Easy Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe

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This Chocolate Cake recipe is super easy to put together, moist and delicious! It’s almost as easy as a box mix cake, but tastier!

Easy Moist Chocolate Cake recipe

Easy Moist Chocolate Cake

If there’s one thing I love about this blog, it’s getting to play around with new recipes and share them with you. It can be so hard to find just the right cake and it’s always my goal to give you that. For me, that often begins with having the right base cakes – meaning a wonderful vanilla and chocolate cake (or cupcake, cheesecake, etc). One of my goals over the next few weeks is to provide you with the best of the best as far as basics are concerned. Today we are starting with chocolate cake!

You may or may not have already tried my Best Chocolate Cake. I still get major heart eyes for that cake. Love it! But I’m not one to be satisfied with just one version of a classic. I like options. Plus, not everyone has the same idea of the “perfect” cake, so variety is good.

And when you bake as much as I do, every so often I decide it’s time for something new. Problem is, when you already have an amazing chocolate cake, how do you make the best even better?

Easy Chocolate Cake recipeFavorite Easy Moist Chocolate Cake

An Easy, Classic Chocolate Sheet Cake

Well since the other version is a slow bake cake that bakes at 300 degrees and that can sometimes throw people off, not to mention it takes longer to bake, I decided to make a version that bakes at the usual 350. I wanted to be sure it was just as tasty though! Surprisingly, that wasn’t as easy of a task as I’d expected.

There was a fair amount of experimenting, but the big thing was decreasing some of the liquid so allow for a quicker baking cake. I played around with decreasing the milk, oil and water. They all have similar effects on the cake, but produce slightly different results. I primarily went back and forth on the oil and milk. I ended up with a little more milk than oil. Oil adds great moisture to the cake, but too much makes it a bit of a firmer cake. Reducing it a touch and leaving more milk makes it a little lighter and softer. The final result is perfect and so delicious!

The Best Chocolate Frosting for Chocolate Cake

The frosting on top is also to die for! It’s my usual chocolate frosting, but this time I beat it for a few minutes to incorporate more air and have more of a whipped frosting. It lightens in color and gets fluffier. It’s just as chocolatey, but the whipped, light texture goes perfectly with the moist cake.

I really am in love with this cake! It’s a nice change from the slow-bake version if you’re looking for something easy and quick to throw together. The other one will always remain the MOISTEST cake ever (like seriously, it’s nutty), but this cake truly is moist and tender and SO good! And the 9×13 cake size is classic and easy to transport so you can have chocolate cake all day, err-y day. 🙂 You’re welcome.

Homemade Easy Moist Chocolate CakeBest ever Easy Moist Chocolate Cake

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”wFfbrg0w” upload-date=”2017-01-03T15:34:48.000Z” name=”Easy Moist Chocolate Cake” description=”This Chocolate Cake recipe is super easy to put together, moist and delicious! It’s almost as easy as a box mix cake, but tastier!” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]
Read transcript

You might also like these chocolate cake recipes:

German Chocolate Cake
Nutella Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Poke Cake
Best Chocolate Cake
Death By Chocolate Icebox Cake
Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake

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Easy Moist Chocolate Cake with bite taken out
Recipe

Easy Moist Chocolate Cake

  • Author: Life, Love and Sugar
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 32 minutes
  • Total Time: 52 minutes
  • Yield: 12-15 Servings
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This chocolate cake recipe is super easy to put together, moist and delicious! It’s almost as easy as a box mix, but even tastier.


Ingredients

CHOCOLATE CAKE

  • 1 3/4 cups (228g) all purpose flour
  • 2 cups (414g) sugar
  • 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (240ml) milk
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (240ml) hot water

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

  • 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups (345g) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup (57g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 45 tbsp (60-75ml) heavy cream
  • Sprinkles, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a 9×13 inch cake pan with non-stick baking spray.
2. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.
3. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.
5. Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool.
8. To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large mixer bowl until smooth.
9. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
10. Add the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of cream and mix until smooth.
11. Add remaining powdered sugar and cocoa and mix until smooth.
12. Add remaining cream as needed and mix until smooth, keeping an eye on the consistency of the frosting so it doesn’t get too thin.
13. Beat frosting on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it has lightened in color and gotten fluffy.
14. Spread frosting evenly onto the cake. Top with sprinkles, if desired.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 430
  • Sugar: 47.2 g
  • Sodium: 421.7 mg
  • Fat: 19.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 63 g
  • Protein: 5.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 27.3 mg

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Enjoy!

Decorated alice of Easy Moist Chocolate Cake

Easy Moist Chocolate Cake! So good!

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422 Comments
  1. Myle

    I made this for the very first time and I have to admit, whilst making it I thought to myself this is way too runny and wet, it will never rise and cook. How little did I know!! It cooked perfectly and everyone loved it!! I couldn’t believe how moist and delicious it was.
    This is the best chocolate cake recipe in the world…. Thank you so much!!😊
    Would it be okay to make the frosting in advanced? And how long can I store it for?
    Thanks again x






    1. Lindsay

      Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it! Yes, the buttercream can be made and stored in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just bring it back to room temperature before using. It will be firm when cold.

  2. Bethany

    Did you by chance adjust this recipe at all? I make it all the time, and thought I remember there being shortening in the frosting.

    1. Lindsay

      Yes, and there are new photos coming soon. The only thing about the recipe I changed is using all butter in the frosting. But if you prefer using the shortening, it would be half butter and half shortening.

  3. Carol

    I made this cake yesterday and it will now be my forever go to chocolate cake recipe!!
    Sooo easy to make and it really is moist and delicious
    Thank you






    1. Lindsay

      Yes, it just depends how you want to do it. For a shorter cake (maybe 3-4 inches tall), you could cut the recipe in half. For a taller cake, you could use the full recipe.

  4. Aunt J

    I’m pretty sure I’ve commented on this recipe previously. I prepared this cake for a gathering last nite so feel compelled to add to my prior remarks. It absolutely never fails to bring rave reviews. I have dozens of chocolate cake recipes, and this one is my all-time go-to. It calls for common pantry ingredients, nothing exotic or out-there. You do not destroy your kitchen preparing it. It NEVER fails and it stays nice and fresh in the fridge for several days. The cake is yummy on its own and the rich, creamy icing pushes it over the top. It is a win-win on every level.






  5. Joany

    This cake is absolutely HEAVENLY!! I’ve made 2 this week…. I used only butter for the frosting as I was out of shortening, and I’m always heavy handed with the vanilla… oh. my. GOODNESS!! Thanks for such an easy, delicious cake that is going in my “family” recipes that I keep for my son (who is an incredible baker himself).






