’m not giving up! We’re enjoying eating the cake by itself since I messed it up and can’t actually make a cake out of it. Haha! Seriously still amazing! Have you ever used cake wraps? I’m wondering if that’s where I went wrong. They worked amazingly well with your white cake, but I’m curious if they don’t need to be used for the chocolate one. Now to go back to eating this amazing cake! I can’t wait to try it with the icing! Which is amazing on your white cake without the cocoa powder!

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  297. I made the cake this weekend, following the recipe. It was extremely moist and very rich. It got rave reviews from everyone and “Best cake ever” from multiple people. I used 3 8″ pans and 1/2 Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder and 1/2 regular. I used it to make the “ice cream cone dripping” cake and therefore used a vanilla and a chocolate buttercream with a dripped ganache over the top. Next time I’ll try the recommended frosting or the vanilla in the white cake recipe. Thank you so much. This will be my go-to chocolate cake recipe.

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  298. I’m relatively new when it comes to baking, but I’ve perfected this recipe! Your measurements and directions are precise and if followed you can’t go wrong! My whole family loves it! If only I could upload a pic for everyone to see! Thank you so much! Can’t wait to try your white cake for my mom’s birthday!

    Reply

  299. Hi! I’m from indonesia, big fans of yours♡ and want to make your cake but i’m not really familiar with the cup size, Would you make this recipe to grams? Please and Thankyou!

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  302. This is the BEST chocolate cake I’ve ever made! It will be my go-to recipe from now on. I made it for my son’s birthday party and it was very well received. Everyone loved it!I used the full recipe in 3- 8″ round pans and it worked great. I also used the Chocolate cream cheese buttercream, with regular cocoa) and it paired wonderfully with the cake.

    Thank you for the awesome recipes!!

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  303. This cake is amazing!! Thank you for posting the recipe!!
    I am also impressed that you are so pacient. You answer the same questions over and over again and the people in the thread don’t even bother to read the other comments posted.
    I also found very strange that they rate the recipe and haven’t even trie it!

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  304. All I can say is AWESOME!!! Thank you for such a wonderful and delicious chocolate cake!! My husband said it is to die for!! Keep up the good work!! Looking forward to trying all of you recipes!!

    Have a Blessed and Wonderful Day!!

    Reply

  306. I am cooking This right now and I only have the one pan. Do I have to cool it in the pan before turning it out or can I cool it on the wire rack straight away?

    Reply

    • Cool cakes in their pan for 5 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool completely. I can take my cakes out right away, but they are easier to handle if you let them cool for a few minutes first. If they stay in the pan you may end up with a crustier crust or a soggy bottom depending on humidity issues.

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  307. How many people does this cake serve? I plan on making it for a birthday but do not want to serve it as a sheet cake, I would prefer serving it as a three layer cake. I realize this will limit the quantity of people it serves

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  309. My daughter in law made this for my grandson’s 4th birthday. It was over the top delish! How would I add espresso to give it just a kick?

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  310. I have been searching high and low for chocolate cake perfection. It had to look, feel and taste like it belonged in a movie, and was sent straight from heaven. This one totally nailed it – and I don’t even LIKE chocolate cake! I made this cake without *gasp* any alterations, and was able to convert all measurements myself (how clever am I?! Not very actually – I found the already weight converted recipe further down afterwards 🙄😆) Tried your frosting recipe just for fun, and it wasn’t nearly as dark as yours, but still tasted great. I used a 70% Dutch cocoa, so not sure why it wasn’t as dark and sinful as yours, but I’ll cope 😂 This really IS Bruce Bogtrotters cake!

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  311. I need to make this cake a day or 2 in advance. Do you think this cake will stay moist and fresh in the refrigerator for that length of time? Do you have any suggestions?

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  314. My apologies if this was mentioned somewhere that I missed, I did scroll through the comments though and I didn’t see it. Is this icing pipe-able? This cake looks delicious and I look forward to making it. And I agree with you, cakes should be 3 layers!

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  315. Hello I just made this beautiful cake and I’m waiting for it to cool down but my frosting came out too chocolate-ty like it has a rich chocolate flavor and my kids did a taste test and they didn’t like it ,they said it had a strong flavor to it. Is there any way I can make it a milk-chocolate frosting? Just to lighten up the chocolate flavor.

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  320. I made this cake exactly as written. It baked up very nicely and looked dramatic after it was frosted. The frosting and cake both had a fabulous texture. Both the cake and the frosting had a very strong chocolate taste. It was very good, but I think I would have liked it with a more mild chocolate flavor. I would make the cake again, but I might try to find a more mild cocoa powder or use less.

