How to Make Chocolate Cake

One of the first things a new cook will ask is how to make chocolate cake. Chocolate is a favorite flavor all over the world and nothing is better than a good chocolate cake recipe. What makes a good chocolate cake?

how to make chocolate cakeHow to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Cut into Small Serving Size

My first thought in describing a good chocolate cake is one that is deep dark chocolate. Then I think about a delicious German chocolate cake which is lighter in color; that is at the top of my “favorite cake” list. So what makes the best chocolate cake? 


Of course the type of chocolate used in the recipe is a matter of personal preference. For me, I love all kinds of cake; it just depends on which kind I am craving at the time. I feel the difference in the chocolates like “light verses dark” chocolate is like two different types of cakes like white cake verses strawberry. We are talking about two completely different flavors.


When making any type of cake, the common quality that I look for is “moistness”. I hate a dry cake! When someone ask me how to make chocolate cake, I immediately respond to a deliciously rich dark chocolate cake; the darker the better. I like to be able to taste the chocolate in the cake. Quite often these dark cakes are referred to as devil’s food cake recipes or red devil’s food cake recipes.


When learning how to make chocolate cakes, various types of chocolate can be used; unsweetened, semisweet or unsweetened cocoa powder. More than the type of chocolate is the quantity of chocolate and the other added ingredients. Devil’s food cakes contain additional baking soda which raises the PH level making the cake a rich dark color. Often these cake recipes will also contain ingredients like vinegar, buttermilk, sour cream or mayonnaise contributing to a very moist texture.


The “Red devil’s food cake” was created sometime around the early nineteen hundreds and was just a new name on the devil’s food cake recipe. By using the ingredients I listed above, the acid will cause a “reddening” of the chocolate when the cake is baked giving the idea of a “red devil’s food cake”. Today many of these recipes will have a little red food coloring added to enhance the color more. This is how to make chocolate cake that is red colored.

How to make chocolate cake with red coloring? RED DEVILS FOOD CAKE RECIPE

chocolate red devils food cakeHow to Make Chocolate Cake as a Chocolate Red Devils Food Cake
  • 1 2/3 Cups flour
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • ½ Cup brown sugar
  • ½ Cup solid shortening
  • 1 1/2 Cups buttermilk
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 Ounces unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons red food coloring (Liquid)

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.

Combine all ingredients and beat on low speed for 30 seconds.

Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes scraping bowl occasionally.

Divide batter evenly into prepared pans; bake 30 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

Cool cakes 10 minutes and remove from pans; cool completely.

Frost between layers, top and sides with frosting below.


CREAMY VANILLA FROSTING

  • 4 Cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 1/2 Cup softened butter
  • 1 ½ Teaspoon vanilla
  • About 6 tablespoons milk or enough for spreading

Mix powdered sugar and butter.

Beat in vanilla and enough milk to make a smooth spreading consistency.

Chocolate Red Devil's Food CakeChocolate Red Devil's Food Cake

How to make chocolate cake with marshmallow? MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE RECIPE

Mississippi Mud CakeMississippi Mud Cake
  • 1 ½ Cups flour
  • 2 Cups sugar
  • ½ Cup cocoa powder
  • 2 Teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Cup melted butter
  • 4 Large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 Cup chopped pecans divided
  • 3 Cups miniature marshmallows
  • Chocolate frosting (Recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease and flour 9X13 inch baking pan.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

Add butter and eggs and stir until blended; stir in ½ cup of pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan; bake 25 to 30 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven and IMMEDIATELY pour marshmallows over the top; return to oven 1 MINUTE.

Remove cake from oven and spread the melted marshmallows evenly over the cake; let set 5 minutes.

Spread chocolate frosting over the marshmallow; sprinkle with remaining pecans.

Cool completely and cut in squares.

NOTE: If marshmallows do not melt after 1 minute DO NOT return to oven simply let stand a couple of minutes until they soften more and then spread.


CHOCOLATE FROSTING

  • ½ Cup melted butter
  • 1/3 Cup cocoa powder
  • 1/3 Cup evaporated milk
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 Package (16 ounces) powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; beat with mixer until moistened and smooth.

Beat on high speed until spreading consistency.

Mississippi Mud CakeMississippi Mud Cake

How to make chocolate cake with peanut butter? CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE RECIPE

Chocolate Peanut Butter CakeChocolate Peanut Butter Cake

This is a deliciously rich tasting way of how to make chocolate cake with peanut butter; it is like a lot like eating fudge candy.  Because it is so rich you can cut very small pieces; this one recipe will yield 42 to 48 pieces. You will, of course, have “chocolate lovers” who want more than one piece. If the cake is refrigerated until very cold, it is easy to cut nice small pieces with a sharp knife.

  • 2 Cups sifted flour
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 Cups sugar
  • 1 Cup butter
  • ¼ Cup cocoa powder
  • 1 Cup water
  •  ½ Cup buttermilk
  • 2 Large beaten eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ Cups creamy peanut butter
  • Chocolate frosting (Recipe below)
  • Salted peanuts OPTIONAL

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease and flour a 9X13 inch baking pan.

Combine flour, baking soda and sugar; sift together in a large bowl and set aside.

Milt butter in saucepan and stir in cocoa powder; stir in water, buttermilk and eggs.

Cook and stir mixture over medium heat until mixture boils.