  6. Kiran

    Thanks for sharing the recipe. I had a quick question on the baking soda and baking powder amounts mentioned in the recipe. Is the baking soda really 21/4 tsp, more than the baking powder ?

  7. MarieLovesToCook

    This is the best chocolate cake recipe I have ever used. The cake is so tasty and moist, the frosting soft and fluffy. Wow. I was hesitant as I am an old school cook… not to disappoint. Initially I had mixed the batter and it was ready to cook… a little too thick. I realized I had forgotten the milk. So even though it was a pain I put it all back into a bowl and added the milk, mixed at low. So worth it. I also used a glass cake pan and greased it with butter and a light coating of flour. This is now in my go to cake recipe. I look forward to inviting people over for cake and coffee. Thank you.






  8. Seray Ibrahim

    I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I have tried your vanilla cake recipe which is my go to now. I was wondering if this recipe could be used for a round layer cake? If so, would you suggest doubling the measurements?

    1. Lindsay

      I’m glad you enjoyed the vanilla cake! Yes, it’ll work for a round layer cake. I use the recipe as is for an 8 inch. You could adjust it if you wanted a smaller or larger cake.

  9. Patricia Brown

    I am 67 years old and this is the BEST chocolate cake I have ever made / eaten! It is so moist with a deep chocolate flavor! Love it!!!






  10. Amber

    I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday and she loved it! I cut the sugar to only about 1 1/3 cup and it was delicious, we did not make the frosting just dusted it with powdered sugar and put strawberries on top. So I think the 2 cups sugar is much more than what is needed especially if you make the frosting.

  11. Alysha

    My new go to chocolate cake recipe. Made for several extended family picnics and it always goes down very well. So deliciously moist. Can be turned into a layer cake but needs less time. Very simple recipe.






  12. Cindy

    looking forward to trying this one for my teen’s birthday Sunday. I noticed in comments you mentioned using additional butter instead of shortening. I really don’t want to stock my pantry with shortening as we don’t use it. Is it the same amount on the substitution? Thanks!!

  13. Evelyn

    Wow. I made a half recipe of this cake. I only needed a small cake. AMAZING! Moist, nice dark chocolate color, delicious. I have never made a homemade cake before that didn’t taste homemade until I tried this one. No more cake mixes for me!






  14. Beth

    My cake sunk in the middle while in the oven. A birthday disaster🫠. Was it because I used the fan? Pyrex? I’ve loved your other baking recipes and have never had a cake do this before 🤔 so much for easy 😄

    1. Lindsay

      It could be that it was under baked. It could also be some thing else, it would just be hard for me to say. Glass pans don’t heat as quickly as aluminum ones. So if you used a glass Pyrex pan, it would take longer to bake, and it would bake more quickly on the edges, than in the middle, which would cause it to sink.

  15. Rose

    Love this cake, family favourite. Thank you for sharing it with us.
    Just one question I didnt realise I dont have baking soda🙈 and I’m too far from the shops how much baking powder should I use instead?
    Thanks 😊

    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad you enjoy it! Baking soda and baking powder aren’t necessarily interchangeable and will give you a different result and texture. If you want to try all baking powder, you can. I’d try like 4 teaspoons.

  16. Tricia Kennedy

    I love all your recipes, so thank you!! Just wondering if I can freeze this with the icing?
    I want to stock my freezer with completed iced goodies for ease.

  17. Magee

    I like to make this recipe but I was wondering should the butter and shortening be at room temperature? As well as the Milk for batter? Please let me know thank you, Magee

    1. Lindsay

      The butter should definitely be room temperature, and I have updated that in the recipe. The shortening should be as well, but that is usually stored at room temperature, at least for me. And the milk and eggs could be room temperature. I don’t always use them that way though, so it isn’t totally necessary.

  18. Mel

    I made this cake. It was delicious, but I used less sugar. It was perfect. I didn’t make your frosting, cuz we don’t have shortening, here, in Spain.

    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And for the frosting, you can always replace shortening with additional butter.

  19. Macy

    I made this cake for my grandsons birthday, everyone thought it was the best chocolate cake they have ever tasted. Took a bit longer to cook than the recipe said, used gluten free flour, but it turned out really well, very moist, would tell anyone to try the recipe and enjoy.

  20. Teearne

    Finally a from scratch cake mix that I can actually cook and it comes out so moist and is makes a huge trays worth!






  21. Nar

    Great recipe! The cake is extremely moist and has a rich flavor. I will definitely be making this again and again.






  22. Enrique

    Excellent recipe. I should note that it took much longer to set for me than the recipe suggests, so be patient and don’t start if you need to leave the house any time soon. I also added 1 tbsp of instant coffee to the dry ingredients. Next time I may also add some crushed pecans.






  23. Pamela Schuyler

    This is my son’s FAVORITE cake. I have made it so many times and it comes out perfect every time. I am having an offsite birthday for him with more people than normal so I want to make cupcakes out of this. Will it make 24 or should I double the recipe? Thanks!!!






  24. Rivkah

    Hi Lindsay,
    I’m cooking in a toaster oven that cannot fit a 9x13inch pan, so I used a smaller pan (7.5×10.5 inch) with the whole batter at the same temperature, and it’s needed at least 45 more minutes of cooking (I covered it with foil so it wouldn’t burn) and the toothpick is still coming out wet from the center of the cake. Do you think this is all due to the smaller pan size? If so, two questions-
    1) After all that extra time do you think it’s safe to eat even if the middle is moist and not yet crumby?
    2) In the future with this small oven, should I just divide the batter into two smaller pans and cook them separately instead?
    Many thanks!

    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t ever baked in a toaster oven, so I don’t really know what results you’ll end up with. That said, yes, baking it in a smaller pan would lead to the issues you had. I would definitely divide it between two pans next time. If the middle hasn’t reached a food safe temperature, then it wouldn’t be ideal to eat. Generally eggs are considered “safe” at between 160 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

      1. Rebecca

        Thanks a lot! Also, in general once you start eating it, do you store it in or out of the fridge?

      2. Lindsay

        It should be fine at room temperature for about 24 hours or so. After that, you can refrigerate it and bring it back to room temperature before serving.

  25. Mary

    Pls Can I bake this in one pan rather than three separate pans? I do not intend to frost in between the cakes.

    1. Lindsay

      No, it will not bake evenly in one large round 8 inch pan and will come out dry on the outside and possibly not baked through in the middle. You want to use at least two round pans or a 9 x 13.

      1. Lindsay

        Sure. I’m not exactly sure of the baking time. I’m guessing around 20 minutes, give or take.

      1. Kim

        Thank you for the reply! One more question – do I need to remove the cake from the baking tray after it cools or can I let it cool in the tray, put the icing on and serve it like that?

