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This two-layer chocolate cake is moist, tender, and fail-proof! Made with simple ingredients and topped off with the most delicious chocolate cream cheese frosting. It’s truly the world’s best chocolate cake!
You are going to be so impressed with this cake. It’s super easy to make and can be made days in advance! What makes this cake so good is how incredibly soft and fluffy it is.
The chocolate cream cheese frosting is tangy and chocolaty and really takes this cake to the next level!
For more of my favorite cake recipes, check out this Southern red velvet cake and chocolate bundt cake.
INGREDIENT NOTES
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Cocoa Powder – Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder. I highly recommend using the best quality cocoa powder your budget allows.
- Water – Feel free to use hot coffee or hot water. Personally, I don’t find a difference between using water or coffee, but certain people say that they taste a stronger chocolate flavor when they use coffee.
- Cream Cheese – You’ll need softened cream cheese at room temperature for the frosting. I absolutely love the flavor that the cream cheese adds but if you’re not a fan of cream cheese, simply omit it.
- Butter – Unsalted softened butter at room temperature is what you’ll need for a creamy and smooth frosting.
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Bake the cake. Combine the flour mixture with the egg mixture until thoroughly combined, then gradually add hot water while mixing. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, tap them on the counter to eliminate air bubbles, and bake for 28-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Make the frosting. Mix unsalted butter and cream cheese until smooth, about 1 minute. Incorporate cocoa powder and powdered sugar, mixing for 2-3 minutes. Add milk and mix for an additional 1-2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
- Frost the cake. Make sure the cakes are completely cooled before frosting! For best results, use an offset spatula to frost the cake.
PRO TIPS
- This cake batter is super runny therefore don’t add any sprinkles or chocolate chips to the batter, cause they will sink to the bottom.
- When making the chocolate cream cheese frosting, it will look very weird at first but trust the process. After adding the milk and mixing it for a couple of minutes, it will turn into the smoothest most delicious frosting!
- It is crucial that you let the cakes cool completely before frosting otherwise the frosting will melt. Also, make sure that your cream cheese and butter are softened at room temperature otherwise, your frosting will turn out lumpy.
- Don’t overbake your cake not even for 1 minute. Overbaking the cake for even a minute can cause your cake to turn out dry. Keep in mind that all ovens are different and some run hotter than others. I recommend checking the cakes at the 28-minute mark.
CAN I MAKE A ONE LAYER CAKE INSTEAD?
Absolutely! I find that one-layer cakes are so much easier to make! Pour the cake batter into a greased 9×13 baking dish and bake at 350 F degrees for 35-40 minutes.
STORAGE, MAKE AHEAD, AND FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:
Storage: If you have any leftovers, place them in an air-tight container and store it at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Make Ahead: Bake the cake and allow it to cool completely. Once the cakes cool, remove them from the cake pans and wrap them in plastic wrap. Prepare the frosting and then place it in an air-tight container until you’re ready to frost the cake and serve.
Freeze: After you’ve baked the cakes, let them cool down completely. Wrap each piece really well in plastic wrap, and put them in a ziplock freezer bag. You can freeze them for up to a month. I don’t recommend freezing the chocolate cream cheese frosting.
Tried this chocolate cake recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
World’s Best Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil , or canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup hot water , or hot coffee
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks) softened at room temperature
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray or butter. Make sure to grease them generously.
- Sift the unsweetened cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Mix the flour mixture and egg mixture until well incorporated and then pour in the hot water slowly while mixing.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and tap the cake pans on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake the cakes for about 28-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, mix the unsalted butter and cream cheese until smooth. This should take 1 minute. Add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar and mix for 2-3 minutes. Add the milk and mix for an extra minute or two. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk and continue mixing. The frosting should be nice and fluffy.
- Frost the cake using an offset spatula, decorate with sprinkles or chocolate chips, if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
- This cake batter is super runny therefore don’t add any sprinkles or chocolate chips to the batter, cause they will sink to the bottom.
- When making the chocolate cream cheese frosting, it will look very weird at first but trust the process. After adding the milk and mixing it for a couple of minutes, it will turn into the smoothest most delicious frosting!
- It is crucial that you let the cakes cool completely before frosting otherwise the frosting will melt. Also, make sure that your cream cheese and butter are softened at room temperature otherwise, your frosting will turn out lumpy.
- Don’t overbake your cake not even for 1 minute. Overbaking the cake for even a minute can cause your cake to turn out dry. Keep in mind that all ovens are different and some run hotter than others. I recommend checking the cakes at the 28-minute mark.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
