We’re big chocolate cake fans in our family. And up until this point, this Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever from my friend Robyn at Add a Pinch has been my go-to. It is seriously THE BEST. But, in all honesty, I don’t really fancy myself a baker. The preciseness of baking gives me anxiety. There’s too much chemistry involved.
So when I was recently looking for the best way to create a super delicious chocolate cake, I kinda wanted to start with a cake mix. I know. Shoot me. But hang with me a sec…
Now, I learned a few years back, that my favorite cakes have both butter and oil in them. The butter adds great flavor and the oil keeps the cake moist. So, I knew it had to include both.
I’m also a big fan of the ever-popular White Almond Sour Cream Cake (WASC) that many bakers swear by. It starts with a boxed mix. So I wondered if there was a way to take a chocolate cake mix and use the same method from the WASC cake.
A quick Google brought me to the blog of Liz Marek. Sugar Geek Show is all about amazing cake and dessert recipes and cake decorating tutorials. Now that sounds pretty simple, but her blog is so much more. When I tell you this gal is amazing, that’s an understatement. If you’ve got some time to kill, you need to click over and check out some of the ridiculously amazing cakes she’s created. Wickedly talented is how I’d describe Liz.
Anyway, she has a recipe for a Chocolate WASC Cake that met all my criteria. It started with a boxed mix and included both oil and butter. And it was amazingly delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I only made a few tweaks after testing it about 6 times – you know, science and stuff. It was just so dang good as it was.
For me, I love the flavor of my Buttermilk Chocolate Cake. Now, I’ve been told that the unique flavor, in addition to the buttermilk, is created by heating the cocoa powder and allowing it to “bloom.” Keeping that thought in mind, I decided to test the recipe using hot coffee rather than the cold coffee Liz calls for. It could all be in my head, but I found that it did make a difference. That said, cold coffee will certainly work. And no, your cake won’t taste like coffee. The coffee just works to intensify the chocolate flavor.
Now, you’re probably thinking, “Why not just make it from scratch?” Well, I hear you. And here’s the deal… Starting with a cake mix offers us several unique advantages. It gives us a head start by eliminating some steps. It reduces the margin of error when it comes to measuring, meaning that there’s a much greater chance that your cake is going to turn out perfectly. And Liz’s blog also taught me that it has emulsifiers in it that a scratch cake wouldn’t have. Those emulsifiers also help ensure that the cake turns out perfectly.
This cake gives you the best of both worlds. It’s got the reliability of a boxed mix, but the flavor of homemade with all the added ingredients.
So why are we adding the extra flour? Well, the additional flour, cocoa, and sugar helps to work as a cake mix extender so we have more batter which means thicker layers of cake rather the super thin layers we’d get from a mix alone.
Now, the decadent chocolate buttercream frosting recipe is my own creation and one I’ve been using for years. And now I’ve got the perfect cake to complement my frosting.
The combination of the two makes for a pretty mean cake if I do say so myself. And it transforms easily into cupcakes as well.
The amped up cake mix recipe will give you enough batter for about 36 cupcakes and the frosting will give you more than enough to pipe mile high swirls on top.
When it comes to the frosting, starting with room temperature butter is a must. And once everything is combined, the length of time you mix it will offer you a few difference results. For dense, smooth frosting, you want to mix it until everything is just combined. If you want a lighter, fluffier frosting, mixing it a bit longer will give you that. Side note: Does anyone else use the terms frosting and icing interchangeably? I know they’re supposed to be different, but I use them both for the same thing – regardless. Old habits die hard I guess.
Another tip from Liz: Chill your cake layers before frosting them. It makes them sturdier and a bit easier to coat. Then allow the whole cake to come to room temperature before serving.
There you have it. My Best Chocolate Cake. Y’all enjoy!
Recipe Card
Best Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box devil's food cake mix (I like Duncan Hines for this recipe)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups hot coffee
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 (2-pound) bag powdered sugar (7 1/2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or more)
Instructions
Best Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and spray two 9-inch light-colored aluminum cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a mixer, combine the cake mix, flour, salt, sugar, and cocoa powder until well mixed. Add the hot coffee and mix to combine.
- Add the melted butter, oil, and sour cream, mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix for about 2 minutes.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then turn the cakes out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Add the butter to the bowl of a mixer and mix until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the salt and cocoa powder. Mix well. Add the cooled chocolate and vanilla and mix well.
- Add the heavy cream to thin the buttercream to spreading consistency and mix to combine. Add more cream to make it thinner or more powdered sugar if you get it too thin.
- Once the cake is cool, trim off the domed part of each cake, and frost with the chocolate buttercream.
Notes
Please note:
If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
If I want vanilla frosting, do I just leave out the chocolate? Do I add anything else?
Thanks
Yep, that should work.
This IS the best chocolate cake! I have made it several times. So moist and delish. Bakes up beautifully!!
So glad to hear it turned out great for you!
I want to try this recipe using a Bundt Cake pan. Will the measurements for the cake/frosting differ?
You might have a little extra frosting, but that’s never a bad thing. 🙂 Enjoy!
Oh my goodness this look wonderful! This is definitely worth trying.
Thanks, Shweta!
I love chocolate cake and this one looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing it with us.
I made this today. WOW! I believe it is one of the BEST chocolate cake recipes I have ever made. The frosting/icing (I use them both, too.) is OUT OF THIS WORLD! The cake was so velvety and had an awesome moist texture. Very decadent. The frosting/icing is TO DIE FOR! The perfect frosting/icing for this cake or ANY cake for that matter. My husband LOVED it, too. He said it was one of the best cakes he has ever eaten. Thank you, Stacey, for sharing another WONDERFUL recipe!
(I did make the cake in a 9×13 pan & I halved the frosting/icing recipe. Turned out great!)
Awesome! I’m just tickled to hear you enjoyed it so much!
Hi , can you use lactose free butter .
I’ve not tried that, so I can’t say for sure, but I would imagine it should work just fine.
I’m excited to try this as I’ve loved your other recipes I’ve tried. I’m not a coffee drinker so no coffee or coffee pot in my house. Could I buy coffee at a local restaurant and reheat it?
I calculated that 7.5 cups of powdered sugar would be a 2 pound bag. Please clarify.
That’s correct. A 2 pound bag of powdered sugar – which is roughly equivalent to 7 1/2 cups.
Absolutely! That should work just fine. You could even use instant in a pinch.
Would you still need to add the flour if you are using a 9×13 pan?
Yes, I would recommend it.
Alright, you’ve sold me Stacey! I love chocolate cake as well and starting with a cake mix is okay in my book. And I say frosting and icing interchangeably, too. 🙂
Ha! I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Why add the flour? What does it do for the cake, since you are already using cake mix?
Great question! It adds to the volume of the cake mix to make more batter so you have thicker layers.
Could I make a 9 x 13 cake with this recipe?
Absolutely!
I think this cake sounds perfect. Can’t wait to try it. I like to make cakes in a 9 x 13 pan. Would this be possible with your chocolate cake? If so, what temp and how long do you recommend.
Thanks!
Yes, it should work just fine. At 325°F, the cook time should be roughly the same.