  26. The best cake ever!

    I have made this cake twice so far I’m about to make it for the third time, it is so easy and moist it has alway been a favorite of my fam, thank you for sharing this recipe with me this is my go to baking site!






  27. Courtney

    I have made this cake many times and it is always a hit! I was wondering how would you adjust the baking time for cupcakes instead? I want to make them for my son’s birthday and he wants cupcakes.






  28. Zoe Davies

    A friend made this cake for my Daughter’s birthday, it was amazing. However as a uk baker I am very nervous of the ‘hot water’! How hot should it be? Tepid like for bread? Nearly boiling like for hot water pastry? Or more like a cup of coffee? Thank you😊

  29. Susie Hape

    Love Love love this recipe. So easy to make with simple ingredients. Nothing flashy about this recipe but for me it works. This is the best chocolate recipe I’ve ever made. Its so tasty & moist, I get so many compliments about it when I make it. This is the only chocolate recipe I need.
    Thank you to the author/baker for sharing.






  30. Isabel Lamas

    I didn’t do the frosting so no idea how it tastes, but I used the cake recipe for a bundt, threw some mini chocolate chips in there, and sprinkled it with powdered sugar and it was DELISH! Super moist and the perfect level of richness without being overwhelming. We (mostly me) ate it in 3 days, and it was so easy to make I can’t wait to use this recipe again!






  31. Jillian

    Not sure about the icing. Tastes greasy almost. I wish I had omitted the shortening and just used all butter 😫

  32. Sanjee

    Hi there, wondering if this cake would hold up to tiering? Looking to make a 2 tier with chocolate on the bottom. Thanks!

    1. Jenni

      I did this as two tiers with an ermine frosting and it worked really well. Flipped the top layer upside down to get a nice flat top. No sliding or sinking in the middle despite fondant decorations on top.

  33. Nafiza

    Just made this cake! Followed it exactly, needed an extra 5-10 mins cooking due to having a small cake tin, but woaw!! So moist, fluffy and flavourful. Thank you!!






  34. Lu Acq

    I absolutely love this recipe. My family, some of which are not fans of cake and super critical, love it. It is becoming a birthday favorite. I too was concerned about how thin the batter was, but I quickly realized why! 🙂 One word to describe this cake
    ….DELISH!!
    I wanted to share a little revision that I made, instead of water/milk in the frosting, I added brewed coffee. It gives the chocolate a more intense flavor, but you need to like coffee. 🙂






  35. Del

    I’ve made this cake so many times, my whole family loves it! This was excellent. Followed the recipe exactly as written.






  36. Jeremy Hilliker

    I was scared with how thin and runny the batter was, but it came out perfect with an amazing amount of spring to the sponge. The amount of moisture in this cake was so high you almost thought you would squeeze water out of it! 100% recommend this recipe!






  37. Kaiea

    I’ve made this cake so many times, my whole family loves it! My mamma taught me how to make this icing that is super easy to make, and it’s not two sweet either, but sweet enough that kids like me still love it. It goes perfectly with the cake! Thank you so much for making this amazing recipe!






  38. Bella

    This is a great recipe to try as a first timer. I changed a couple of ingredients since I prefer others as substitute.
    For frosting I used half butter and half unrefined coconut oil.
    And for cake mix I used French flour, avocado oil, and only 1.5 cups raw sugar. It’s delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe Linsay.






  39. Ann Edwards

    Can this be cooked in different sized tins i.e. 8inch square or a 9inch circular one and if so how does this affect the cooking time please?
    Thank you.

    Ann

      1. Jen

        This was excellent. Followed the recipe exactly as written. I added 4 extra minutes to the cooking time (until toothpick came out with moist crumbs and the middle set a little). My go-to chocolate cake recipe moving forward! I also like that this isn’t needing to be placed in two pans. It’s a straightforward, one cake pan and easy recipe. Thank you!






  40. Cecile housand

    This is Hershey’s perfectly perfect chocolate cake recipe with 2 little tweaks It’s on the Hershey can of cocoa

    1. Lindsay

      I’m not sure since I haven’t done it with this cake. I’m gonna guess somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes.

    2. Brittney

      Hello!! I used this recipe for 2 round pans and found that 20 minutes wasn’t enough, the cake was still very wet. 30 minutes is what worked best for me






  41. Kav

    Hi,
    I tried your recipe being a choclate addict and your recipe was super easy to try & looked so yummy 😋. But unfortunately it didn’t came out well.it was tasting bitter & seems like center part sunked little after an initial rise .I did followed the exact measurements and baked for 30 mnts with a clean tooth pick while testing.
    Could you please help with where might have been the issue ….

    1. Lindsay

      It’s hard to say without being there to see it. It could be that something wasn’t measured quite right, or maybe your baking soda or powder is a little old or even that maybe the oven was opened too soon.

      1. Kav

        Thank you for your reply.Baking soda, Powder & cocoa powder just bought 1 month before(365 brand from whole foods),still it was too bitter that I had to throw it.
        May be have to give it a try again or ask a frnd to try🤞

  42. Julie Buresh

    I have to say that this was simply the best chocolate cake I think I have ever had. I bake a lot and I rely on Martha Stewart a lot. I had given up hope on recipes that I found online but this recipe here has forever changed that way of thinking. I can’t even describe how incredible this cake turned out. I followed the recipe to a T and I used Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa because that’s the brand I had. The cake was dark chocolate, it rolls completely to the top of the pan and it was incredibly moist. I did not make the icing because I had my own recipe but I will be making this again and definitely using this recipe for frosting as well. You cannot go wrong with this. Simply incredible






  43. Akbar

    I soooo love your recipes! Keen to try this one as well. But i am wanting to make 2 of 8×8 square pans. Can you guide me how much should i increase the ingredients by to make 2 pans? And also how the bake time will change. Thank you

    1. Lindsay

      This should work as is for 2 pans. I haven’t made that size though, so I’m guessing, but you’ll just want to bake them for maybe 25 minutes – give or take.

  44. Amanda

    Hi! My friend requested I make a rectangle cake for her sons birthday. But I have no experience in that. Would this cake be thick enough for me to torte in half? Or would you recommend doubling it and making two sheet cakes?
    Thank you!

  45. Akbar

    I soooo love your recipes! Keen to try this one as well. But i am wanting to make 2 of 8×8 square pans. Can you guide me how much should i increase the ingredients by to make 2 pans? And also how the bake time will change. Thank you

  46. Johnny

    Lindsay I just used your recipe again. My family loves how this cake tastes! Nothing like this cake with a glass of milk or a bowl of vanilla ice cream!  Once again thanks!






  47. Pam

    Could I substitute the cocoa powder with hot chocolate mix and reduce the sugar quantity? Totally ran out of cocoa powder and promised a yummy chocolate cake to my kiddos! 

