Today I’m sharing a deliciously moist scratch Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe from scratch. This homemade recipe has all of the flavor that you love in a chocolate chip cookie!
In the past, I’ve always added chocolate chips to my favorite chocolate or white cake recipes to make chocolate chip cake. What is unique & fun about this Chocolate Chip Cake recipe is that we’ve used brown sugar, which really brings in the flavor of a chocolate chip cookie!
This chocolate chip cake recipe is DELICIOUS, and has just the right amount of chocolate!
We’ve paired this cake with our FAVORITE Classic Chocolate Buttercream and Chocolate Chip Buttercream filling (which is our Classic Vanilla Buttercream + Mini Chips).
Also, this recipe uses the Reverse Creaming Method of mixing. We use this method of mixing for many of our recipes because we find that it gives the cakes a slightly denser, velvety texture.
If you’ve never used this method of mixing before, it is not difficult but it takes a little getting used to because the ingredients are added in a different order than the traditional method. We explain everything in the recipe below, but you may want to give our free video on the Reverse Creaming Method a quick look! Free video: Reverse Creaming Method of Mixing.
Enjoy the recipe!
Chocolate Chip Cake
Ingredients
- Recipe uses the Reverse Creaming Method
- 2 3/4 cup (332 g) all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (325 g) light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon 3 g) salt
- 10 Tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) (141 g) unsalted butter....slightly softened but still cold to the touch (do not microwave). I cut the butter into 1/2 inch slices onto waxed paper a short while before needed. It should still feel cold to the touch. If it becomes too soft, refrigerate for a few minutes.
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cup (302 g) buttermilk (low fat or full fat)
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla
- 1 cup (170 g) mini chocolate chips
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans
- In the bowl of your mixer add the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Hand whisk for at least 30 seconds so the ingredients are well combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir with a fork to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed gradually add the slices of butter, a few pieces at a time. Increase the mixer to medium speed and beat until the dry ingredients look crumbly and moistened by the butter. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add 1/2 of the egg mixture, beating at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes, the batter will become thick and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
- Fold in the chocolate chips
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
- Let the cake cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out.
- Makes 7 cups batter
- Will hold up to fondantThis recipe works well for cupcakes, they will have very little dome.
*If you’d like to learn more about the Reverse Creaming Method of mixing, don’t miss our free video tutorial!:Reverse Creaming Method of Mixing.
Thanks for stopping by today! We hope that you enjoy the recipe. Don’t forget to scroll through our full collection of favorite recipes in our Recipes section! You can find them here: My Cake School Recipes
Dear Melissa and Bebe. Recently I wrote to let you know I wouldn’t be renewing my membership in your online cake membership due to a health problem that will not allow me to bake anymore. I find that I can’t stand not knowing what you two are up too so would love to subscribe again. In the past I always payed by check, if that is still possible could you please send by email a address for payment. I’ve missed seeing what you’ve been doing. Thank you. Barb cox. Babs101@fuse.net
Sounds delicious. I’ll print it off and give it a try – in my own way of course
So many recipes and so little time 
I’m with MsGF! Sounds absolutely delicious…not nearly enough time to get all these new recipes and designs done!
This cake is a winner Melissa, come over and we’ll bake one! ♥
I am not a chocolate fan, but I do love chocolate chip cookies! This one sounds like the perfect recipe for ME!!!
@ Barb Cox – I can’t imagine life without Bebe and Melissa!!!
I just had someone ask for cupcakes for a childrens party in June. I am going to suggest this recipe. Cannot wait to try. May make a trial run for the grand children who love chocolate chip cookies. Thanks Melissa and Bebe.
Hi!! Can I use this witb fondant instead of buttercream??
Thanks
Thank you all so much for your comments!! xoxo I’m so glad that you like it!
@Barb- Thank you!! I’ve just sent you an e-mail ;0)
@Melissa, lol! Yes we’ll have to have a cake date!
@Jennifer- ;0) Thank you!! xoxox And I hope that you love it ;0)
@Colleen- So glad you’re going to try it!
@Carirma- Yes, this recipe is sturdy enough for fondant!
Wonderful recipe. Going to use for my daughter’s birthday cake.
