The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake

4.91 from 1755 votes

The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake is moist, decadent, chocolatey perfection with a batter that is made in just one bowl. With thousands of rave reviews, this is the chocolate cake you've been dreaming of!

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate Cake

Servings: layers

Author: Rachel Farnsworth

Ingredients

The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups warm water (or brewed coffee)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups butter softened
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
7 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk as needed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Lightly grease three 9-inch cake rounds or dust with flour or cocoa powder. Alternatively, you can lightly grease the pans and line them with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt on low speed until combined.
Add 4 large eggs, 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 1 1/2 cups warm water, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat on a low speed until smooth, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is mixed in.
Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans, about 3 cups per pan. Tap the cake pans gently on the counter to allow any bubbles to rise to the top and escape.
Bake for 30-35 minutes in a 350°F (176°C) oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes on wire racks for 15 minutes, then remove them from the pans and place them on the wire racks to cool completely.
Frost with your favorite frosting and enjoy!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together 1 1/2 cups butter and 8 ounces cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder and 3 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat until just combined, about 30 seconds.
Beat in 7 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add 1/4 cup milk as necessary to make a spreadable consistency. The frosting should be very thick and will thicken even more once refrigerated.
Use the frosting to frost and assemble the cake or transfer it to a piping bag for decorating. Once frosted, the cake should be refrigerated, but it can remain at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

Video

Notes

For metric measurements, click on the metric tab. Bake at 176°C in three 23 centimeter pans.
Coffee can be used in place of warm water to enhance the flavor of chocolate. This option is great for dark chocolate lovers.
The servings on this cake are listed as 3 layers to allow you to use the built-in scaling feature to adjust the recipe larger or smaller depending on how many layers you want to make.

Nutrition