  48. Johnny Rogers

    I had no idea a cake made by me (following your recipe) could taste so good! Not to mention the icing was simply delicious. Thank you so very much. Know that this is how I will always make a cake!

  49. Kevin Walters

    Breakfast for dinner is always fun with the kids and we do pizza a lot too. They are getting to be the age that I can allow them to use the cook top, it makes cooking/baking fun.






  50. Ainsley S

    This is my favorite chocolate cake recipe EVER!! it works every time and is SUPER easy to follow. Plus no weird ingredients that a normal person wouldn’t have in their house at a given time.






  51. Giftsnroses

    It took longer than i expected but it also came out better than what i expected. Thanks for sharing the recipe.






  52. Sim

    Hi, I love your recipe. It was perfect, but took  little extra baking time. I used a chocolate gum ganache for frosting. It was a great combo!

  53. Pauline

    Just made this. So moist and so good! At first I was worried because the batter was very wet, but it baked perfectly!  Must try! Thank you for sharing this recipe! 






  54. Mark Miller

    Hey Lindsay, i have been making some preparations for my wife’s first birthday after our marriage and was looking to prepare a cake by myself to impress her. I am thankful that i landed here, as i followed the instructions you gave properly and i must say the resulting cake was better than i expected. She was amazed to know that i made it by myself. All thanks to you and your guidance. Keep up the good work.

  55. Ritza

    Absolutely love the recipe. I added 1/4 cup more milk andcreduced wsrm water by an equal amount The cake came out moist and yummy despite a blunder that I made. I put all the batter in one round tin. At 30min, the cake was still liquid inside. I reduced the heat to 165 and cooked till skewer came out clean. The crust is nice & chewy, does not taste burnt and the inside is divine. My daughter has been gobbling it up….:-)






  56. John Williams

    Hey Lindsay, I want to try your recipe for chocolate cake and want to try for cupcakes as well. Can I use same recipes for vanilla cupcakes?

  57. Claire

    Hello from South Africa! This recipe was exactly what I was looking for. Quick, easy, moist, chocolatey… yum. Dusted mine with powdered sugar instead of butter frosting and it was perfect!






  58. Julie Garnett

    I don’t think I have ever commented on a recipe but I felt I had to because this cake was so delicious! After reading the comments I will have to try the vanilla too!
    Thank you for sharing!!






  59. Ishani

    Hi, great recipe, was curious as to why use both the baking soda as well as baking powder, we aren’t adding any acids to activate the baking soda?

    1. Lindsay

      Yes, there is an acid. Cocoa powder is as acid. Baking soda is actually ideal in a chocolate cake and I think it makes the best chocolate cake. This one has a little baking powder as well, for texture purposes. Some people think my other chocolate cake (which uses only baking soda) is almost too tender, so the baking powder actually firms it up a bit.

  60. Supriya Kutty

    The taste was just superb. Thank you so much for sharing this lovely cake recipe I really loved it I wanted to prepare a cake for my family and landed to this article I was really excited to make it after reading this recipe thank you very much for this I really liked it.

  61. debbie

    Hi Lindsay, thank you for your reply. I was just concerned that my tsp measures as listed, may be a little more than your standard measures, and that I end up with too much baking soda or baking powder, so if I used my standard tsp measures, would this be ok?, or should I try using grams measures for these two ingredients?, although Im not sure what those gram measures would be

  62. Mehar

    I tried two of your cake recipes today. Chocolate and vanilla. And I swear it is the best vanilla cake I’ve ever had. Your recipes are the best out there, lots of love and success to you ♥️

  63. debbie

    Hi Lindsay
    I live in australia and would like to try this recipe, just want to ask a question about the baking powder and baking soda, I only have tsp measures that 1 tsp=5ml, 1/2 tsp=2.5ml, and 1/4tsp=1.25ml, am I able to use these measures in this recipe?, if not, please could you let me know how much to use for these two ingredients

    thanks

    1. Lindsay

      I’m sorry. I’m a little confused. You have measuring spoons that measure 1 tsp, 1/2 tsp and 1/4 tsp, right? So you’d use the 1 tsp twice and the 1/4 tsp once to get 2 1/4 tsp of baking soda. And then the 1/2 tsp for the baking powder. Is that what you’re asking? I wouldn’t go by ml because that’s used for wet ingredients/liquids, which those ingredients are not.

  64. Jamie

    This cake was delicious and so easy to make.  I had to adjust the cooking time to about 42 minutes, but otherwise, not a hitch!  Thank you!!






  65. Jessica Kearney

    love this cake recipe, I made it for my mums birthday during quuriteene and she loved it so much!!! highly recomened this cake and would 100% make it again!!!

  66. Debbie

    Hi,

    For the frosting, If we don’t have shortening I see you say to use butter. In some comments you just say to use butter. In one comment you say use additional butter. Just want to be sure how much butter to use instead of shortening? Is it the same amount or the amount of shortening plus hoe much additional butter?  It calls for 1/2 cup shortening so use 1/2 cup butter, plus the 1/2 butter called for?
    And for the frosting you say milk or water, which makes it the best?

    Also someone commented there was a minor mistake on sugar? It’s 2 cups regular granulated sugar? 

    Thanks. 

    1. Lindsay

      You want to use the amount of butter listed, plus an equal amount of butter to replace the shortening, so one full cup of butter. As for milk or water, I’d probably go with milk. And the sugar listed in the recipe is correct. I hope you enjoy it!

  67. Mimi

    Unfortunately, this recipe was waaaay too sweet for me. When I read the recipe for the first time, I thought the sugar/flour ratio was strange (1 3/4 cups (228g) flour and 2 cups (414g) sugar), but decided to try it anyway. Too bad, I was in the mood for chocolate cake, but in my opinion, it shouldn’t be this sweet…
    Has anyone else experienced this?

  68. Claire

    I am going to use this recipe to make a 16″ square cake.

    How many cups of batter does this recipe make?

    How many cups of batter would I need for the 16″ square cake pan.

    1. Lindsay

      I don’t really make any cakes that size, so I’m not sure. I’m not sure how many cups of batter it makes either. I’m sorry.

  69. Michelle Smith

    So so SO good. I made this for my sons and daughter here in the UK and my son asked for it as an after school treat for tomorrow- so just made my second! Thank you for sharing. I’ve made so many cakes over the years and this is by far the best x






  70. Dirk

    Hello from sunny South Africa.

    My wife loves moist chocolate cakes, I normally buy the boxes and have tried my hand at one or two recipes to her disappointed (not said but noted). So I came across this one, made it according to the recipe and what a surprise! The best one yet. she was so impressed I am now standing and making our twins’ first year birthday cake from this recipe. Thanks for getting me husband browniepoints to be used later when the rugby is on. Keep up the good work.
    Dirk






    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! A couple fun facts – my husband is also from South Africa and we have twin boys. I also made them this cake for their first birthday. 🙂 I hope they enjoy the cake!

