Martha Stewart Chocolate Cake Recipe

Martha Stewart’s chocolate cake uses one and a half cups of cocoa powder, three cups of sugar, and hot water to make a batter so dark and rich it looks like brownie mix. The two layers bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes in 9-inch pans, and the cake is so tender you have to handle it gently or it will fall apart.

This is the chocolate buttermilk cake recipe Martha calls her best, and after making it twice I understand why. The batter mixes in one bowl, the ingredients are simple, and the cake comes out moist enough to eat without frosting, though nobody actually skips the frosting.

Try More Cake Recipes:

• German Chocolate Cake
• Vanilla Cake
• Red Velvet Cake

The Batter Looks Like Water And That Is Right

When you pour in the hot water, the batter gets very thin. It looks more like chocolate milk than cake batter and that worries people. Do not add more flour. The thin batter is what makes this cake so moist and light.

Martha designed this recipe with hot water on purpose. The heat opens up the cocoa powder and pulls out more chocolate flavor than cold liquid would. The batter thickens as it bakes and the cake rises beautifully.

Martha Stewart Chocolate Cake Ingredients

Everything goes into one bowl. Sift the dry ingredients first to break up lumps, then add the wet ingredients one at a time. Martha says sifting is what makes the cake light, and skipping it leaves the batter lumpy.

• 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the pans
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Easy chocolate frosting

How To Make Martha Stewart Chocolate Cake

1. Get the pans ready: Turn the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Put parchment paper on the bottom, grease the paper, then dust the pans with cocoa powder and tap out the extra.
2. Sift and mix the dry ingredients: Sift the cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk them together.
3. Add the wet ingredients one at a time: On low speed, beat in the hot water, then the oil, then the buttermilk, then the vanilla, then the eggs. Add them one at a time and mix after each one. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
4. Pour and bake: Pour the batter into the two pans. Bake at 350°F, turning the pans halfway through, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes.
5. Cool: Let the cakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 20 minutes. Flip them out, peel off the paper, and let them cool all the way.
6. Trim and frost: Cut the rounded top off one layer with a long knife so it sits flat. Frost the top of that layer, put the second layer on top, then frost the top and sides.

Use Coffee Instead Of Water For A Stronger Flavor

The recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups hot water, but a lot of people swap in hot coffee and say it makes the chocolate taste deeper. Martha does not call for coffee in this recipe, but the swap works well because coffee brings out cocoa the same way salt brings out sweetness.

If you try it, just brew regular strength coffee. Espresso is too strong and can make the cake taste bitter. The chocolate flavor should come forward, not the coffee.

Do Not Use 8-Inch Pans

Martha says to use 9-inch pans and she means it. This recipe makes a lot of batter, and 8-inch pans will overflow in the oven. If you only have 8-inch pans, use three of them instead of two and reduce the bake time by about 10 minutes.

You can also pour the batter into a 13-by-9-inch pan for a sheet cake, or fill cupcake liners three-quarters full for about 30 cupcakes. The sheet cake bakes for about 20 minutes, then gets the crunchy coconut topping Martha suggests as a variation.

Handle The Layers Gently When You Flip Them

Martha warns about this and she is right. This cake is so tender that it can break apart if you rush it. When you flip the layers out of the pans, do it slowly and support the cake with your hand underneath.

If a layer cracks, do not panic. Put it back together on the rack and the frosting will hide everything. A cracked cake with good frosting looks the same as a perfect one once it is assembled. The chocolate ganache cake and chocolate mousse cake are more forgiving if you want something easier to handle.

How To Keep This Cake

Without frosting, wrap the layers in plastic and they keep at room temperature for two days. Martha says frosted cake stays good in an airtight container at room temperature for two days or in the fridge for up to five days.

This cake actually tastes better cold from the fridge. The frosting firms up and the layers get denser, almost like a brownie. Pull it out 20 minutes before serving if you want it soft again.

FAQs

• Why is the batter so thin? The hot water makes it liquid. That is normal. The thin batter is what gives the cake its moist, tender crumb. Do not add extra flour.
• Can I make this without buttermilk? Add 4 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then fill with milk to the 1 1/2 cup line. Stir and wait 5 minutes until it looks slightly thick.
• How many cupcakes does this make? About 30. Fill lined cups three-quarters full and bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes. Mini cupcakes take 25 to 35 minutes.
• Can I make a sheet cake instead? Yes. Pour the batter into a greased 13-by-9-inch pan. Martha suggests adding a coconut and walnut topping halfway through baking for a crunchy finish.

More Chocolate Cake Recipes:

• Chocolate Molten Lava Cake
• Chocolate Pound Cake
• Chocolate Bundt Cake

Nutrition Facts

(1 slice, serves 14)

• Calories: 520
• Total Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Cholesterol: 45mg
• Sodium: 580mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 86g
• Protein: 7g