Yahoo Lifestyle I Made 'The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe on The Internet'—And I Get Why It's So Magical
If you think you know how to make a chocolate cake, the internet begs to disagree. There are thousands if not millions of chocolate cake recipes out there. But every so often, one stands out and sparks buzz as "the best."
That title is quite subjective, but I think we can all agree a great chocolate cake should be sweet, moist and rich in cocoa flavor with a plush, delicate crumb. And that’s exactly what is promised from the Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever} recipe from Add A Pinch. A quick google search will demonstrate that the popular baking blog's recipe sits firmly as the top search result with nearly 5,000 five-star reviews.
With a robust cocoa base, a touch of espresso for depth, and classic chocolate buttercream frosting on top, this cake appears to have it all. But does it truly deliver, and how does it compare to the competition? I set out to find out.
Get the recipe: The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever}
Ingredients for the Most Famous Chocolate Cake on the Internet
This cake has all the usual suspects. For dry ingredients, you need: all-purpose flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt and espresso powder. For the wet ingredients, grab: milk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract.
For the frosting, it’s a classic chocolate buttercream made with softened butter, cocoa powder, confectioner’s sugar, milk, vanilla extract and espresso powder.
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How to Make the Most Famous Chocolate Cake on the Internet
Whisk together the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the milk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix to combine. Then, slowly incorporate the boiling water. The cake batter will be thin, but that's how it's supposed to be. Divide the batter evenly between two 9-inch cake pans and bake at 350° until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cake layers cool completely while you make the frosting.
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For the frosting, cream the butter and cocoa powder together, then gradually add the confectioner’s sugar and milk. Add the vanilla and espresso powder at the end and whip until fully combined and fluffy. Use frosting to assemble and decorate cake.
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My Honest Thoughts About the Most Famous Chocolate Cake on the Internet
This cake is an absolute beast—a towering, confident beauty drenched in rich buttercream that slices perfectly without any crumbling. Its deep, dark chocolate flavor strikes a perfect balance between sweet and bitter, thanks to the robust cocoa, while the fudge-like frosting adds an irresistible and indulgent finish.
I couldn't help but appreciate how the one-bowl recipe made cleanup a breeze. Even when chilled straight from the fridge, this chocolate cake remained moist and dense and it's so addictive that you might find yourself returning for more until, oops, the whole thing is gone (just me?).
I couldn’t help but compare it to another standout chocolate cake I made recently: Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake. Both recipes use cocoa powder and espresso to intensify the chocolate flavor, but the Add a Pinch recipe uses more flour, baking soda, and baking powder with hot water and espresso powder added separately, while Ina sifts her dry ingredients for a lighter crumb. The biggest difference is in the frosting. Ina’s version leaves you debating a minimalist, top-only finish due to the limited amount frosting produced. The Add a Pinch chocolate cake recipe delivers plenty of whipped, fudge-like frosting with a slightly crystallized sugary finish that evokes a nostalgic, grocery-store vibe. If the latter is your style, you’re in for a treat here.
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My Biggest Tip for Making the Best Chocolate Cake Ever
Don't be afraid of salt. The blog uses Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, which is less salty by volume than other types. I used Morton’s kosher salt and the recipe came out balanced even though they advised cutting the amount in half if you use anything other than Diamond Crystal.
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