Moist Chocolate Cake
A deeply chocolatey layer cake that stays moist for days, thanks to hot coffee bloomed into the cocoa. One bowl, no mixer needed.
If a chocolate cake is going to earn a permanent spot in your recipe box, it has to do two things: taste intensely of chocolate and stay moist past the first day. This one does both. The batter comes together in one bowl with a whisk, and a cup of hot coffee poured in at the end blooms the cocoa so the flavor turns deep and dark rather than dusty.
Not sure which cocoa to buy? Our guide to the best chocolate for baking explains the difference between natural and Dutch-process cocoa. And if your last cake collapsed in the middle, read why cakes sink before you preheat the oven.
Coffee, not coffee flavor
The finished cake does not taste like coffee — it simply makes the chocolate taste more like itself. Hot water works too, but coffee is better.
Recipe
Moist Chocolate Cake
A one-bowl chocolate layer cake with hot coffee bloomed into the cocoa for deep flavor and a crumb that stays moist for days.
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- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 12
- Yield
- one 2-layer 9-inch cake
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Dessert
- Cuisine
- American
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup neutral oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee
Chocolate frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Equipment
- Two 9-inch round cake pans
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Cooling rack
Instructions
Make the cake
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until no streaks of cocoa remain.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; whisk until smooth, about 1 minute.
Pour in the hot coffee and whisk gently until combined. The batter will be very thin — that is correct.
Tip: Thin batter is what keeps this cake moist.
Divide between the pans and bake 32–36 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pans 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
Frost
Beat the butter until pale, then beat in the powdered sugar and cocoa in two additions.
Add the cream and vanilla and beat 2 minutes until fluffy. Fill and frost the cooled layers.
Storage
Cover and keep at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days; bring slices back to room temperature before serving.
Freezing
Wrap un-frosted layers tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.
Reheating
Ten seconds in the microwave revives a refrigerated slice and softens the frosting.
Substitutions
- Buttermilk: 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice; rest 5 minutes before using.
- Coffee: The same amount of boiling water.
Variations
- Sheet cake: Bake in a 9×13-inch pan for 38–42 minutes and frost in the pan.
Common mistakes
- Scooping flour straight from the bag — Spoon flour into the cup and level it — packed flour dries the crumb.
- Frosting a warm cake — Cool the layers completely or the frosting will slide and split.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Fat (g) | 19 |
|---|---|
| Sugar (g) | 40 |
| Sodium (mg) | 320 |
| Protein (g) | 6 |
| Calories | 420 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 8 |
| Carbs (g) | 58 |
Nutrition information is an estimate calculated from the listed ingredients.
From our test kitchen
We tested this with natural and Dutch-process cocoa: both work, but Dutch-process gives a darker color and rounder flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this chocolate cake without coffee?
Yes. Substitute the same amount of boiling water. The cake will still be moist; the chocolate flavor is just slightly less deep.
Why is my chocolate cake dry?
The usual culprits are too much flour from scooping the cup straight into the bag, or overbaking. Measure flour correctly and pull the cake when a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs.
Can I bake this as cupcakes?
Yes — this batter makes about 24 cupcakes. Bake at the same temperature for 18–20 minutes.
Serena started Serenity Sweets from her home kitchen, where she has baked and photographed every kind of dessert for over a decade. She develops most of the recipes on the site and tests each one at least twice before it's published.
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Helpful baking guides
Guide
The Ultimate Guide to Chocolate Desserts
Everything on Serenity Sweets about baking with chocolate in one place: the recipes, the buying guide, and the techniques that make chocolate desserts taste deeper.
Guide
The Best Chocolate for Baking (What to Buy and Why)
Cocoa percentages, natural vs Dutch-process, chips vs bars — a practical guide to choosing chocolate that makes your baking taste better.