Remove from heat and stir hot mixture into flour mixture until smooth.

Stir vanilla into batter and spoon into prepared baking pan.

Bake about 30 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

Cool in pan until warm; carefully spread peanut butter over warm cake.

REFRIGERATE CAKE UNTIL PEANUT BUTTER FIRMS UP.

Spread chocolate frosting over the top; garnish with salted peanuts.

NOTE: The salted peanuts go well with this ultra rich cake.

Refrigerate the cake until cold or overnight; it is easier to cut very small pieces.

Makes up to 48 servings, depending on size.


CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING RECIPE

  • ½ Cup butter
  • ¼ Cup cocoa powder
  • 1/3 Cup buttermilk
  • 1 Package (16 ounces) sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla

Sift powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl; set aside.

In a saucepan combine butter, cocoa and buttermilk.

Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.

Pour hot mixture over powdered sugar; add vanilla and beat until smooth.

Spread on top of peanut butter. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter CakeChocolate Peanut Butter Cake

How to make chocolate cake with mint liqueur? CHOCOLATE MINT CAKE RECIPE for a cake roll

Chocolate Mint Roll CakeChocolate Mint Roll Cake

Mint and chocolate goes so well together. If you like mint chocolate ice cream this is the cake for you to learn how to make chocolate cake with mint liqueur.

  • 8 Ounces plain yogurt
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 1 Egg white
  • ¾ Cup sugar
  • ¼ Cup water
  • 1 Cup sifted cake flour
  • 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 Teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 Teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ½ Cup sour cream
  • 1 Tablespoon mint flavor liqueur
  • 1 Container (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping
  • Green food coloring (as desired)

Spread yogurt on several layers of paper towels; let stand 1 hour.

PREHEAT oven to 350F degrees.

Line a jellyroll pan (15X10X1 inches) with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray and set aside.

Beat eggs and egg white together on high speed of mixer until thick and pale (about 3 minutes).

Gradually add sugar one tablespoon at a time while beating; add water and beat until blended.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture beating on LOW SPEED JUST UNTIL BLENDED.

Spread batter evenly into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cake springs back when touched in center.

Sift 2 tablespoons powdered sugar over a clean dish towel (One large enough for cake to fit on).

Immediately run knife around sides of baked cake to loosen and turn cake out onto sugared dish towel.

Remove parchment paper; start at narrow end and roll up cake AND TOWEL together.

Place on wire rack with seam side down until completely cooled.

Filling: Combine drained yogurt, sour cream and liqueur; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Reserve 1 cup of the whipped topping; cover and refrigerate.

Fold remaining whipped topping into yogurt mixture; cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Unroll cooled cake and spread with yogurt mixture; reroll cake WITHOUT TOWEL.

Refrigerate for several hours; slice cake roll and serve with dollops of reserved whipped topping.

Chocolate Mint Roll CakeChocolate Mint Roll Cake

How to make chocolate cake with coconut? ALMOND JOY CAKE RECIPE

Almond Joy CakeAlmond Joy Cake

I am a coconut lover so this is the best cake recipe to know how to make chocolate cake with coconut.

  • 3 Cups flour
  • 3 Teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Cup softened butter
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Cup sour cream
  • Filling (below)
  • Meringue (below)
  • Extra shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease, line and grease and flour a 10 inch spring form pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; set aside.

In mixing bowl combine butter and sugar; beat until creamy.

Add eggs one at a time beating well after each.

Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternating with the sour cream.

Spoon half of cake batter into prepared pan; sprinkle with ¾ of filling mixture.

Cover with remaining batter and then sprinkle the remaining filling mixture.

Bake for 60 minutes or until center is set; cool completely before spreading meringue.

Place cake on parchment paper a little larger than cake and set on baking tray.


Cake Filling:

  • 12 Ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ Cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • ¼ Cup shredded coconut
  • 1/4 Cup chopped almonds

COMBINE filling ingredients and blend well.


Cake Meringue:

  • 5 Egg whites at room temperature
  • 1 Teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¾ Cup sugar
  • Whole almonds for garnish

COMBINE egg whites and cream of tartar in mixing bowl; beat until frothy.

Gradually add sugar while beating on high speed; beat until stiff peaks form.

Spread on sides and top of COLD cake; sprinkle with shredded coconut and garnish with whole almonds.

Place cake in preheated oven at 350F degrees; bake about 15 minutes until meringue sets.

Cool cake completely before cutting; use cake lift to move cake from pan to plate.

Almond Joy CakeAlmond Joy Cake

This is how to make chocolate cake with cake mix to look like a pumpkin for Fall. CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CAKE RECIPE 

NOTE: Has no pumpkin in it.

  • 1 Devil’s food cake mix
  • 1 Package (5.9 ounces) chocolate instant pudding mix
  • 1 ¼ Cups water
  • ½ Cup vegetable oil
  • 4 Large eggs
  • 2 Cups semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 Package fluffy white frosting mix
  • Orange food coloring 
  • Chewy candies for fall; worms etc. for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease and flour Bundt cake pan.

Combine first 5 ingredients in large mixing bowl; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Stir in chocolate chips; pour into prepared cake pan.

Bake 55 minutes; cool 10 minutes and remove from pan to cool completely.

Prepare frosting according to package; add desired amount of orange food coloring.

Spread on cake and garnish.