  71. Samantha

    I hated it. It fell apart when I took it out and I had to start all over with a different recipe obviously. The cake didn’t rise properly, although I folllowed the cooking time it wouldn’t riise in the middle until burnt.

    1. Lindsay

      Hey Samantha, this is one of my most tried and true recipes so I know it turns out correctly. Did you use a 9 x 13 pan? Can you describe how it fell apart? I’d like to try to help. And if it didn’t rise properly, I would check your baking soda and baking powder to make sure that they are still good.

  72. Louisa

    Love love love the flavour! So moist and light. But I think I may have done something wrong? It ended up in the oven for about an hour. As after 32 minutes it was still completely runny.
    What did I do wrong? Help!!!






    1. Lindsay

      It’s hard to say without being there to see. It’s possible it’s a difference in our ovens and that it just needs a little more time in yours. It’s also possible that you accidentally added a little more of one of the liquid ingredients. That can happen so easily, I did it just the other day when I was cooking.

  73. Aunt J

    This is my go-to chocolate cake! It never fails, does not destroy the kitchen, earns rave reviews, is made from normal pantry stock and travels well. Today it was the fave at a wedding I catered; not a crumb remained. Moist, rich, chocolaty to the max and the very creamy frosting rocks it.

  74. Samrah

    Hi, Lindsay.
    Thank you so much for this brilliant recipe! I made it yesterday for my brother’s birthday and the cake turned out perfectly. The best part, however, was how simple the recipe was, and how easy it was to follow the instructions! Will definitely make it again!

  75. Yetunde

    I baked this cake for my son’s birthday. I had never heard of adding hot water to a cake batter before. It resulted in a very liquidy batter. It baked fine but took quite a bit longer than the recipe says. Not sure if I did something wrong but the cake was fantastic all the same. I will try next time and skip the water to see the difference.

  76. Suhair

    Hi! I made your cake before and it was a winner!
    This time I made it again, used Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa instead of Hintz, different brand of baking soda, and hand mixing, it turned out perfect except for a little weird chemical taste! Why do you think that happened??
    I used same ingredients with a muffin recipe yesterday and it was fine

  77. Isabella L.

    I was worried about how runny the batter was but I cooked it anyways and I’m so glad I did. This is the absolute best chocolate cake I have ever had. Thank you so much for the recipe. I will be keeping it for a very long time.






  78. Tatiana

    Hi! I baked this cake twice. It is delicious and moist however my cake didn’t rise enough. Do you have any idea why it is happening?
    Thanks 😊 






    1. Lindsay

      No, I don’t. The method is pretty straightforward so I would check your leaving agent to make sure it’s still good.

  79. Sarah

    Had to come up quickly with a dessert to take to a big party and I was very excited to spot this recipe! Was so quick and simple to make and came out so perfectly moist, fluffy and chocolaty — with pretty much all pantry ingredients! Definitely a keeper, thank you so much.






    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t tried this particular cake in that size pan, but I assume it would bake fine. You’ll just want to change the baking time to be less.

  80. Charly

    Hi Lindsay

    I was wondering is this cake sturdy enough to get covered in fondant. My little cousins birthday is coming up and he want a chocolate cake in the shape of a football pitch. Is this ok to be covered in fondant or will the cake be to soft to hold it.

  81. Danielle

    Made this cake and followed the exact instructions but it didn’t cool and was all gooey do you have any advice for that 






  82. Jennifer Lahman

    I found a possible error in the ingredients list. It lists 3 cups (345g) of confection sugar but the instructions say 2 cups (and one of your replies verified the 2 cups).  Because I read all the comments, I knew that it was 2 cups and adjusted it.  This cake was a huge hit with my grown children and husband. It is so incredibly moist! Other than the confection sugar I had no problems making this recipe. All of your recipes have been delicious.  I will never go back to making box cakes and frosting.






    1. Jennifer Lahman

      I made the mistake with the confectioners sugar….I guess I read it wrong.  But even with the lessor confection sugar it was delicious!

  83. Adriane

    Outrageously moist and delicious. Not too sweet. Made it twice and it vanishes. Not a shortening fan so I made  a chocolate whipped cream topping instead of the frosting. This will definitely be my go to. 

  84. Loreen

    Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. Never tried a chocolate cake before for the feat it might turn bitter. But this was a real hit. I made it for my sons school party and all the kids and teachers enjoyed.  Even at home I made a couple of times and it was a super duper hit. Thanks for sharing in. Going to try your banana cake recipe too. Hope so it turns out the same. All the best. 👍🙏🏻👏






  85. Janice Bittker

    Made this today with a white chocolate buttercream frosting. Used buttermilk (no milk) and used hot coffee instead hot water. Came out perfect! Everyone raved! Thank u! 






  86. Charmaine Smoothey

    HI Lindsay…got your contact from a friend and have now subscribed to your site….I today baked your chocolate cake recipe. I baked it in two 6inch tins so obviously it baked a bit longer than the said time. What I would like to know is if I could use this recipe to do a 2tier confirmation cake without any problems.. I am not happy with the recipe I have been using so this is the first time baking your recipe and just hoping it is going to be a hit. Please could you advise me as this cake is for the 24th April.

  87. Jess

    Hi Lindsay, I love your cake recipes!! I’m just wondering If you could help me with a 10inch chocolate cake recipe please ??






    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t actually made any of my chocolate cakes in 10 inch pans. I usually use 8 inch. I’d check out Moist Chocolate Cake though and if you’re going to use 10 inch pans, I might use 1 1/2 recipes worth if you want a somewhat tall cake.

  88. Ilaria

    This is hands down one of the easiest but tastiest chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever done in my life. It was the “Fathers day” yesterday in Italy and mine LOVED the cake (even w/o frosting). Only one thing: the 414 g of sugar almost gave me an heart attack (and diabetes).






  89. Molle

    I’m genuinely curious… but on this blog post, you mentioned your slow bake Best Chocolate Cake and you made a reference stating, “Well since the other version is a slow bake cake that bakes at 300 degrees and that can sometimes throw people off, not to mention it takes longer to bake, I decided to make a version that bakes at the usual 350.” However, when I compared the two recipes, the cook time for Best Chocolate Cake is 30 minutes, while the cook time for this Easy Moist Chocolate Cake, at a higher temperature, is 32 minutes. I’m just confused because one would assume that the slow bake version at a lower temp would have longer cook time than the cake that bakes at higher temp? I’d appreciate any insight. 

