The Best Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipe From Scratch

Chocolate cake is such a classic dessert. I love making it for birthdays and celebrations of all kinds. Recently, I used the base recipe (listed below) to create a two layered cake with strawberry jam in between. I just split the batter between two pans! Super easy. And that’s the thing about this recipe – it’s not only easy, but it’s also versatile. The homemade frosting is also ridiculously simple to whip up. And, yes, it can be a completely zero waste cake if you get all the ingredients in bulk. Even better yet, do what I did and top it with fresh farmers market berries! So delicious. Here’s how to make the best homemade chocolate cake (and frosting!).

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The Best Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipe From Scratch

Why make your own cake?

I feel like a lot of people go out and buy cakes from bakeries and stores. This is all well and good – especially if you’re supporting a small business with values that match your own.

But a lot of times generic cakes from big name stores come in plastic clamshells, or contain a lot of filler ingredients (usually used to preserve the cake) or artificial dyes.

Making your own cake is a great way to control what’s in your cake. It makes it healthier (at least a little). And cuts down on the packaging too. You can make it even more sustainable by buying organic ingredients package free at the bulk bins or a refillery. 

No access to one? Try opting for paper, cardboard and glass packaging whenever possible – these tend to get recycled more.

Though I will admit – for this easy cake, I typically already have the ingredients already on hand. They’re staples in the pantry, and using what you have is always the most sustainable option.

I’m all about slow living and doing things with my hands when I have the time. I think we’ve become very disconnected from that. We buy things out of convenience, but it winds up harming our planet (and ultimately our health).

Also if you want to take your cake somewhere, you can get a cake holder to transport it – even better if it’s secondhand. Check your local thrift store, or borrow from a loved one.

Chocolate cake recipe:

• 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour or plain flour (8 oz | 227 g)
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups white granulated sugar 
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk 
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Frosting:

• 1 stick of butter
• 1-2 cups of chocolate chips

Directions for cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Then, lightly grease a round cake pan with butter (if making two layers, just divide the batter between two circular cake pans). Line base with compostable parchment paper for easier cleanup.
2. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Whisk in sugar, then add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk well to combine until lump free, about 30 seconds.
3. Pour boiling water into batter (trust me on this!), then mix well. The cake batter will be a little thin in consistency, but this is fine.
4. Pour the batter into cake pan(s) and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Remove it from the oven, letting it cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting. I like to use a silicone baking spatula to smooth out the frosting over the cake. Then decorate however you like (highly recommend chocolate chips and in-season fruits)! For birthdays, I love adding these beeswax birthday candles on top.

Directions for frosting:

1. In a small pot, melt the chocolate chips and butter together, stirring occasionally. Once it’s melted, act quickly and spread it onto the cake before it hardens! I like to do this step last because it’s so quick to dry. Be forewarned: It’s messy!

Note: You can also opt out of using frosting and try dusting the cake with powdered sugar, if you’d prefer! Another idea is to pair it with a homemade strawberry or blueberry syrup when serving, or ice cream. Feel free to get creative! It’s a great base recipe to experiment with.

So, would you give this easy homemade chocolate cake a try? Let me know in the comments!

For more from-scratch baking recipes, be sure to check out my homemade blueberry muffins and strawberry loaf cake.

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