This is my husband, Dave’s, FAVORITE simple moist chocolate cake recipe! He likes it so much he calls it “Crack” cake, because of how addicting it is. LOL! So, you must know what kind of cake he gets every year for his birthday and Father’s Day. I agree with his sentiments. It is AMAZING!
Outdoor summer dinner parties are the best, in my opinion! One night, family and I were getting together for one of these summer dinners, with some friends, and we were planning on bringing the dessert. I knew this chocolate cake would be a huge hit and I wanted to look extra special with the frosting design, like we bought it from a bakery. So, I asked my sister, Angela, if she would come over and use her expertise to frost it for me.
Angela is a top-notch culinary expert who makes wedding and birthday cakes, so I knew my chocolate cake layers would be in the very best hands. If you are interested in seeing some of her masterpieces, click here to connect to her Instagram page for more pictures and ideas.
I took pictures of her professional process so you can replicate. The recipe is listed right after the picture highlights.
Some of the links on Danimardesigns.com are affiliate links from with I receive a small commission from sales of certain items, at no cost to you. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you kindly for letting me share.
Simple Moist Chocolate Cake
Baking Instructions
Oven Temperature at 350°
9×13” Pan (Greased) and Bake for 30-40 Minutes
If using round cake pans, shorten the baking time. They are done when you put in a toothpick and it comes out clean. In the pictures, I used (3) 8 ½” Round Cake Pans and multiplied the ingredients 1 1/2 times.
Simple Moist Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/3 Cups Coconut Sugar (for lower glycemic index purposes, or you can use regular sugar)
- 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 Tbsp Baking Soda
- 1 Tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
- 2/3 Cup Grapeseed Oil or Avocado Oil (I prefer to use clean oils)
- 1 Cup Almond Milk (or buttermilk)
- 1 Egg
- I Cup Hot Coffee (regular or decaf)
Simple Moist Chocolate Cake
Instructions
Mix together: Flour, Coconut Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, Sea Salt, Oil, Egg, and Milk with a hand mixer. Add the hot Coffee last and mix again with a hand mixer. Pour the batter into greased cake pan(s) and bake. Let cool for about 20 minutes and wrap with plastic wrap so cake stays moist. Once all the way cooled, store in the fridge until you are ready to add the frosting.
Simple Moist Chocolate Cake
Frosting Ingredients
*I usually double the frosting recipe when using 2 round cake pans, and triple when using 3 round cake pans.
- 1 Stick Unsalted Butter Softened
- 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 8oz Cream Cheese Package Softened
- 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 3 Tbsp Sour Cream (the sour cream ingredient is flexible; you can use more if you prefer)
Simple Moist Chocolate Cake
Frosting Instructions
Whip butter and cream cheese together using hand mixer. Add Cocoa, Vanilla and Powdered Sugar and mix again. Spread over cooled cake. I love to put this chocolate cake in the refrigerator because my family and I enjoy our cake best when it’s cold. Add some vanilla bean ice-cream on the side and hold-your-tongue. It’s so GOOD!
Feel free to add sprinkles, Oreo crumbles, or any other yummy toping that you prefer. This cake, the perfect shade of chocolate brown, would be super cute dashed with orange, white, and black sprinkles for a Halloween party, and then staged on your bar cart for dessert. Here is a link to my Halloween décor post that shares how to decorate a bar cart, and so much more, for a fall Halloween style party.
Conclusion
I hope you and your family enjoy this simple and moist chocolate cake. It is a favorite of ours and one that we bake multiple times a year for those special occasions. I love how quick and easy it comes together. A crowd pleaser for sure!
P.S. A Note of Encouragement
Remember the Mary Poppins song, “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down?” This song came to mind when writing this post. I must have sugar on my mind from talking about chocolate cake. LOL!
Have you ever needed to bring word of correction or guidance to someone? It’s never easy to give or receive! What we can remember in those moments is to make sure we offer some “sugar” when we speak. I think of the sugar ingredient as grace. Give grace to those you are speaking with and it will help the medicine go down easier.
Have you ever heard of the Sandwich Technique? It refers to giving positive words before and after you give the negative or corrective news. I bring this up because today I had to speak to my pharmacist about a prescription they gave me that was flawed. I had to offer grace because it’s what I would want someone to offer me. As I brought up the not-so-good news about my prescription, I offered a sweet “sandwich” that tasted like grace. I’m so thankful that the conversation went very well and my pharmacist was so accommodating.
The powerful words from the Bible, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” is a truth we can all live by. Today, I want to offer a fresh reminder to always put yourself in someone else’s shoes before you speak words of correction to them. Use grace and the sandwich approach and watch how those serious conversations turn into beautiful moments of connection and growth.
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