17 chocolate cake from scratch recipes

German chocolate cake from scratch with a cooked coconut-pecan frosting. Three layers of buttermilk chocolate cake topped with a rich, chewy caramel-style filling.

Fudge nut cake with melted unsweetened chocolate and chopped nuts baked in a single 9x13 pan or two round layers. A dense, fudgy from-scratch chocolate cake with old-fashioned charm.

Alice's chocolate cake bakes a moist two-layer cocoa cake using boiling water for extra-deep chocolate flavor, then frosts with a from-scratch buttery cocoa-powdered sugar icing. The reliable birthday cake home bakers swear by.

Buttermilk chocolate cake made with real unsweetened chocolate and topped with a from-scratch dark chocolate frosting. A rich, tender two-layer cake with deep cocoa flavor.

From-scratch chocolate fudge layer cake with unsweetened chocolate in the batter and a thick frosting made from 1.5 pounds of melted milk and semi-sweet chocolate beaten with butter. A bakery-quality showpiece.

Double chocolate cake doughnuts made from scratch with unsweetened chocolate and buttermilk, then fried and topped with cocoa icing. Rich, cakey, and worth the overnight chill.

Three-layer chocolate almond cake with cocoa buttermilk layers, almond cream filling, and rich chocolate frosting. A showstopper from-scratch layer cake.

From-scratch chocolate cake with melted unsweetened chocolate and buttermilk, topped with a boiled fudge frosting beaten over ice. Deep, dark, and intensely chocolatey.

From-scratch devil's food cake with boiling water for intense chocolate depth, topped with a fudge frosting made from melted semi-sweet chocolate and butter.

From-scratch German chocolate cake with sweet chocolate melted in boiling water, buttermilk batter with folded egg whites, and a coconut-pecan frosting cooked on the stovetop.

A three-layer chocolate cake with vanilla custard filling and rich chocolate buttercream frosting. Made from scratch with real unsweetened chocolate and whipped egg whites for a light crumb.

Rich chocolate cake with melted chocolate, pecans, and a hint of red food coloring, topped with homemade chocolate pecan frosting. A Southern classic from scratch.

German chocolate layered apple cake with sliced apples and cinnamon-nut batter in alternating layers, topped with cream cheese frosting. A semi-homemade cake that tastes fully from scratch.

Tunnel of Fudge cake from scratch with a gooey, fudgy center that forms naturally during baking. A rich chocolate bundt cake with walnuts and cocoa glaze, no cake mix required.

Classic whoopie pies with soft chocolate cake rounds sandwiched around a fluffy marshmallow cream filling. A New England bakery favorite made from scratch at home.

Fudgy sourdough chocolate cake mixed in one bowl with cocoa, cold coffee, and sourdough starter. Rich, dense, and scratch-made with a tang you can't get from a box mix.