This Chocolate Chip Cake is two 8-inch layers of moist, tender vanilla cake studded with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and finished with a creamy vanilla chocolate chip buttercream. It’s an easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing cake that can be prepared ahead of time and even frozen after frosting.
Why you’ll love this recipe
This simple chocolate chip cake yields two 8-inch layers of fluffy vanilla cake with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips throughout and a smooth vanilla buttercream dotted with additional mini chips. The batter is easy to mix, and the buttercream is straightforward to prepare. Both the cake layers and the frosting keep well, which makes this an excellent choice when you need a dessert ready in advance.
Make the cake layers up to three days ahead (store wrapped tightly) or freeze them for up to one month. The buttercream keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week — add the mini chips right before frosting for the best texture.
Enjoy this cake for birthdays, gatherings, or any time you want a classic, comforting dessert.
Ingredients Needed
Chocolate Chip Cake
Key ingredients for the cake:
- All-Purpose Flour. Any reliable brand will work.
- Whole Milk. 1% or 2% can be used instead.
- Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips. Mini chips distribute evenly through the batter and give a great texture; toss them in a little flour from the dry mix so they’re less likely to sink while baking.
Chocolate Chip Buttercream Frosting
- Powdered Sugar. Sift it for a silky, lump-free frosting.
- Heavy Cream. Use milk as a substitute in a pinch, but cream gives a richer texture.
- Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips. Optional in the frosting — add them just before spreading the buttercream so they stay intact.
How to Make the Recipe
This overview covers the key steps to make a two-layer chocolate chip cake. Full ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the recipe section below.
Chocolate Chip Cake
Step 1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Reserve 2–3 tablespoons to coat the mini chocolate chips.
Step 2. Beat the butter and sugar until light, then add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla, and milk and mix until combined.
Step 3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in the flour-coated mini chocolate chips.
Step 4. Divide the batter evenly between two prepared 8-inch pans and smooth the tops.
Step 5. Bake at 350ºF for about 32–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Step 6. Cool the pans for 10 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Chip Buttercream Frosting
Step 1. Beat room-temperature butter until smooth using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Step 2. Add sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time on low speed. Then add vanilla and heavy cream and beat until fluffy and spreadable.
Step 3. Fold in the mini chocolate chips by hand. If making the frosting in advance, hold the chips until you’re ready to frost.
Step 4. Frost the cooled cake layers and enjoy.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
For the cake layers: Store wrapped tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, double-wrap in plastic and freeze in a large freezer bag for up to one month. Thaw completely before frosting.
For the frosting: Keep buttercream in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Allow it to come to room temperature for 45–60 minutes and re-whip briefly before using. Add the mini chocolate chips right before spreading to keep them from breaking down in the frosting.
Helpful Tips
- Prepare your pans well. Use a flour-based baking spray and consider lining the bottoms with parchment circles to ensure the layers release cleanly.
- Coat the mini chocolate chips in flour. Tossing the chips in a couple of tablespoons of the dry mix helps reduce sinking while baking.
- Be patient cooling. Make sure the cake layers are completely cool before you frost to prevent the buttercream from melting.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe uses two 8″ x 2″ round cake pans.
Cake strips can help minimize doming, but they are optional. If you don’t have them, level the tops after baking with a serrated knife once the cakes are completely cool.
Tossing the mini chips in a little of the dry mix helps them stay suspended in the batter instead of settling to the bottom during baking.
When frosted, the assembled cake measures approximately 4 1/2 inches high (each layer about 2 inches tall).
If you make this Chocolate Chip Cake, please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for trying the recipe!
Chocolate Chip Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cake
- 2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Whole Milk (1% or 2% also OK)
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips (tossed in 2–3 tbsp reserved flour mixture)
Chocolate Chip Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 4 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips (optional in frosting)
Instructions
Chocolate Chip Cake
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and position a rack just above center. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment circles if desired.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Reserve 2–3 tablespoons of this mixture to coat the mini chocolate chips.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla, and milk and mix until combined.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the flour-coated mini chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 32–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the pans for 10 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- To store, wrap layers tightly and keep at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to one month.
Chocolate Chip Buttercream Frosting
- Beat the butter on medium-high until smooth (2–3 minutes).
- Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar one cup at a time until blended. Add vanilla and heavy cream and beat until light and fluffy.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips with a spatula. If making ahead, wait to add chips until you’re ready to frost.
- Frost the cooled cake layers and serve.
Notes
- Assembled cake height is approximately 4 1/2″ (each layer about 2″ tall).
- When greasing pans, adding a parchment circle helps ensure an easy release.
- This recipe can be baked as cupcakes (not tested here) at 350ºF for about 18–20 minutes, yielding roughly 18–24 cupcakes.
- You can omit the chips from the buttercream for a smoother finish, keeping the chips only in the cake layers.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 73 g |
Protein: 4 g |
Fat: 30 g
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients used.
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