Quick question…the 8″ pans you are using. Are they 8″x2″ or 8″x 3″??
I have the Cake Bible by Rose…great book and cake reference. That’s where I first learned the alternative creaming method. My Mom use to do something similar, she said it was her “hurry up” method!!
Hi June, We used 8″ x 2″ pans. I think your mom’s definition of reverse creaming as the “hurry up method” is true. Once you get accustomed to using reverse creaming, I think you can get the batter in the oven more quickly.
Thanks BeBe for your prompt reply. 8″ x 2″ pans it shall be. Can’t wait to try this recipe. Adding some Skor bits as well. One of my daughter’s favs.
Guess my Mom was ahead of her time and she didn’t know it. 👍
I made this cake recipe last night – it smells amazing!!! I noticed you did not torte this cake. Is there a reason? Will this be too crumbly to torte? or will I be ok to torte it. I usually torte all my cakes to get more filling in the cake.
Hi Janet, Yes, with well chilled layers it will be fine to tort this cake. The chocolate chips are mini so it shouldn’t cause a problem.
Thinking of making this soon. Probably will fill and ice with just the Classic Chocolate Buttercream but I do plan to pipe the shells around the sides…do you think I need to make a double recipe of frosting?
Hi Dene! We just made one batch of the chocolate frosting. It makes about 6 cups, and even though we used a different frosting for the filling, we had leftover chocolate frosting that we could have used for filling. Glad that you are making it!
I usually have problems with the Chocolate chips sinking to the bottom even when dusted lightly in flour first
…anyway to prevent this from happening?
HI Tori, In this recipe I used all-purpose flour because when making the cake with cake flour the batter could not support even the mini chocolate chips and most of them sank. So a cake batter that is thicker will help. Also, using mini sized chips will help. You could also try filling your cake pans with batter and at that point sprinkle the chocolate chips (especially if using the full size chips) on top of the batter, then gently press with the back of a spoon the chips into the cake batter. Quickly put into the oven, hopefully the chips will not have time to sink very far down as the cake bakes up around them.
Finally had time to make this cake…everyone loved it!
Looks yummy.
I also made this cake for my daughter’s birthday this past weekend. Filled inbetween with homemade caramel and skor toffee bits. Was loved here too…none left!!!
@Dene- Your cake looks fabulous! So happy that you made it & loved it! ;0) —
@June- Thanks so much! The caramel & Skor toffee bits sound awesome! xoxo
Yes Melissa..your chocolate chip cake and the caramel/skor bits…totally devine…
Is this cake study enough to make a tiered cake? I think this would be so fun for the inside of my son’s Sesame Street cake!
Hi Ainsley, Yes, this recipe will be fine for a tiered cake. If it is the bottom tier, the dowels support the weight of the upper tier (that is on it own cake board).
Hi. I know I ask this a lot. But is this recipe okay to support fondant tiers? (I make a lot of fondant cakes)
Thanks as always
HI Wendi, Yes, it will support fondant. I will post that to the end of the recipe, other members will have may have the same question.
Cant beat this recipe. So delcious, thanks for sharing.
Simon
I’m completely out of mini chocolate chips!
If I’m going to make cupcakes, can I use regular
chocolate chips?
Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe.
Hi Lilly, We like to use mini chocolate chips because they are lighter and less likely to sink to the bottom of the cake. You can use regular chocolate chips. I would stir half of the chocolate chips into the batter, fill your cupcake liners and then sprinkle the remaining chips over the tops of the cupcakes. Press these chips down slightly below the surface of the batter using a knife or toothpick ( whatever works best for you). Those chips should not sink totally to the bottom. I hope you don’t have many cupcakes to make because this does takes a little extra time.
I just made this recipe! It made 12 cupcakes and 2 6″ cake layers. I just had one of the cupcakes hot out of the oven…delicious!! Well done, ladies! Keep up the yummy recipes!
Hi Natalie, So happy you like the recipe, and thank you so much for posting your review!!
What if I only have salted butter or salted “I can’t believe it’s not butter”? I read that I can just use less salt….Going to try this tomorrow night and probably won’t be able to stop at the store…