Chocolate Cake Recipes | 8 Classic Homemade Chocolate Cakes

Perfect Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Instructions

1. Combine cocoa and boiling water; mix until smooth. Let cool.
2. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
3. Grease and flour three 9-inch pans.
4. Beat butter (or margarine), eggs, sugar, and vanilla about 5 minutes.
5. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with cooled cocoa mixture.
6. Bake 25–30 minutes. Cool before frosting or serving.

• Total cook time: 25–30 minutes
• Equipment: three 9-inch pans
• Servings: 10–12

Chocolate Chip, Dates, Cherries Cake

Ingredients

• 4 eggs, well beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 stick margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chopped nuts
• 1 large package chocolate chips
• 1 cup cut-up dates
• 1 cup quartered maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Instructions

1. Beat eggs. Add sugar and melted margarine; beat well.
2. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together.
3. Add chocolate chips, nuts, dates, and cherries to the flour mixture; mix thoroughly.
4. Fold dry mixture into egg mixture until flour is moistened.
5. Pour into a greased pan lined with greased paper (9 1/2×5 1/2×2 1/4 inches) or an angel food pan.
6. Bake 1 to 1 1/4 hours at 325°F, until top is light brown.
7. Remove from pan, peel off paper, and cool several hours before slicing.

• Total cook time: 1 to 1 1/4 hours
• Equipment: loaf pan or angel food pan
• Servings: 10–12

Chocolate Chip Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Instructions

1. Measure all ingredients into a large mixer bowl.
2. Blend 30 seconds on low speed, scraping bowl constantly.
3. Beat 3 minutes on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.
4. Pour into a greased 13×9×2-inch pan (or smaller pan).
5. Bake 40–45 minutes, or until a pick comes out clean.

• Total cook time: 40–45 minutes
• Equipment: 13×9×2-inch pan (or smaller pan)
• Servings: 12

Salad Dressing Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 cup salad dressing
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Instructions

1. Sift ingredients together.
2. Beat until smooth.
3. Bake in a greased 7×11-inch pan for 30–35 minutes.

Black Chocolate Cake - 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 cup hot water
• 3 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Instructions

1. Boil cocoa in water until thick. Add shortening and sugar; cool.
2. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt; add to cocoa mixture.
3. Add egg, vanilla, and vinegar; mix thoroughly.
4. Bake about 30 minutes (double batch in sheet pan bakes about 1 hour).

• Total cook time: 30 minutes
• Equipment: 8×8-inch pan(s)
• Servings: 12

Black Chocolate Cake - 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups hot water
• 4 squares baker's chocolate
• Dash of salt
• 4 tablespoons margarine
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Instructions

1. Cook water, chocolate, and salt in a double boiler until thickened.
2. Add margarine while hot; cool.
3. Add flour, baking soda, eggs, sugar, and vanilla; mix thoroughly.
4. Bake 30–35 minutes. Serves 12.

• Total cook time: 30–35 minutes
• Equipment: 9×13-inch pan
• Servings: 12

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup sour milk (use 1 teaspoon vinegar to sour sweet milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients in a bowl in the order given. Do not mix until all ingredients are added.
2. Beat well, then pour into greased and floured round, square, or cupcake pans.
3. Bake about 50 minutes. Makes one conventional two-layer cake; serves 8–10.

• Total cook time: 50 minutes
• Equipment: round, square, or cupcake pans
• Servings: 8–10

Upside Down Cocoa Cake

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 (29 oz) can peach slices or pear halves, well drained
• Maraschino cherries, halved
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups sifted flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Instructions

1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter with brown sugar and corn syrup; heat until blended.
2. Grease sides of a bundt or tube pan and pour syrup mixture into the bottom.
3. Arrange well-drained fruit and cherries in a decorative design (optional: sprinkle with chopped walnuts).
4. Cream 1/2 cup butter (or margarine) until light; gradually beat in sugar.
5. Beat in eggs, one at a time; add vanilla.
6. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add alternately with buttermilk to the creamed mixture.
7. Spoon batter evenly over fruit and bake about 50 minutes or until done. Invert immediately; serve warm.

• Total cook time: 50 minutes
• Equipment: bundt or tube pan
• Servings: 10–12