Meet my Super Moist Chocolate Cake that tastes even BETTER on day two. This is my go-to chocolate sponge for birthdays and celebrations. You can easily make it ahead of time and you don’t need an electric mixer.
Oh chocolate cake, you dreamboat you. With a mighty moist crumb, tender texture and a deep cocoa flavour, this Moist Chocolate Cake is anything but boring. Think of it as the chocolate cake from the movie Matilda.
THIS is my go-to chocolate sponge cake. The one I make for any special occasions, birthdays and celebrations that require a finger-licking chocolate cake that must stay moist.
While I love chocolate cakes that use butter, this oil-based cake is a MUST any time you need to make a cake ahead of time.
In fact, it tastes even better on day two and day three. Unlike most baked goods that are best fresh, this cake is best, well, not fresh.
You can use it to make a layer cake or a sheet cake. No electric mixer needed! I’ve frosted it here using my easy Chocolate Ganache Frosting.
So even if this is your first time making a chocolate cake, I’ve got you covered with this easy recipe.
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick to make: It only takes a few minutes to make the cake batter and get it into the oven.
- No electric mixer: Just a bowl and a spoon is all you need.
- Stays moist for days: If you want a cake that tastes even better on day two or three, this is the recipe for you.
- Customise the size and shape: You can use this recipe to make a layer cake, a sheet cake or even cupcakes.
I made exactly as per your recipe and the result was a super soft, fudgy, moist sponge. All my colleagues loved it. One said best chocolate cake ever!
– Faz
Recipe testing
I didn’t know I needed another chocolate cake recipe in my life. After all, we’ve been enjoying my buttery Chocolate Fudge Cake for years, and I love the moist crumb of my Chocolate Olive Oil Cake. And don’t even get me started on my Chocolate Orange Cake.
But it turns out we do. In the way that we all need a go-to chocolate sponge for ANY and every occasion.
If you need a cake for a birthday party, a graduation, an impromptu dinner party, Valentine’s Day or just because we all need a slice of damn good chocolate cake from time to time, this Moist Chocolate Cake is for you.
Why? Because it’s ridiculously easy to make. You don’t need to get out the electric mixer, just a couple of bowls and a whisk and you are DONE.
Second, it makes two large layers, so you can easily slice them in half to make a four layer cake OR opt for a simple 13 by 9 inch sheet cake. Or go for 30 cupcakes!
And thirdly, it stays moist for days. I’ll even go as far to say it is BETTER on day 2, and maybe even better on day 3!
I’ve tested a number of variations of this cake, changing up the amounts of sugar, baking powder and soda, removing the sour cream (and adding it back in) and using hot water versus coffee.
But I can confidently say that this cake is THE ONE. It’s the one I keep going back to. The one I use when I’m serving it to friends for birthdays or bringing to a potluck. It’s the one that has me reaching for just one more bite. This is the Best Chocolate Cake Recipe.
Ingredients
To make this Super Moist Chocolate Cake, you only need a handful of simple ingredients. And for those that find it hard to come by buttermilk and/or sour cream, we can talk about that below.
Here’s a quick rundown of the key ingredients you’ll need, including any substitutions you can make:
Cocoa powder: You can use either natural unsweetened cocoa powder OR Dutch processed cocoa powder in this recipe. Just don’t use drinking chocolate or any sweetened cocoa powder.
Brown sugar AND caster sugar: Using both sugars gives you the best of both worlds. Brown sugar adds moisture and flavour, while caster sugar offers sweetness. If you don’t have access to caster sugar, use granulated sugar instead. And for the brown sugar, choose regular or light brown sugar.
Oil: You will need a flavourless oil or neutral-tasting oil for this cake. I prefer to use grapeseed oil as it leaves no aftertaste, but vegetable oil or even a mild olive oil will work too.
Buttermilk: Full fat storebought butter does wonders for making a super moist cake crumb. I highly recommend getting your hands on it if you can. If you can’t you can use a DIY buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice to 240 ml (1 cup) of full fat or whole milk. Leave it to curdle for 5 minutes and then use as per recipe.
Sour cream: Likewise, full fat storebought sour cream also helps create a rich, flavourful chocolate cake. You can leave it out in this recipe – I’ve tested it and the cake is still great – it’s just better with sour cream. Alternatively, you can add full fat Greek yogurt or natural yogurt.
