Chocolate Cake Recipe: Better Than Grandma’s!

How to Make Chocolate Cake the Best Way (Plus Substitution Ideas!)

Who doesn’t want comfort food right now? Chocolate cake hits the comfort food, sweet treat craving every time.

Plus, we’ve jazzed up this homemade chocolate cake with caramel.

You can thank us later!

Chocolate cake (and cupcakes!) should always be perfectly baked and super moist.

Nobody…not even the biggest cake fan…wants a dry, flavorless cake.

You’ve indulged in a piece of chocolate cake before, right?

Well, how about venture a little deeper and make your own caramel sauce to drizzle on top.

Mmmm…that’s some ooey, gooey, creative goodness right there!

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Measure all ingredients

This is not the time to guesstimate. I eyeball ingredients when I’m making easy lunches and dinners, but not when baking.

To get the best results from this homemade cake recipe, don’t skip the measuring the ingredients!

Prep your cake pan.

If you skip this step, you’ll end up with an unevenly baked cake and a cake that sticks to the pan!

Not a fun situation!

User fresh ingredients.

Don’t use flour, milk, (fruit..like in this mango cake) or eggs that’s near expiration or already expired.

Always use fresh ingredients when making this fantastic cake recipe!

HOW TO MAKE THIS CAKE GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE, OR SUGAR FREE

Chocolate Cake for the Gluten Free Diet:

To make the cake as a gluten-free chocolate cake recipe, replace the flour with this flour. Keep the flour measurements the same.

Chocolate Cake for the Dairy Free Diet:

To make the cake dairy-free, use almond milk or coconut milk in place of the dairy. Use margarine in place of the butter.

Chocolate Cake for an Egg Free Diet:

Make the cake an egg-free chocolate cake recipe by using 2/3 cup of applesauce (unsweetened is best!) in place of the 2 large eggs in the recipe. You’ll need to add 5-8 additional minutes for this switch.

BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE TIPS:

Use Room Temperature Ingredients In Cakes

Eggs, milk, oil…it should all be room temperature for a silky smooth cake!

Use Parchment Paper

This helps cakes bake evenly, keeps messes at bay, and keeps the cake from sticking!

To Avoid Dome-like Cakes, Use Strips

These Bake Even Cake Strips attach around the edge of your pan. 

It cools the side of your pan so that cakes bake evenly, and you don’t get less of a dome-shaped cake. Genius, right?

chocolate cake recipe

Don’t get stressed

Stress has a way in showing up in the finished cake.

Do what you need to do in order to bake a cake without added stress.

Put up your hair, turn on some music, or drink some coffee.

Whatever helps you enjoy the baking process!

How to Make Caramel Sauce for Chocolate Cake

To make the caramel sauce, slowly heat the ingredients on your stove top.

Even if you’re in a hurry, take your time.

Cooking it too quickly will cause the caramel sauce to burn!

Allow sauce to cool before drizzling on the cake.

The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Chocolate Cake Recipe Follows!

Find the homemade chocolate cake recipe below!

Print it out and preheat your oven!

chocolate cake recipe

Chocolate Cake that's Homemade

Yield: 16 squares
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Rich, indulgent and topped with obey, gooey caramel sauce, these chocolate bars will make your mouth do a happy dance!

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 3 eggs, (large)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Caramel Sauce

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Chocolate Squares

  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with Crisco® shortening.
  3. Stir together the dry ingredients--sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder.
  4. Add the wet ingredients --- oil, milk, eggs, milk, and vanilla
  5. Beat until smooth and pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
  6. Bake for 35 minutes. You'll notice that the edges of the chocolate squares will begin to separate from the pan.
  7. Cool completely and cut into squares.
  8. Top with caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce

  1. Turn the stove top to medium-high heat. Stir the ingredients together in a small saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.
  3. Boil for one minute and remove from heat.
  4. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Allow the sauce to cool some before pouring it over the chocolate squares. It will thicken as it cools down.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

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