    1. Lindsay

      So, it depends on what size pan the cake is baked in. The best chocolate cake I refer to is a layer cake of 3 layers, while this is a 9×13. So yes, the other seems to take less time to bake, but if you were to make it a 9×13 cake (which is more comparable), the time increases to more like 45 minutes, such as in this cake, which is a longer baking time. I hope that helps clarify it for you!

  90. Carl A Smith

    I made this cake and instead of added the hot water, I added a cup of strong dark coffee and it was delish!

  91. Carl A Smith

    I made this and instead of one cup of hot water, I added one cup of hot coffee and boy was this wonderful. It was so moist and had a deep dark chocolate flavor. This is a keeper!!

  92. Jackie

    Made this for my family last nite for V-day and it was a hit! But it’s even better today! So moist it really doesn’t even need frosting! I served it with fresh strawberries and raspberries! Yum! Only difference was I used half & half instead of milk and less baking soda. Yum! 






  93. Abi Francis

    i live in Canada and Its about -35C outside and i was looking for something to fill my very cold Sunday morning with and i came across thie recipe. This recipe is great! really simple and delicious! loved the icing.

  94. Dawn Bouchard

    I have to say this is the best chocolate cake ever. We have it a couple of times a month. It is better than any other chocolate cake we have had ever. 🙂

  95. Katie

    Hi, I just made the cake and it came out as liquid. I triple checked the ingredients and I measured it all out correctly. what the heck did I do wrong?

  96. Olivia

    Hi, Could I use two 8×8 square pans to make a layer cake instead of a 9×13 pan? Would the amount of ingredients be the same and baking time?

    1. Lindsay

      Yes, you can use two 8 inch cake pans for the same amount of ingredients. Not entirely sure of the bake time, but probably around 30 minutes, give or take.

  97. PROSSY

    Wow it is so good and moist. At first as I was preparing it was watery I told my child now I am sure about this but let me try if it comes out as porridge we shall still consume it. But to our surprise we came out well. I can’t thank u enough for your generosity. If you were in Uganda I would have given you a batch of banana and a cork as a sign of appreciation.
    Thanks a million times. And I like the scriptures never give up. I rate this recipe as 5+

  98. Mary Katherine

    The batter was very thin, so I didn’t know if it was going to bake. It baked, but instead I baked it for 35 minutes. This cake was so good! It was perfectly moist and fluffy, and I paired it with some raspberry buttercream. My whole family loved this!






  99. Mara

    Delicious and moist cake recipe. I used it to make a black forest poke cake and it is the best chocolate cake recipe I have used.






  100. marie

    Made this cake in beautiful 8 inch round, looked beautiful, moist and delicious. The icing is amazing, everyone loves this cake !!!
    Thanks for recipe 🙂






    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t ever tried coconut oil, so I’m not sure. And icing sugar is the same thing as powdered sugar – unless there’s something I’m missing.

  101. JennSky

    This is my first time ever trying to bake a cake from scratch. I followed the recipe amd baked at 350 but when i checked the cake after 30 min. It was still runny inside. Any thoughts? Im keeping it in longer and checking it often. Just not sure if I did something incorrectly?

    Thanks!!!

    1. Lindsay

      It’s hard to know if there was an issue from a distance. But it does sound like it didn’t bake long enough. How did it turn out?

      1. Gaby Mejia

        Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I never made a cake from scratch and I had a great result. I made this cake to pamper a friend after he came out from the hospital and it turned out very moist, rich on flavor and fluffy. We loved it!






  102. Jennifer

    I made just the frosting from this cake (to fill a Funfetti Cake) and it was absolutely the best chocolate frosting EVER! Light and fluffy while still being decadent and chocolatey! Just the perfect balance!






  103. Henna

    I literally woke up to make this cake and the results are amazing feels so tender and moist, even the frosting is so light and fluffy! LOVE this recipe!






  104. Nancy

    I’ve been looking for a moist chocolate cake recipe for a while now and I’m so pleased that I came across this recipe. I made the recipe exactly as directed and it came out perfectly. I didn’t make the frosting, but rather I turned it into a tuxedo cake. Barnone amazing. Thanks for the recipe.

  105. Meghan

    I just quickly wanted to say thank you for another great recipe! I love everything on your website and in your book. I think this recipe is proof that it is probably just as easy, if not easier, to make a cake from scratch. Yesterday evening was probably the first time that I had a cake stick to my pan (I got distracted and let it sit in there for a bit too long…so I will save it for cake pops – win-win), but it’s so quick and easy that I’ve made the cake again this morning, successfully. Thanks!

    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad to hear you’ve enjoyed everything! Scratch baking definitely doesn’t have to be hard! Thanks Meghan!

  106. Liset

    Lindsay,
    I have made many of your recipes and love your blog! I just haven’t had time to leave a comment but I’m currently on Maternity Leave with my two month old and had a chance to finally leave a comment. I made this chocolate cake today and absolutely love it! I can’t wait for my family to try it tomorrow! 

    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipes! Thanks Liset! And congratulations on your baby – such a fun time!

  107. Raushan

    This delectable cake is perfect to satisfy anyone’s taste buds. Thaks for sharing your amazing ideas, and recipe with us.

    Regards
    Faridabadcake

  108. Pamela

    Hi, I have been craving chocolate cake and am super excited to make this cake for a party this weekend. I do not have a cake pan but I do have a 9×13 glass dish. Any cook time adjustments I should make for glass over metal pan?? Thanks!!

  109. Christine Macleod

    Two cakes made as my boys had started eating the first on.. beautiful cakes and icing. Grated flake on top and melted dark chocolate and put some dairy milk powder into icing.

  110. Tricia

    I am a diabetic and have been put on the keto diet where I have to eat fewer carbs, but still enjoy desserts. In February I made this cake for my husband’s birthday only with a few changes. Instead of all-purpose flour, I used Spelt flour (get at a natural foods store), 1 cup Truvia instead of sugar, olive oil instead of canola oil (which is not good for us), and Almond Milk instead of regular or skim milk (there are a lot of carbs in milk). It was delicious. I served it with homemade whipped cream (made with a bit of Truvia od Stevia to taste. It is now our favorite cake.
    *Note: Batter will be thin and runny, but bakes into a lovely, light, and moist cake.

  111. Michelle

    Hi there! I’m getting ready to try your chocolate cake recipe and I really want to try your chocolate frosting but I live in Sweden and can’t get shortening. Can you recommend a substitute?

  112. SOUA VANG

    Hi Lindsay,
    I love all your recipes. I tried the chocolate cake and people are raving how moist and good it was. I want to bake this for a girlfriends birthday and using a 11 in sheet cake pan. Should I double the recipe or just stick with your recipe? Maybe it won’t be as tall. Please help. Thanks.