Hot coffee: You can use hot water or hot coffee in this cake recipe. Hot water works just fine but 1 teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso powder can help enhance the chocolate flavour.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Chocolate Cake
See below for a step-by-step guide on how to make this homemade chocolate cake. The full method is included in the recipe card below.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, sugars and salt. Give it a quick stir.
Step 2: In a large bowl, add oil, vanilla, eggs, buttermilk and sour cream. Stir briefly with a fork just to break up the egg yolks.
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Step 3: Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Drizzle in hot coffee or hot water down the side of the bowl.
Step 4: Stir gently until all the ingredients are combined. Batter will be thin.
Step 5: Divide batter between two round 8-inch cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
Step 6: Carefully transfer cakes to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Frosting ideas
You can frost this cake any which way you like! In these photos, I’ve used my simple Chocolate Ganache Frosting, but any sort of buttercream, drizzle, glaze will work. Try these sweet combination ideas:
Storage instructions
This Moist Chocolate Cake will keep well for days at room temperature. Once cooled, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature for two, three or even four days.
Beyond that, consider freezing the layers to maximise freshness. Once decorated, you can also store this cake in the fridge and it won’t go dry.
Frequently asked questions
Yes absolutely. In fact, this cake is EVEN BETTER the next day. Make it a day or two in advance – simply cover it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container at room temperature.
Yes. You can use homemade DIY buttermilk in this recipe if you need to. Simply add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to 240 ml (1 cup) whole or full fat milk.
I haven’t tested this recipe without eggs BUT I have a brilliant Egg Free Chocolate Cake recipe you should try.
A few common reasons why your chocolate cake might be dry include adding too much flour and cocoa. Be sure to measure these ingredients using a baking scale to avoid over-measuring. Over-baking your sponges will always make for a dry cake. If you find your cakes are dry around the edges, be sure to remove them from the pans once they have finished baking – letting them cool in the pans will cause the edges to continue to cook against the hot pan. Ingredients like sugars, buttermilk and sour cream ensure chocolate cake is moist so if you change these, it can affect the overall texture in your cake.
MAKE THIS CAKE ANY SIZE OR SHAPE
Use this recipe to make two 8-inch cake layers, three 6-inch cakes, a large 9 by 13 inch sheet cake, or approximately 30 cupcakes.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more amazing recipe ideas.
Let’s Bake
Moist Chocolate Cake
My go-to chocolate sponge cake that tastes even better on day two and three.
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
- 315 grams (2 and 1/4 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour, sifted
- 80 grams (1 cup) cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 90 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) grapeseed oil or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
- 60 ml (1/4 cup full fat sour cream
- 240 ml (1 cup) hot water or hot coffee (see notes)
Frosting
1 x batch of my Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, sugars and salt. Briefly whisk or stir using a spatula.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add oil, vanilla, eggs, buttermilk and sour cream. Whisk with a fork just to break up the egg yolks.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Start stirring, while slowly adding in the hot water or hot coffee (see notes). Continue to mix until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Divide the mixture evenly into prepared cake pans and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.
- Leave for 10 minutes before gently removing the cakes, and placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Cocoa powder: You can use either natural unsweetened cocoa powder OR Dutch processed cocoa powder in this recipe. Just don’t use drinking chocolate or any sweetened cocoa powder.
Oil: You will need to choose a flavourless oil or neutral-tasting oil for this cake. I prefer to use grapeseed oil as it leaves no aftertaste, but vegetable oil or even a mild olive oil will work too.
Buttermilk: If you don’t have access to buttermilk, you can use a DIY buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice to 240 ml (1 cup) of full fat or whole milk. Leave it to curdle for 5 minutes and then use as per recipe.
Sour cream: If you don’t have access to sour cream, you can leave it out in this recipe. I’ve tested it and the cake is still great – it’s just better with sour cream. Alternatively, you can add full fat Greek yogurt or natural yogurt.
Hot water or coffee: You can use either hot water or hot coffee in this recipe. You won’t be able to taste the coffee but it does help to enhance the chocolate flavour. You can simply add 1 teaspoon of instant or espresso powder to the hot water before adding it to the cake batter.
Size and shape: You can use this recipe to make two 8-inch cake layers as pictured OR three 6-inch cakes, a large 9 by 13 inch sheet cake, or approximately 30 cupcakes.
