The Best Amish Chocolate Cake Recipe

This Amish chocolate cake is moist, fluffy, and made from scratch, perfect for any occasion. Top it with my whipped chocolate buttercream frosting, and you've got a dessert that's sure to please everyone. Even my son, who isn't usually a big cake fan, absolutely loves this one!

Whether you bake it as a 9x13 cake, a double-layered cake, or even as cupcakes, this recipe is easy to follow and delivers that melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes every bite a treat. I've had one person tell me, "I thought I made a killer chocolate cake, but yours is even better!"

Why You'll Love This Amish Chocolate Cake

• Moist and Fluffy: Every slice is light, tender, and melts in your mouth - no dense or dry cake here.
• Rich Chocolate Flavor: Made with real cocoa and a touch of hot coffee to intensify the chocolate without being bitter.
• Made-from-Scratch Goodness: Skip the box mix - this homemade chocolate cake is tender, moist, and full of chocolatey goodness that's superior to box mixes.
• Easy and Versatile: Perfect as a 9x13 cake, double-layered cake, or cupcakes. Great for birthdays, holidays, or casual family dinners.
• Family-Friendly: Loved by kids and adults alike - even picky eaters will ask for seconds!

Ingredients

1. All-purpose flour forms the base of the cake batter. It provides structure and stability.
2. White sugar provides sweetness and moisture.
3. Unsweetened cocoa powder adds rich chocolate flavor and deep color to the cake. Cocoa powder is the primary source of chocolate flavor. (I recommend sifting it to remove any clumps and make sure it gets incorporated properly.)
4. Baking soda & Baking powder act as leavening agents, helping the cake batter rise, and contributing to the light and airy texture. (I recommend using aluminum-free baking powder.)
5. Salt enhances the flavors.
6. Eggs bind the ingredients together, provide structure, and add moisture and richness.
7. Oil (canola, vegetable, or your favorite baking oil) adds moisture to the cake and helps keep it moist and tender. It also contributes to the cake's texture, making it softer and more delicate than if butter were used.
8. Whole milk adds moisture, richness, and tenderness. (If you only have 2% milk, it will work. However, whole milk has more fat, making the cake a bit richer and moister.)
9. Vanilla enhances the flavor.
10. Hot coffee (strongly brewed) helps intensify the richness and depth of the chocolate, making the cake more decadent and flavorful. The hot temperature also helps bloom the cocoa powder, enhancing its flavor. (You can use boiling water if you don't want to add coffee.)

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven:
   • Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
2. Prepare the Baking Pan:
   • Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
3. Whisk Dry Ingredients:
   • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Beat Wet Ingredients:
   • In another large bowl, beat eggs.
   • Add oil, vanilla extract, and whole milk to the eggs.
   • Beat well until combined.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
   • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
   • Mix to combine.
6. Add Hot Coffee:
   • Slowly pour hot, strongly brewed coffee into the batter while mixing on low speed.
   • Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix only until everything is well combined. The batter will be very thin.
7. Pour and Bake:
   • Pour the batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
   • Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a couple of crumbs.
8. Cool and Frost:
   • Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
   • Once cooled, top with your favorite frosting.

Can I Use Butter Instead of Oil?

Yes, you could. A lot of recipes such as my Amish coffee cake recipe use butter, and it adds a good flavor.

However, this homemade Amish chocolate cake uses oil instead of butter for a reason. While butter provides a lot of flavor in recipes, oil gives cakes a lovely light and moist texture. And since we already have a rich chocolatey flavor, we don't need the flavor of butter to compete with the chocolate. Your cake may turn out with a drier crumb if you use butter instead of oil.

Cupcakes - this cake batter can also be made into chocolate cupcakes! This recipe will make anywhere from 24 - 28 cupcakes, depending on how full you fill the tins. And the cupcakes only need to be baked for about 20 - 22 minutes.

Does Homemade Chocolate Cake Need to be Refrigerated?

Can you store chocolate cake at room temperature or does it need to be refrigerated? The answer depends on how long you want to keep it and what kind of frosting you use.

This classic chocolate cake covered with buttercream frosting can be stored, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to four or five days (this can depend on temperature and humidity). To make it last longer, you can tightly wrap and refrigerate the cake for up to a week or even freeze it for a few months - make sure it is airtight.

However, if you top it with cream cheese frosting, the cake must be stored in the refrigerator.

I prefer to eat room-temperature cake. So even if I store my cake in the refrigerator, I bring it back to room temperature before eating it. And remember, frosted cakes taste the best in the first three days. After that, the texture won't be quite the same.

Dessert for Sunday Lunch

I grew up New Order Amish. We had church every other Sunday with a traditional church meal of buns and peanut butter spread served afterward. Then we had Sunday School on the in-between Sunday.

After the Sunday School service, the hosts usually invited a few of their close friends, the youth group, and any visitors, to stay for lunch. (This was usually a big full-course cooked meal.)

We had a lot of various dishes, desserts, etc. But homemade cake, cornstarch pudding, and strawberry Danish dessert were some of the most common desserts served with Sunday lunch. These are easy-to-make and inexpensive dessert dishes that go together very well.

Enjoy this made-from-scratch chocolate cake on its own, with a scoop of ice cream, or alongside fresh berries for an extra-special treat. Its light, fluffy texture and rich chocolate flavor make it a crowd-pleaser for any occasion. If you try this moist Amish chocolate cake recipe, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!

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