moist chocolate cake – Girl Versus Dough

This simple, moist chocolate cake recipe makes a soft, tender cake rich in chocolate flavor! Topped with a silky chocolate fudge frosting, this cake is a chocolate lover’s dream.

So you are watching Matilda, and that rich and decadent-looking cake comes on! It’s all you can think about afterward. Well, I have made that cake! This moist chocolate cake is super easy to make and has a perfectly tender crumb. It is all mixed in one bowl with a whisk and is almost as easy as box-mix but so much more delicious! The secret is in the combination of oil, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sour cream, and hot coffee! 

Talking about chocolate on chocolate, you have to try my instant pot chocolate cheesecake next, followed by chocolate Nutella Linzer cookies, and we can also make these old-fashioned chocolate donuts and gooey chocolate chip cookies! I mean, if you want chocolate, I’ve got you covered!

Professional Tips for Making Moist Chocolate Cake

• Don’t over-mix the frosting. The frosting has a chocolate ganache base so over-mixing could cause the frosting to break. Giving it an unappealing texture. If you over-whisk, add cold cream and fold it in. 
• Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. The cake should be completely cooled before adding the frosting. Otherwise, it will melt right off. 
• The frosting should be just set when adding it to the cake. The frosting should be just set when adding it to the cake. It’s a balance between being runny and completely set. If the frosting is too runny, it will melt right off the cake. If it’s too set, it won’t spread easily.

Ingredients & Substitution

• Cocoa Powder:  I use Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which just means unsweetened cocoa powder that has been treated with an alkaline solution. This neutralizes the acidity, which means it will not react with baking soda or baking powder. It has a rich, deep flavor and a darker color. 
• All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour has just the right amount of gluten to make a tender, soft cake. To avoid holes and “tunnels” in your cake, be careful not to overmix the batter. Cake flour can be substituted. 
• Kosher Salt
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Using baking powder and baking soda allows for a stronger and more even rise in the oven.  
• Large Eggs
• Vanilla Extract 
• Vegetable Oil: Oil makes this cake exceptionally moist. I emulsify it into the sugar and eggs to make the batter extra moist and not greasy. Be sure to choose a neutral oil, like canola oil, because there is enough in this cake to taste it. If you use olive oil or coconut oil, there will be an additional flavor.
• Granulated Sugar
• Sour Cream: Sour cream is essential for the moist texture of the chocolate cake. It has just enough moisture to hydrate the flour and fat to inhibit gluten formation. It also adds a beautiful flavor. You can substitute Greek yogurt or creme fraiche. 
• Hot Coffee: Coffee will enhance the chocolate flavor in this cake. You may use decaf or caffeinated coffee. You may use hot water with or without espresso powder if you prefer. If you just use water, the flavor of the cake won’t be as rich, so keep that in mind. 
• Heavy Cream:  I would suggest using a full-fat (40%) heavy cream because it doesn’t break as easily as lighter whipping creams. The fat also helps create a rich and smooth frosting. You can save your buttermilk for a batch of red velvet cupcakes!
• Light Corn Syrup: Light corn syrup thickens the frosting like sugar but isn’t as sweet. It will also create a thicker, smoother texture. You can also substitute honey.  
• Dark Chocolate:  I like to use chocolate that has at least 54% cocoa solids but up to 65% to balance the sweetness of the frosting. Chopping bar chocolate is a better bet than chocolate chips because the bar will melt and incorporate better. 
• Butter: Unsalted butter gives the frosting a silky finish. If using salted butter, reduce the salt or omit it otherwise, the frosting will be very salty.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Moist Chocolate Cake

Use these instructions to make a perfectly moist chocolate cake every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Prepare the cake: 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F convection (with the fan) or 350°F conventional (without the fan). Spray and line 2 (or 3) 8 or 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. 

Step 2: Into a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients: cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. 

Step 3: In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs with the vanilla extract until smooth and homogenous. Slowly pour the oil into the eggs while whisking to create an emulsion. 

Pouring the oil in slowly is very important to get the proper texture in the cake. The emulsion will keep the cake from being greasy. 

Step 4: Add the sugar to the bowl and whisk until smooth and incorporated. Whisk in the sour cream.

My sour cream is typically cold from the fridge, which doesn’t matter. 

Step 5: Alternately add the flour and hot coffee to the wet ingredients in 3 additions. I add about 1/3 of each at the same time, then whisk until no lumps remain. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and coffee. 

Step 6: Divide the cake batter between the round cake pans and bake in the preheated oven. I made two layers, each 850g, and baked them for 32 minutes. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean or with just a few slightly moist crumbs. 

Step 7: Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then run a paring knife around the edge and flip it out onto the rack. You can cool it upside down or use a second wire rack to flip it back over. 

Cool completely before frosting. If you are using the chocolate fudge frosting, you can prepare it while the cake cools. It should take about the right amount of time for the frosting to reach a spreading consistency and the cake to be completely cool. 

Prepare the chocolate frosting: 

Step 8: In a large heat-proof bowl, add chopped chocolate, vanilla extract, light corn syrup and salt. In a small saucepan, bring whipping cream just to a boil. Pour over the chocolate, shaking to distribute and cover it. 

Step 9: Allow to sit for 2 minutes.

For the best ganache base, make sure the heavy cream boils and that you let it sit with the chocolate before stirring. If you stir too soon, the chocolate will not be melted, and you will have lumps. 

Step 10: Slowly whisk, starting from the center and working your way out to create an emulsion. Sift in the cocoa powder and whisk to incorporate. 

You can also put it in before the cream, but it tends to clump and create lumps that will not come out. 

Step 11: Add butter to the still-hot ganache. Switch to a silicone spatula and gently stir in one direction until all the butter has melted and incorporated into the ganache. 

Step 12: Cover the surface with plastic wrap and allow to cool to room temperature. You can speed it up by putting it in the fridge, pulling back the wrappings, stirring every 10 minutes, and recovering. I recommend doing this if your room is warm. Mine was about 70°F, so it cooled to room temperature in a little under 2 hours. 

Step 13: Spread about a cup onto the cooled cake layer at room temperature and spread out to the edges. Turn the other cake layer on top and add about another cup of frosting to the top.

Step 14: Use the remaining frosting to frost a thin layer around the edges. Use the back of a spoon to spread out the frosting on top of the cake, leaving it imperfectly swirled! Just keep going to get some variation, then stop! It is never done, so you just have to pick your moment. 

Frequently Asked Questions