    1. Lindsay

      I really haven’t made any sheet cakes, so I’m not terribly sure of the amount of batter needed. I’m sorry!

  113. Sneh

    Thank you so much for the recipe. It looks great and i cant wait to try it myself.

    Can I use butter instead of vegetable oil in the cake?!
    What is the difference and which one is better?!

  114. Kaylie

    Wow this recipe was deceptively easy, and i was also worried about how runny it was after mixing in water. I halved the recipe to try and it came out great! Glossy top, perfect crumb, moist, soft – everything you want in a chocolate cake. It tastes chocolatey too. My family loved it! It’s a truly dangerous cake because you can’t just stop at one slice! I did use less sugar though, about 50g less when i halved the recipe, and used a mix of brown and white sugar. Still good and not too sweet. Thanks for the great recipe, a go-to for sure! 

  115. Andrea

    Hi Lindsay! I will try this recipe for my son’s brithday! Unfortunately, I don’t have a mixer, do you think it is possible to make it by hand?

  116. Ivette

    Hi there I love this recipe! If I make this in a 9 inch round springform pan for how long would it bake and would it be the same temperature?

    Thank you
    Ivette.

    1. Lindsay

      Be aware that it’s a very thin cake batter, so you’ll want to be sure the springform pan is leak-proof. Would you be making just one cake layer? If so, I’d probably cut the recipe in half and try baking for roughly 30 minutes.

  117. Alima

    I added too much baking soda so I had to do triple the recipe. But my batter turned out to watery after adding the hot water ????

    1. Lindsay

      Which chocolate fudge cake are you referring to? There are a good number of chocolate cakes on here, but I don’t recall a fudge one.

      1. Lindsay

        That should be fine. You’d likely want to cut the recipe in half though so it isn’t too thick.

  118. Lindsay

    From one Lindsay to another, thank you for easy to make recipies! Some cake and frosting recipes just get to complicated. These were very easy to follow and make. I have paired your moist vanilla cake recipe with the chocolate frosting from your moist chocolate cake recipe. The frosting is so good! Just waiting for the cake to bake. Can’t wait to try them together! Thanks again! 

  119. Gul

    Awesome recipe i tried it for the first time the cake came out so moist n soft loved it i am keeping this recipe for ever 🙂

  120. Janine

    Very moist indeed the best chocolate cake i ever did, i got lots of positive feedback, i will be deleting every other chocolate recipe i have 🙂

    1. Akbar

      I soooo love your recipes! Keen to try this one as well. But i am wanting to make 2 of 8×8 square pans. Can you guide me how much should i increase the ingredients by to make 2 pans? And also how the bake time will change. Thank you

      1. Lindsay

        I’m guessing you’d want about 2/3 of the recipe for an 8×8 pan, so you’d probably want to increase it by 1/3. Not sure on the bake time, since I haven’t made a cake that size.

      1. Julie

        I would like to make round cakes too, when you say cut in half do you mean halve ingredients? would original recipe amounts be ok for 2 8in sandwich tins?
        Thank you

      2. Lindsay

        If you’d like one 8 inch layer of cake, cutting the ingredients in half is best. For two 8 inch cakes (like a layer cake), you wouldn’t want to cut the ingredients in half. Just bake in two pans. Not entirely sure of the bake time, but probably around 30 minutes, give or take.

    1. Anna

      Hi, 
      How long do you have to bake for three 9 inch pans? 
      I have tried  this recipe before, and it tasted awsome, but I wanted to know how long you have to bake for three  9 inch pans.
      Thank you

      1. miki

        thanks for the awesome recipe! Baked it for my company event and everyone loves it! Thanksss!

  121. Hema

    I made one cake and had some leftover so made two small trays too. The cake was absolutely delicious and will definitely make it again. However we now have the “unfortunate” problem of having more cake than we can eat, is it possible to freeze the cake? Thanks

  122. ham

    Hello,

    sorry by advance because i don’t speek english very well, I’m French, so it’s a beautiful cake and i would like to made this, but i don’t know what is the size of the plate ?

    Thank you

    Ham

  123. Caroline

    Hi there! I’ve tried this cake before and loved it! Everyone else loved it too!! I had used regular milk. I was wondering if Unsweetened Almond milk could work for the milk? Thanks!

    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t tried it, but I’d guess it’d be alright. Almond milk doesn’t have all the fat though, so it might affect the texture a bit.

  124. Hope

    I made this today for my family and they all loved it My mom wants me to make it for her birthday next year. And even my dad who doesn’t like chocolate cake loves it. he said it was the best chocolate cake he’s ever had. c:

    Thanks for such a great recipe- I love your site and trying out all the food, especially because it’s teaching me how to bake. <3

  125. Sue

    I have made this twice now and both times the very middle is dry on top while the rest is very moist looking all around. It taste delicious just this dry spot in the middle. Of course when you ice it you can’t see it. Why do you think this happens? This has never happened with any other cake I have made.

  126. Kaya

    Hi I am sorry to complain but my frosting didn’t come out like yours do you have any tips but the cake came out great 

  127. Christine

    I’m SO glad I found your blog! I wanted to make my husband a ‘from scratch’ black forest cake and I just pulled it from the oven… it looks amazing! I was a little worried because the batter was really thin compared to what I’ve experienced with box cakes. I followed the recipe exactly as you wrote it (used grams measurement) so I crossed my fingers.

    Absolutely awesome– I nibbled a piece that came out with my fork to test. I also just finished making the chocolate frosting and am floored at how good it is. I used all butter but have never thought to use a bit of water instead of milk. I did that this time around and it helped loosen it up a bit and the frosting whipped up better too.

    I’ll be adding cherry pie filling to individual slices but am thinking I may try adding it to the batter next time and see how that goes. 😉 I wanted to thank you for such a great recipe! I’m saving this — it’s a good one!!

  128. Lauren

    Oh my goodness!  I baked this cake last night to bring to work for a coworker’s birthday.  I made my standard chocolate buttercream (I don’t use shortening).  Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly – even used sprinkles on top!  It is so good!  This will be my new “go-to” chocolate cake recipe!

    1. Lindsay

      So glad you enjoyed it!

      Yes, I tend to add some shortening to frosting for consistency reasons, but in an any frosting on my site where you see shortening, it can be replaced with butter. Just a preference. 🙂

  129. Ruth Ramos

    Thanks for this recipe Ms. Lindsay, everytime we bake a chocolate cake we use this recipe especially if we have an order with our customers. They gave us good feedback with our cakes and cupcakes. So thanks again.. 🙂

  130. Rachael

    Hi Lindsay, I made this cake today, but mine turned out awful! It didn’t rise, and it’s bland, dense and plastic-y in feel/ texture – what have I done wrong? I had to convert measurements because I’m in Australia, and I used extra butter because I didn’t have shortening, so is that where I went wrong? Thanks in advance ????

