This is THAT chocolate cake recipe. Along with a classic Devil's Food Cake, this is the cake you'll want to make for birthdays, holidays, parties, bake sales, dinner parties, or just because you want to add something decadent to an ordinary week. In our house, when we say chocolate cake (or chocolate cupcakes) this is the chocolate cake recipe we're talking about.
It's that chocolate cake recipe.
And so, a few weeks ago, I had my dad over for a smoked prime rib birthday dinner and this chocolate cake. Since it was a birthday cake, I wanted to go all out. So I added rum custard and almond pralines. But, this super moist chocolate cake recipe is great any way you want to bake it - with or without frosting, as a layer cake, as a snack cake or as cupcakes. It's easy to make, densely chocolate and pretty much lives up to everyone's idea of the perfect chocolate cake.
If you prefer, you could use this chocolate cake recipe to make a filled layer cake rather than as a bundt cake as I did here. But, if you've ever made a filled chocolate layer cake and tried to transport it in the middle of the summer, you know how challenging (and stressful!) it can be.
Instead of dealing with that hassle, I just injected the custard into the cake twinkie-style, which makes transporting it so much easier. It also allows you to add a lot more custard than what's possible in a layer cake. And if a little rum custard is good, a lot is better. Try it. You'll see.
- {Note} The Ultimate Chocolate Cake is a Building Block Recipe. Building Blocks are tried-and-true recipes that I find myself coming back to time and time again, sometimes to make them exactly as is, and sometimes as a starting point for something new. -> More Building Block Recipes.
📖 Recipe
The BEST Chocolate Cake Recipe
The best chocolate cake recipe with rum custard, chocolate ganache & almond pralines. In our house, when we say chocolate cake, this is the cake we're talking about.
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 cup sour cream - OR plain, unsweetened full-fat greek yogurt
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE FILLING:
- 1 recipe Pastry Cream, chilled for at least 6 hours
- ¼ cup rum (or more, to taste)
FOR THE FROSTING:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 oz (about 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 8 tablespoon butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE ALMOND PRALINES:
- 1 cup whole almonds, roughly chopped into large pieces
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
BAKE THE CAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a bundt pan.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugars, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix on low speed to combine.
- Add the eggs, oil and sour cream. Mix on low just to combine, and then increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
- Reduce the speed to low and mix in the boiling water. Mix in the vanilla just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in one the center of the cake comes out mostly clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
MAKE THE FROSTING:
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, cream, salt and cinnamon and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and butter and stir until melted. Pour into a bowl and stir in the vanilla.
- Let the frosting cool before using it to frost the cake, string occasionally from time to time, until its thickened to a spreadable consistency.
FILL THE CAKE:
- Stir rum into chilled pastry cream. Taste and add more if desired.
- Scoop pastry cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Flip the cake upside down so that the bottom of the cake is facing up. Insert the tip into the cake and gently squeeze the decorating bag, pulling upwards until the cake swells slightly and the filling comes to the top. Continue to squeeze the custard into the cake all the way around, creating 11 or 12 "custard holes". It will look like you are filling a large, round twinkie.
MAKE THE ALMOND PRALINES:
- Heat almonds, sugar, cinnamon, butter and salt in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until almonds are toasted and sugar is completely melted and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Spread on aluminum foil or parchment paper and let cool completely. Break into chunks and add all the way around the base of the frosted cake.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 518Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 666mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 3gSugar: 45gProtein: 7g
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Taylor says
Hi Rebecca! I am using your Best Vanilla Cake recipe for a wedding cake I’m making for a friend, they want chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. Also possibly one of the tiers of the 3 layer cake. What chocolate cake recipe would you suggest for this? Thank you!!!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Taylor! This is a good cake, but for layer cakes and cupcakes, I prefer this Devil's Food Cake Recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, if you think about it, I'd love to see a photo of the wedding cake! xo
Bronwyn says
I made your perfect vanilla cake today to freeze for my office Christmas party next week. I also want to make a chocolate cake, and was hoping to use a decorative Bundt pan that looks like a ring of trees... it is gorgeous, but all those nooks and crannies mean even with the most dedicated greasing and flouring moist cake recipes tend to stick and break. Any recommendations for how to ensure the cake releases from the pan? I typically find that adding a tablespoon or two of flour to most recipes allows it to release, without drying out the cake too much, but I don’t want to presume with your recipes! I’ve always followed your recipes to the letter and they come out perfectly!!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi there! I would actually suggest that you use this recipe for Devil's Food Cake instead: https://ofbatteranddough.com/devils-food-cake/
Devil's Food cake is still super fudgy, but the batter isn't as wet as The Ultimate Chocolate Cake, so I think it will release from your pan better. Is the pan you're using non-stick? If so, I'd just spray it well with non-stick spray and I think you'll be good.
Is the Nordic Ware Pine Forest Bundt Pan the pan you're using? If so, the non-stick surface is really great. I just used it to develop a gingerbread cake recipe (coming later this week!) and after spraying the pan with non-stick spray, the cake came out with no problem.
Bronwyn says
Yes, that's the one! I've used it for gingerbread a couple of times and it is always a hit - a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar before serving and you have a winter wonderland on the table!! I have had a few problems with fudgier (or should I say more molasses-y) gingerbread sticking and breaking, but dryer recipes do well. I've made your devil's food cake before to great success - could I still fill it? I really want to do the filled custard since the pan shape doesn't lend itself to frosting well.
Rebecca Blackwell says
I think the custard filling is perfect for the shape of that bundt pan. It will be delicious! Here's the recipe for devil's food: https://ofbatteranddough.com/devils-food-cake/
This cake - the Ultimate Chocolate Cake - might work well also... I just haven't tested it in a bundt pan with so many nooks and crannies. 🙂 Keep me posted? xo
Katie says
Thank you for sharing your recipes! Your vanilla and chocolate cakes are my go-to's. I had my son's birthday party yesterday, and the cake was delicious, thanks to you!!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Thank you so much Katie! I am so glad you are enjoying these recipes. Happy Birthday to your son! xo
Marsha says
This looks absolutely decadent! I will have to make it ASAP! Would you mind if I added a link to this on my blog?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Marsha! Please let me know how it comes out! And, of course you can add a link to it on your blog. My pleasure. xoxo
rebecca says
Thank you so much Rhonda! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
rhonda says
This cake is unbelievably wonderfully amazingly delicious!!! So generous of you to share the recipe since you could probably patent this and sell it to restaurants or something.... it's THAT GOOD! xo