    Reply

  321. Wow! I made this cake (half portion) for my husband and I tried it and it’s to die for! And I never liked chocolate cake! Now I’m convinced I just haven’t tried the right one. So good!

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  323. I prepared this cake to the T as per your instructions for my sons birthday. Though I had to prepared three times the cake, as my oven is small, while cream frosting my cake almost fell, somehow I managed to make sit properly, it turned out to be a mammoth 5 kgs cake. with the frosting. The only mistake I made was that I did not scrape the doom part of my top cake which looked exactly like arc, and I somehow decorated with KIT KAT all over, and put the cake in the fridge. My son cut the cake next day, he just fell in love with the cake, and I packed the cake to all his friends, I should say I have been receiving rave compliments. I have never been on cloud nine. Thank you so much for the recipe and the video. I received a compliment that it is best than a cake from the cake shop 🙂 I haven’t stopped smiling still.

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  325. My cake turned out to be really moist in the middle, but I wasn’t sure if that’s how it’s supposed to be or it’s just not cooking all the way. I even tried to bake the second layer an extra 10 mins but to no avail.

    I followed the recipe exactly but added coffee with the water.

    Reply

      • I mixed in espresso powder with the instructed amount of water in the recipe and then strained the coffee to remove ground bits. No extra water added, although my batter looked thinner than yours for some reason.

        I used the leftover batter after 2 days to make cupcakes and, although the change in chemistry (cold batter plus the resting time) made the cupcakes lopsided, the texture turned out to be much nicer! Very moist and crumbly, as opposed to the moist and dense texture of the layer cake.

        Also, my cream cheese frosting had a curdled and crumbly texture after addition of milk. I frosted the cake while it was still warm to get rid of the texture, which worked. I was wondering what caused it? I followed the recipe but used good quality mascarpone instead of regular cream cheese.

        Reply

  327. Hi Rachel, I made this cake 2x and my friends say it’s much better than magnolia or le pan cake here in New York. However, the 3rd ime, I couldn’t frost the cake I had to take it upstate ny, so I made frosting 4 hours ahead of time. By the time I was ready to frost, the frosting was rock hard. I added milk nothing happened. I put t on the stove to heat it, it only melted the bottom the rest was still hard. What should I have done to soften the frosting.

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  330. WHOA! This cake is humongous. Guess I didn’t know it meant three full pans. It came out great and I can’t wait to taste it. I’ll have to read to find out how to cut down the portion so I can keep it in my recipe repertoire but I’m sure this will be delicious.

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  331. I made this cake for the 1st time for my husband’s grandmother’s birthday and it was a hit. I was worried about making it for her party when I hadnt tried it before and it came out absolutely perfect. It was very soft so I put it in the fridge overnight and iced it the next day with chocolate ganache. This is definitely the best cake I have ever made. And it is easy easy easy.

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  333. I just wanted to say I tried your recipe yesterday and was not disappointed. The cake is perfectly chocolate and moist. The frosting is creamy and delightful. I did have to add quite a bit more milk so I could pipe the frosting but that is a non issue. The recipe yielded 48 standard cupcakes with an additional 24 mini cupcakes and the frosting was plentiful. Nicely done! I will be using this recipe quite often. Thank you!

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  334. Hello Rachel,
    I made this cake on Saturday, 10/21/17 for my friends’ house warming gift. She let it sit two days in the fridge and when they cut it on Monday, they were over-the-top happy. The girls said it was the best chocolate cake in the world. She shared this cake with us at work, and I was able to taste. It it truly delicious. I’m so glad that I DID try it instead of making my old standby (Duncan Hines spruced up). The icing was a bit daunting for me, and I thought it was too sweet, but it blended so well with the cake that it didn’t taste too sweet at all. As a matter of fact, it as just right. Needless to say, the two women who tasted the cake are now requesting one for themselves. Outstanding. Your recipe is truly amazing and I will make this wonderful cake for my family for Thanksgiving. I will be baking your rolls this weekend.
    P.S. I received my KA Standing Mixer yesterday and can’t wait to use it. Will give feedback on the rolls, too.
    Thanks for sharing with us.
    Susan

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  337. I must have made this cake a hundred times now, I absolutely love it! Everyone who tastes it ,loves it. The recipe is so easy to follow and the cake is AMAZING!

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  338. Please how do we preserve the cake to last long n how many days will it last? Do we need to add alcohol to preserve it? Thanks. Please reply

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