    1. Lindsay

      What measurements did you need to convert? The main ones have grams and ml listed. Do you also weigh things shown in teaspoons?

  131. Archana

    Thank you for such an amazing recipe. This is the first time I’ve been able to make a moist and delicious cake. And the frosting too!!

    1. Jade

      Very easy to make. Very moist and light. It took around 55-60mins for mine to cook through with a few moist crumbs at 180c. The hot water really does make a difference to the taste of chocolate. Thank you!






    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t actually made a half sheet cake, so it’d be hard for me to say. I’m guessing you’d want to double it.

  132. zora walch

    I tried this cake and I have to say something went wrong I don’t know the cake dough was so liquid i thought I should put more flour in and the frosting was so unfluffy and I don’t know why probably because I don’t know what shortening is and I only used butter… But all my frostings/ toppings never are fluffy or creamy they are hard and just so ugly do you have any tips how It’s getting better? 😉 thanks a lot Zora

  133. RJ

    I want to make this with oreo cookies crushed in the mix. Would I need to adjust the ratio of ingredients to compensate for the added dry ingredient? And I love the fork.

    1. Lindsay

      You shouldn’t need to adjust anything as long as you aren’t grinding the oreos into crumbs. Also, keep in mind that the batter is very thin and the oreos will likely all end up on the bottom of the cake.

  134. Aunt J

    This bad boy rocked the house! I had not been successful converting Best Chocolate Cake into a 9×12 so was delighted to see you did the deed. Yes, it was easy and it did not make a giant mess of the whole kitchen. Yes, it was moist. Mostly, it was the rich, powerful kind of chocolaty that will satisfy the true choc-o-junkie. Another winner along with your signature “make this now, or be sorry later” photography.

  135. Sylvia

    Hi there! I ran across your cake on Pinterest while looking for a cake to make for my daughter’s birthday! I’m so excited to give it a test run tomorrow! My question is: can I do this in 2 round pans instead of one big rectangle? I’ll be using my own frosting though since it’s a Beauty and the Beast themed party! ????

      1. Athena

        Is is salted butter? I’m new to baking and never know if I use salted or unsalted! Thanks so much, your pictures look so amazingly yummy!

      2. Lindsay

        I use salted butter in the frosting when I use half butter/half shortening. If you were to use all butter, I’d recommend unsalted and then adding a touch of salt.

  136. Amanda

    I have never made a cake from scratch before, and you weren’t kidding, this is the best chocolate cake I have ever had. But now I need to find a white cake for cupcakes. I noticed you had two different versions for White cupcakes. obviously I would like one that’s moist but I would like to find one that’s more dense, which recipe would you prefer? Thank you

    1. Amanda

      Let me rephrase that….I have made only a few cakes from scratch a long time ago and gave up, as they all turned out dry, so ever since I’ve always relied on box mixes….well not anymore. This recipe is amazing! !

    2. Lindsay

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! For the vanilla cupcakes, that’s hard to say because I feel like everyone has a different idea of the “perfect” cupcake. The “Moist Vanilla Cupcakes” are a vanilla version of this cake, so if you like the texture of this cake, it’ll be very similar. The “Perfect Moist and Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes” are going to be a bit denser than the others. Then there are these cupcakes (just use the vanilla cupcakes with a vanilla frosting from the other two). They are probably somewhere between the other two, but use the creaming method. I hope that helps!

  137. Shannon H.

    I have to tell you we LOVED this cake. It’s so similar to Ina Garten’s Beattie’s Chocolate cake (except that one has buttermilk in place of sweet milk). I used strong brewed coffee in place of the water with excellent results. All three of my boys (ages 8, 6, and 3) scarfed down the first one I made last week. It’s now been requested as the “birthday cake.” I made another one to take to our friends’ house and they loved it, as well. My husband says the icing makes the cake. Thanks so much for a great recipe!

    1. Johanna

      I found this recipe when I was pregnant and needed a chocolate fix, it’s seriously delicious and moist. After I made the cake I made cupcakes (it makes about 2 dozen) this us my family’s favorite caked/cupcakes. The batter seemed a bit liquid before I baked it but it makes up absolutely perfect way better than boxed.






  138. Barbara Vacchieri

    I made  your easy moist chocolate cake and frosting and I came out perfect and delish.  No more box for me.  It was super easy did I mention it was so moist.  I also did the frosting, although I used all butter I don’t think I’ve had crisco in my baking line up in years.  

    Thank you for sharing.

  139. Stephanie | Worth Whisking

    Lindsay, a day or two after you posted this recipe, I found myself in need of a quick cake. I remembered your post, and I had all of the ingredients on-hand, so it seemed like kismet. Absolutely delicious cake! Moist and very full of rich chocolate flavor. I loved the frosting, too, as it was really light and not overwhelming at all. Thanks for coming to my rescue! It was nice to pull it together quickly and not have to think about the recipe myself. 🙂

  140. Pamela Byington

    The easy moist chocolate cake is so good. Moist yet velvety. I had chocolate milk on hand so used that instead of regular milk. I didn’t even frost it, I usually don’t. I like it in a bowl in a puddle of milk. This will be a favorite well used. Can’t wait to share with grandkids. They will love it. Thank you for sharing recipe!!!

      1. Lindsay

        You don’t have to use hot water – the cake will still bake fine – but the hot water allows the cocoa to “bloom”, which brings out a richer chocolate flavor in the cake.

      1. Sarah Harley

        Please may I ask what shortening is, and the difference between baking powder and baking soda?
        Many thanks,
        Sarah
        Harare, Zimbabwe

      2. Lindsay

        Shortening is a butter replacement. You can use additional butter, if you prefer. There’s a lot of information online about the difference between baking soda and baking powder, but baking powder contains baking soda, cream of tarter and sometimes cornstarch, and baking soda is pure baking soda.

    1. Jen

      What a fantastic recipe thank you so much! I have always relied on the packet cakes but this is just as tasty and half the price! 
      Just a question, I have loads of left over mixture (as we made cup cakes) could I freeze it do you think? There are only so many cakes we can eat at once!! 






      1. Lindsay

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I’m not so sure about freezing the raw mixture but you could bake them and freeze them.

  141. Connie

    Shy of an adjustment of the baking powder/soda, this is the same recipe that is on the Hershey’s cocoa box….I will certainly try this to see how it is better!!!! Love your recipes….

      1. Jenn

        Loved this recipe! It took me a bit longer to get it booked thoroughly, but the taste was amazing. I have used butter in the past and was surprised at how using oil makes such a huge difference.






Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29