Storage: This cake will keep well for days at room temperature. Once cooled, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature for two, three or even four days. Beyond that, consider freezing the layers to maximise freshness. Once decorated, you can also store this cake in the fridge and it won’t go dry.
Frosting: I used my easy Chocolate Ganache Frosting to decorate the cake as pictured.
Nutrition Information
Sarah Neighbors says
Need baking times for 13”x 9” pan and cupcakes. Thanks! Yummy!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Sarah, I would check at 13 by 9 inch cake at the same time, around 28-30 minutes. Cupcakes will need checking around the 18 minute mark. I hope that helps!
Phildi Bovoa says
Please ma’am is it possible to reduce the amount of both the brown and granulated sugar???
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, you can reduce the sugar a little, maybe 1/4 cup without too much affect. But I would keep in mind that sugar not only adds sweetness, but it also keeps baked goods moist and tender too.
Ann says
Are you sure this doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge? The ganache has whipping cream?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Ann, once this cake is frosted, I would keep it in the fridge. By itself, I would wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature. I hope that helps!
Kathy Dear says
Can I do it in a two 9 inch round cake pan
Jessica Holmes says
Yes! It’ll just be thinner and therefore might cook slightly faster?
Shane says
This turned out amazing thank you Jessica! Everyone loved it.
Looking forward to trying your chocolate cake with butter next time to see how it compares
Jessica Holmes says
Fabulous to hear Shane! Report back when you try my Chocolate Fudge Cake and let me know how it compares!
Arthu says
Can I use butter instead of oil ? If so what amount ?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes you can if you like! You could try my Chocolate Fudge Cake which is butter-based, or you could try this one with melted butter (175 grams before melting).
Debbie says
Will this recipe work if I halved it for a one layer 8 inch round cake?, how many eggs would I then use?, thanks
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Debbie, you can try to halve it but it can get a bit tricky with things like the eggs as you suggested. I would try my Chocolate Buttermilk Cake for something similar. You can swap the butter for oil too if you prefer.
Emma Halai says
Cake tastes amazing, I froze one of the layers because it was so big and would just like to know the instructions for defrosting it please?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Emma, so glad you enjoyed this one! You can just leave it to defrost at room temperature. I even prefer to frost and decorate while still a bit frozen. Enjoy!
ade says
True to your word Jess, this was definitely more moist the second day💜 I had doubts making a 2 layer cake but I had family over and am left with a few slices only.
Thanks Jess, I only refer to you for all my dessert needs💜
Jessica Holmes says
How wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this one! And I’m honoured to be your dessert go-to 🙂
Clare Somerville says
I just made this for my husband – I needed a cake without a mixer (baby asleep), and alternatives for buttermilk and sour cream (I had milk and yoghurt). The cake is amazing – so fluffy but not dry.
I used the Sweetest Menu chocolate cream cheese icing recipe but swapped cocoa for melted 120g dark chocolate – also amazing and not too sweet.
A great combination and all pantry ingredients! Would only make this chocolate cake again!
Jessica Holmes says
That’s wonderful to hear Clare! And so glad it worked well with milk and yogurt too. Thank you for your kind review!
Marilou says
Thanks Jessica. I made the cake and the icing the night before and everyone enjoyed it the next day even grandkids. I thought the dark chocolate would be too rich but no and it was still fresh and light. Thanks again.
Jessica Holmes says
How wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it Marilou!
Faz says
Hi, this recipe looks amazing and I want to bake it for a work event. If I want to make this in 2 x 10 inch round tins, should I just times the recipe by 1.5? Many thanks
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Faz, you could make it as is and the layers would just be thinner? Otherwise you can adjust the recipe as you wish but I just can’t guarantee the result.
Faz says
Made this as a single layer 10 inch round cake and covered in ganache. I made exactly as per your recipe and the result was a super soft, fudgy, moist sponge. All my colleagues loved it. One said best chocolate cake ever! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe 😍
Jessica Holmes says
That’s wonderful to hear Faz! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Jennifer says
Afternoon with friends and they loved the cake so moist and yummy
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that Jennifer!
Angelina says
I made this cake today, everyone enjoyed it however I couldn’t find the ganache recipe so found another one online which didn’t make a lot of ganache so I had to make chocolate icing to add on top.
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad you love this one Angelina! I’m going to publish the chocolate ganache recipe this week!
Josh says
Loved this cake! It was really moist.
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Josh!