Ohhh, a Chocolate (Cocoa Powder) Cake — simple, rich, and timeless 🍫✨! This classic cake uses cocoa powder (no melted chocolate needed) and still comes out moist, fluffy, and full of deep chocolate flavor. Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or a late-night craving.
Here’s a perfect, easy recipe 👇
🍫 Classic Chocolate Cake (Made with Cocoa Powder)
(Makes one 9×13-inch cake or two 9-inch rounds)
Ingredients
🧁 Dry Ingredients:
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1¾ cups all-purpose flour
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¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
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1½ tsp baking powder
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1½ tsp baking soda
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½ tsp salt
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2 cups granulated sugar
🥛 Wet Ingredients:
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2 large eggs
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1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice)
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½ cup vegetable oil
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2 tsp vanilla extract
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1 cup hot water (or hot coffee for deeper flavor)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven
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Set to 350°F (175°C).
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Grease and flour your cake pans, or line with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients
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In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
3. Add wet ingredients
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Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
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Mix until smooth (a few small lumps are okay).
4. Add hot water or coffee
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Slowly pour in the hot water (or coffee) while mixing on low speed — batter will be thin, and that’s perfect!
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Mix until fully combined.
5. Bake
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Pour batter evenly into pans.
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Bake for 30–35 minutes (round pans) or 35–40 minutes (9×13 pan), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool & frost
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Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
🍫 Optional Frosting — Easy Chocolate Buttercream
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½ cup butter, softened
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2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
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3 cups powdered sugar
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⅓ cup milk (plus more if needed)
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1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Beat butter and cocoa together until smooth. Add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beating until creamy and spreadable. Add vanilla and whip for 1–2 minutes until fluffy.
💡 Tips
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Use hot coffee instead of water to boost chocolate depth (no coffee taste, promise!).
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For extra moisture, add 2 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt to the batter.
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Keeps at room temp (covered) for up to 3 days or in the fridge for 5 days.
Would you like me to give you a one-bowl, no-mixer version next — the super easy “wacky chocolate cake” that’s egg- and dairy-free?
